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Hello Secular FAM,
What a weekend! Arizona (and the rest of the country) turned up to send a clear message: There are NO KINGS in America! ✊ And, we're happy to note, that the largest protest ever in the U.S. was peaceful and joyful.
We love to see it — and we loved seeing you at Pride in Phoenix this weekend, too. Let's keep the momentum going strong!
Here are actions you can take this week and beyond to stand up for the separation of church and state:
- 10/20, 5p: Paint the Patch with Reproductive Freedom for All. Info here.
- 10/21, 5p: What's Next After No Kings? After the protesting comes the organizing. Join this mass call to learn about how to keep the movement going. Info here.
- 10/22, 5p: Meet at Cashman Park (22222 N. 44th St, Phoenix) to knock doors in support of Prop 409 and many other volunteer opportunities. Info here.
- 10/23, 4p: Virtual voter registration drive with SOSAZ. Info here.
- 10/28, 4:30p: Join EducateUS for a discussion with Soraya Chemaly, the award-winning author of Rage Becomes Her, on dismantling male supremacy. Info here.
- Every year, Secular AZ distributes banned books at the Tucson Festival of Books. You can help by donating books to our library from our wish list; all books are sold locally through Changing Hands Bookstore.
- Tell Congress and the U.S. Dept. of Ed you oppose plans to promote (extremist, far-right, explicitly religious) "patriotic education." Public comment closes soon, so don't delay! Info here.
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How much will your local school district lose under the Trump budget cuts? Use this tool to find out then speak up for public schools! SOSAZ makes it easy.
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Email Governor Hobbs and ask her to create a dedicated, affirming LGBTQIA+ crisis line staffed by trained counselors. Info here.
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Turning Point Action is attempting to take over the SRP board and influence (sustainable) energy policy. If you own property the Phoenix metro area, you can likely vote in the election, even if you don't get your power from SRP. You just have to register to vote here.
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Monitor or attend school board meetings in your district. Info here.
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Set up a high school voter registration drive with CEBV and The Civics Center. Info here.
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Protect students; become a Hall Monitor with Just Schools. Info here.
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Prop 409 & Healthcare in Arizona Calling all Maricopa County voters: Let's talk healthcare! Proposition 409 would expand services, modernize facilities, and help train medical professionals at the county's only public teaching hospital: Valleywise Health. This medical center provides care for some of our most-vulnerable neighbors. Ballots are out and Election Day is right around the corner Be an informed voter! Dawn Penich, Lia Christiansen, and Lindsay Love join us this Friday at noon to discuss Prop 409 and healthcare in Arizona. Register for this virtual presentation |
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What's Human Composting? At Secular AZ, we've long advocated for more options at the end of life – specifically, we've lobbied for a bill legalizing medical aid in dying. (Unfortunately, religious extremists in our state legislature have thus far refused to let such a bill to even be heard.) One end-of-life-option we're curious about is natural organic reduction, also known as human composting. Last week, we were joined by Regis Wiegand of Natural Organic Reduction of Arizona to discuss this eco-friendly alternative to traditional burial and cremation. Watch this virtual presentation |
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Channel Your Inner Fred Rogers: Worship Kindness
Hey hey, Secular FAM. Somehow, 2026 is right around the corner, and I feel like I’ve been in a whirlwind for most of 2025. I am oversensitive and numb at the same time, and it is a constant struggle to maintain a healthy flow of information. This year, Secular AZ celebrated its fifteenth anniversary. Fifteen years ago, a bunch of agnostics, atheists, humanists, freethinkers, and secularists in Arizona recognized what was happening in evangelical extremist circles throughout the United States, and formed the Secular Coalition for Arizona. Our founders realized that after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, white Christian nationalists did not raise the white flag. They regrouped, recruited, and rebranded.
People like Pat Robertson, James Dobson, and Paul Weyrich founded conservative organizations like Focus on the Family and The Heritage Foundation, all laser-focused on ushering in a Christo-fascist regime. Growing up, I would sometimes catch these hate preachers on TV on a lazy Sunday, and I never really got it. I never understood how people could believe anything that came out of their mouths. Maybe it was my dad’s disdain for their endless pleas for money, or the way their tears and mannerisms just felt fake. Maybe it’s that I couldn’t see any discernable difference between the Sunday morning televangelists and the Saturday night ones...keep reading at Secular AZ's Beehiiv. |
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In Memoriam: Jerry Karches Gerald (Jerry) Karches passed away on September 3, 2025. He was a lifetime member of Secular AZ and active in the Freethought Arizona community.
Jerry moved to Tucson after retiring from the Public Health Service. After retiring, he started teaching at the University of Arizona and then went on to establish Southwest Hazard Control. We will miss Jerry's kindness and generosity. A celebration of Jerry's life will be held at 4:00 p.m. on November 16, 2025 at the Omni Tucson National. |
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In Memoriam: Kenton Brown Ken (Kenton) Brown passed away on September 18, 2025. For many years, he served as liaison between Secular AZ and the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers. Kenton could often be found at events at the Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix and Phoenix MeetUps. Kenton was an Air Force Major who believed in the American dream and supported Constitutional freedom of religion, which, as he often said, means freedom from religion, too. |
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THIS WEEK'S NEWS
But they're just kids, never mind that they're in their 20s and 30s: Arizona Young Republicans are refusing calls to resign after a leaked group chat showed them and other national YR leaders making racist, antisemitic, and violent comments, including joking about gas chambers. The Arizona YR chapter rejected the calls as a "political witch hunt." Huh. 🤔 All we can say is that if it if it looks like a Nazi, sounds like a Nazi, and uses 250+ slurs in a bigoted, violent, sexist, racist, antisemitic, rape-promoting, and hate-filled group chat, it might just be a…. More here. First Amendment 101: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof… If you've ever wanted a quick breakdown of what the First Amendment says about religion, ACLU Arizona has created a video guide you can share with others. More here. The people. United. Will make creative signage: Arizonans came out in force on October 18th to let the world know there are no kings in America! Phoenix New Times compiled some of the best signs from the protests. More here. Why we can't have nice things: Arizona has joined 21 other states to sue the EPA for illegally canceling the $7 billion "Solar for All" program, which includes a $156 million grant for Arizona. The EPA claims a new law rescinded the obligated funds, but plaintiffs argue this is an unlawful breach of contract that will harm thousands of low-income households that need affordable clean energy. It'll also hurt efforts toward sustainable energy policy in our state. More here. The youth clamor for worship music: MAGA's "All American Halftime Show," announced by Turning Point USA to counter a Super Bowl performance by Bad Bunny exposes the movement's deep cultural disconnect and xenophobia. Why all the pearl clutching? Most likely because Bad Bunny performs almost exclusively in Spanish. Imagine trying to convince anyone that there's more demand for dated acts like Creed and Christian pop music, instead of one of the top-streamed artists in the world. Seems like more racism on display. More here.
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Secular AZ
PO Box 47756 | Phoenix, Arizona 85068
6023804810 | info@secularaz.org |
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