Lecture: Democracy is My Religion with Fish Stark

About this event

Join us Tuesday September 15, 2026 for our guest speaker, **Fish Stark, Executive Director of the American Humanist Association.** Afterward, come along to Palace of India for dinner and conversation: 138 East Fulton St. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Humanism isn’t the opposite of faith – it’s the opposite of authoritarianism. Unitarian minister Curtis Reese, a co-founder of the American Humanist Association, referred to humanism as the “religion of democracy” for a reason – because of our radical belief that truth, morality, and power do not rightly reside in an external source, as theistic systems may claim, but in us. Fish Stark weaves together humanist history, philosophy, psychology, and theology to lay out a blueprint for how humanists can lean into the fight against authoritarianism feed our fire of commitment – and present a compelling vision for what we do believe rather than a negative vision of what we don’t. A rousing affirmation that we are not merely subjects of history, but its authors, the very higher power we have been searching for.  **Fish Stark** is an organizer, educator, social entrepreneur, and lifelong humanist. Fish has spent his career turning big ideas into bold action in service of belonging, flourishing, and social justice for all people. Prior to joining the AHA as Executive Director, Fish was the Head of Program + Curriculum at Legends, an educational technology startup, where he led research and implementation teams to create products that helped children build self-confidence, positive mental health, and critical thinking skills. Previously, Fish served as the Director of Programs at Peace First, a global nonprofit that provides training and funding to youth social justice activists, where he led a global team of organizers who empowered thousands of youth grantees in 140+ countries to make lasting change in their communities, and worked with…