ACA Lecture SeriesA Place at the Table2010-03-07On February 26th, 2010, Kathleen Johnson, American Atheists Vice President and Military Director and the founder of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, spoke at a historic meeting with the Obama administration at the nation's capital. The event, organized by the Secular Coalition of America, focused on three issues: faith based medical neglect, proselytizing in the military, and administration support for faith based initiatives. This occasion was a prime example of how a variety of different secular groups can unite for a common cause and accomplish significant political actions. Ms. Johnson will speak about her experiences with "having a seat at the table" and the importance of effectively setting aside political and positional differences to effectively advocate for common causes. Kathleen Johnson, Vice President and Military Director for American Atheists, started her career as an atheist activist by founding the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (MAAF) and serving as the organization’s first president. After stepping down as MAAF president in 2001 to take a more active role with American Atheists, she assumed the position of Military Director and coordinated American Atheists support of atheist military members and veterans. She was ultimately appointed to American Atheists’ board of directors and accepted an appointment as one of two Vice Presidents. Ms. Johnson served in the military for 23 years before retiring in 2008 and was an outspoken atheist for most of her career. She currently works as a Department of the Army civilian at Fort Hood, TX. The ACA Lecture Series is a monthly event in Austin, Texas geared at a non-atheist audience. Lectures are generally free and open to the public.. The ACA Lecture Series is produced by the Atheist Community of Austin. The Atheist Community of Austin is organized as a nonprofit educational corporation to develop and support the atheist community, to provide opportunities for socializing and friendship, to promote secular viewpoints, to encourage positive atheist culture, to defend the first amendment principle of state-church separation, to oppose discrimination against atheists and to work with other organizations in pursuit of common goals.
The Atheist Experience is a weekly cable access television show in Austin, Texas geared at a non-atheist audience. The Atheist Experience is produced by the Atheist Community of Austin. The Atheist Community of Austin is organized as a nonprofit educational corporation to develop and support the atheist community, to provide opportunities for socializing and friendship, to promote secular viewpoints, to encourage positive atheist culture, to defend the first amendment principle of state-church separation, to oppose discrimination against atheists and to work with other organizations in pursuit of common goals. DVDs of the Atheist Experience can be purchased via atheist-community.org/products. More shows and media types can be found in our archive and our fan page.
