EthicalStL.org

Nikki Nienhaus will offer a brief history of racism in American medicine, how it has evolved and changed, and what the outlook is moving forward. She will include practical ways that individuals can recognize their own biases as well as those of the healthcare workers they encounter, and begin to change them. And lastly, she will offer actions that can be taken to create change on the global level. Dr. Nikki Nienhaus has been practicing as a chiropractor since 2016, both in private practice and as the chiropractor at Jamaa Birth Village, St. Louis’ first Blackowned midwifery clinic. Nikki and her husband Kyle have been members at the Ethical Society since 2013. They have one daughter, Lorelai.

Jonathan describes his start with the Ethical Society, his current situation, and anthropology.

No Roe in MO! Allison Hile, an expert in the fields of abortion care and sexual health education, will answer your burning questions: How could this have happened? What are people doing now? What can I do? And a few positive things on the horizon! Allison Hile has a master’s degree in counseling psychology with an emphasis in human sexuality. She is the retired executive director of a statewide organization training adults to be better sexuality educators. She has worked in the fields of abortion care and sexual health education for over 30 years. She is a founding board member of the Missouri Abortion Fund and their current board secretary. Allison and her husband are longtime members of the Ethical Society of St. Louis.

We live in a world, and a nation, beset by enormous challenges. Rising extremism, political dysfunction, and social polarization have created an increasingly mean and rancorous public square. Events like the overturning of Roe v. Wade suggest that American society is moving further from the progressive ideals the Ethical Society represents, while the attack on the Capitol showed how sick American democracy is. In such a challenging climate, how can Ethical Humanists live their values? Should we fight fire with fire, or should we be peacemakers?

Dave Warnock, author of the memoir Childish Things, argues that moving away from childish thinking means embracing the complexity and nuance in the world. Fundamentalist thinking keeps individuals and societies in an infantile state of mind. We must move away from that if we are to progress.

How Missourians of all stripes must be vocal and involved in protecting our democracy and not wait for anyone else to save it, including real-world tips on putting yourself in the activist and legislative arena. Stacey Newman condenses ProgressWomen’s popular long-running statewide #GOV101 series into urgent doable actions, compelling you to get off the couch and do something while you still can.

Life doesn't always turn out the way we expect, for better or for worse. However, through it all there is always hope- and a reason to look ahead. Persevering through challenges and finding purpose and meaning in serving others becomes the true measure of success. Teaching has been a journey of finding the joy in fulfilling the calling of a lifetime while learning my own invaluable lessons.

Carissa L. Philippi will present evidence from individuals with brain injury as well as brain imaging research in prison inmates which demonstrate the role of the frontal and temporal lobes in criminal behavior. In the context of this neuroscientific research, she will discuss legal and ethical considerations regarding concepts of individual responsibility and the limitations of neuroimaging.

If our minds are the product of matter and if matter simply obeys strict natural laws, how can we have free will at all? This is one of the greatest philosophical questions of all, and a problem which is frequently used to attack materialistic Humanism. “Of course we have free will,” critics of materialism often say, “and materialism cannot account for that, so materialism must be wrong!” Is this correct? What is the evidence that we have free will, and what are the implications if we don’t? Are our choices truly our own? Find out in this lightning-fast tour through one of the most difficult philosophical terrains of all.

As Ethical Humanists, we strive to live our values. we are committed to ethical action and relationship building. Reciting our values and living them are two totally different things. How do we put our values into action? Which ones are hardest to implement in our daily lives? Does everyone deserve to be treated fairly and kindly? Join Leader-In-Training Louise Jett in exploring radical kindness, Humanist values and Ethical Culture.