This week we bring we are delighted to share the first episode of The Secular Sankofa Podcast, from the Association of Black Humanists. 

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"We believe in people, not prophets, we believe in freedom, not fear, and we believe in integrity, not doctrine" - Audrey Simmons, Podcast Host

The Secular Sankofa podcast is a platform for Black humanists to reconnect with African identity and heritage through a secular lens. The hosts introduce the Association of Black Humanists, its mission, and vision for creating a space where Black people can explore humanism without religious dogma.

Stay connected with the Association of Black Humanists:

• Meetup: association-of-black-humanist
• Facebook: @AssociationBlackHumanists
• Instagram: @abhumanists
• X / Twitter: @abhumanists
• YouTube: Association of Black Humanists
• TikTok: @assoc_of_black_humanists

Learn more about our work and community at abhumanists.org

Music: Icy by Jeff Kaale

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live, making podcasting easy for charities and social causes.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]

Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

“Human dignity is really the foundation for reasoned morality — there’s nothing we can do to increase it or decrease it. Even the worst people still deserve it simply because they’re human.”  - David B. McLaughlin

David B. McLaughlin, leadership coach and author of Humanism: Five Values for Living Well, joins us to map a practical, hopeful framework for meaning without dogma. From life in the U.S. Bible Belt to boardrooms wrestling with equity, we explore how meaning, dignity, reason, compassion, and justice work together to guide everyday choices and systemic change.

Connect with David B. McLaughlin

• Website – pendulumcoaching.com
• Newsletter – exploringhumanism.substack.com
• LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/davidbmc

Topics we cover

• Dignity as a moral floor you can’t earn or revoke
• Spotting dehumanisation and resisting it
• The Pillar Model of meaning
• Rituals beyond religion: building habits that anchor values
• Reason + compassion: escaping autopilot and widening concern
• Justice at work: equity, fair policies, and psychological safety
• Seeing hidden power: systemic awareness for better decisions
• The “reverse wager of humanism”: urgency to do tangible good now

Resources & further reading

• Humanism: Five Values for Living Well – David B. McLaughlin  – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Humanism-Five-Values-Living-Well/dp/B0FNRP5GKR
• Pendulum Coaching Podcast – Conversations on modern leadership – https://www.pendulumcoaching.com/podcast
• “Pale Blue Dot,” Voyager 1 image & essay – background on Sagan’s perspective – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_Blue_Dot

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live, making podcasting easy for charities and social causes.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]

Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

“Being a skeptic doesn’t make me smarter or infallible—it just means I’m trying to fail slightly less often.”

Michael Marshall has spent more than 15 years investigating pseudoscience, conspiracy theories and the psychology that sustains them. As Project Director of the Good Thinking Society, President of the Merseyside Skeptics Society and Editor of The Skeptic, Marsh has gone undercover at flat-earth conventions, exposed fake psychics, and campaigned successfully to end NHS funding for homeopathy. In this conversation, he explores how “compassionate skepticism”, leading with empathy and curiosity rather than confrontation can help us counter misinformation and connect more deeply with one another.

Connect with Michael

• X – @MrMMarsh
• Skeptics with a K Podcast
• The Know Rogan podcast
• QED Conference

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Skepticism as practice, not a badge of superiority
 ✔︎ The ethics of “compassionate skepticism”
 ✔︎ How pseudoscience harms—and why empathy works better than ridicule
 ✔︎ What Flat Earth believers reveal about human psychology
 ✔︎ The legacy of QED and building communities grounded in reason

Resources & further reading

• The Skeptic – Marshall’s author archive: skeptic.org.uk/author/michael
• Wikipedia – Michael Marshall (skeptic)
• Skeptical Inquirer interview: “Marsh Interview”
• BBC News – “NHS homeopathy funding to end”: bbc.co.uk/news/health-43373817
• The Guardian – “The Universe is an Egg and the Moon Isn’t Real”: Read article
• PBS Independent Lens – Exposing

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live, making podcasting easy for charities and social causes.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]

Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

"Another form of resistance is joy.”

Maggie Ardiente, newly elected President of Humanists International, joins Humanism Now to share how humanism grounded in curiosity, compassion, and community can meet today’s rising threats to democracy and science. From a Catholic upbringing to global leadership, Maggie lays out a practical, joyful vision: build resilient humanist networks and live our values in the one life we know we have.

Connect with Maggie:

• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/maggieardiente/
• LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggieardiente/

Topics we cover

• Building humanist community: from campus groups to a global movement
• Why labels and groups matter for the non-religious
• Humanism in public life: defending democracy, science, and human rights
• Joy as resistance: living well as a humanist practice
• Practical ways to start or grow a local humanist group
• Misconceptions about “humanism” in the United States
• Leadership skills for secular nonprofits (fundraising, empathy, voice)
• Supporting humanists at risk—especially across the Global South

Resources & further reading

• Humanists International – Global federation advancing humanist values – https://humanists.international
• American Humanist Association – US national org for humanists – https://americanhumanist.org
• Secular Coalition for America – Policy advocacy for secular Americans – https://secular.org
• Physicians for Social Responsibility – Health professionals for climate solutions & a nuclear-free world – https://www.psr.org

Send us a text

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Follow @HumanismNowPod | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Threads | X.com | BlueSky

Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live, making podcasting easy for charities and social causes.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]

Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

“No one ever said it was going to be easy. Humanists don’t think a better world is inevitable—we think a better world is possible, but we have to work for it.”

Andrew Copson OBE, Chief Executive of Humanists UK and former President of Humanists International, joins us for our 50th episode to reflect on two decades of humanist leadership. From growing up in a secular working-class community to championing global human rights, Andrew explains why humanism remains vital in a time of rising extremism, technological disruption, and political uncertainty.

Connect with Andrew

• Website – Humanists UK
• X (Twitter) – @andrewcopson
• LinkedIn – Andrew Copson
• Facebook - @mrandrewcopson

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Growing up secular in working-class Britain
 ✔︎ Why humanist organizations matter: advocacy, representarion and care
 ✔︎ Misconceptions about humanism today – “too anti-religious” vs. “too pro-human”
 ✔︎ The challenge of technology and the meaning of mortality
 ✔︎ Strategic engagement: when to dialogue, and when not to
 ✔︎ Transforming Humanists International into a diverse, global movement
 ✔︎ The campaign to free Mubarak Bala
 ✔︎ UK priorities ahead: assisted dying, curriculum reform, defending equality
 ✔︎ Why embracing the identity of “humanist” still matters

Resources & further reading

• Secularism: Politics, Religion and Freedom – Copson (2017)
• The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Humanism – Copson & Grayling (2015)
• The Little Book of Humanism Series – Copson & Roberts
• What I Believe – Copson (2025)
• What I Believe Podcast
• Andrew Copson’s Farewell Speech to the General Assembly, Humanists International 2025
• Mubarak Bala case – Humanists Internatio

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live, making podcasting easy for charities and social causes.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]

Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

“You don’t change the world. You change the way one person views the world—and then you’ve changed the world for that person.”

What if true strength lies not in certainty, but in listening with respect? In this episode, Morgan DeNicola, Executive Director of the DeNicola Family Foundation, shares how dialogue across divides, cultural diplomacy and everyday acts of humanity redefine what philanthropy can mean. From working with to fostering cross-cultural understanding worldwide, Morgan shows how compassion, curiosity and calm self-control can build bridges in even the most polarized spaces.

Connect with Morgan

• Facebook – Morgan DeNicola
• Instagram – @morgan.slikerdenicola
• LinkedIn – Morgan DeNicola
• TikTok – @morganslikerdenicola

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ The 360-degree value of diverse viewpoints
 ✔︎ Philanthropy as “love of humanity” beyond financial giving
 ✔︎ Finding common ground across ideological divides
 ✔︎ Diplomacy as an everyday superpower of relationship-building
 ✔︎ Practical mental health strategies for service-driven work
 ✔︎ Why self-control and calm are ultimate strengths in dialogue
 ✔︎ The four pillars of the DeNicola Family Foundation: conservation, world health, humanitarian recognition, cultural diplomacy

Resources & further reading

• Humpty Dumpty Institute – Fostering dialogue with Congress, UN and global partners
• DeNicola Family Foundation – Supporting world health, conservation, diplomacy and recognition initiatives
• Amitofo Care Centre – Orphan and education programmes in Africa
• American Thoracic Society – Global conference supporting medical research in lung health
• Elmwood Park Zoo - Inspiring appreciation for wildlife, the environment & active participation in conservation
• Morgan's "Six or Nine" Cartoon T-Shirt

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live, making podcasting easy for charities and social causes.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]

Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Ubuntu: I am because we are. 🌍✨

In this bonus episode of Humanism Now, we’re sharing the live recording of Professor James Ogude’s talk from the online event Understanding Ubuntu Traditions part of the Global Origins of Humanism series (co-hosted by Central London Humanists and the Association of Black Humanists). 

Prof. Ogude is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship, University of Pretoria, and a leading authority on Ubuntu—the African ethical tradition of community, compassion and shared humanity.

About the series

The Global Origins of Humanism series is a new programme of online talks and discussions exploring philosophical traditions from around the world that have influenced modern humanist thought. At each event CLH & ABH welcome a leading scholar to introduce their area of expertise, followed by audience discussion.

These events are free to attend online and open to everyone. 

Upcoming events (RSVP on Meetup to join live)

• Roots of Rationalism in India with Alavari “AJ” Jeevathol — Wed 17 Sept 2025, 7pm UK 
• In Search of Zera Yacob with Dr Jonathan Egid — Wed 15 Oct 2025, 7pm UK

Prof. Ogude covers;

• How personhood is earned through relationships and community
• How Ubuntu differs from Western individualism
• Co-agency: interconnectedness of human and non-human life
• Ubuntu as an ecological ethic for climate and sustainability challenges
• The material dimension of dignity: why justice must include economic needs
• Archbishop Tutu’s role in elevating Ubuntu to a universal framework for reconciliation
• Ubuntu as a process of becoming, not a fixed identity

Selected Books by James Ogude

• Ubuntu and Personhood
• Ubuntu and the Everyday
• Ubuntu and the Reconstitution of Community 

More about the organisers

• Central London Humanists:

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live, making podcasting easy for charities and social causes.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]

Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

“The arc of history bends towards justice only if you keep pushing it in that direction.”

David Livingstone-Smith, Ph.D.,  award-winning author, Professor of Philosophy at the University of New England and a leading authority on dehumanization joins us to unpack how ordinary people come to see others as “less than human,” why that shift makes atrocities feel morally necessary, and what practical tools can help us resist it. 

His books include Less Than Human (Anisfield-Wolf Award), On Inhumanity (OUP), and Making Monsters (HUP; Joseph B. Gittler Award; Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize shortlist).

Connect with David Livingstone-Smith

• Website – https://www.davidlivingstonesmith.com
• Newsletter – https://davidlivingstonesmith.substack.com/
• University profile – https://www.une.edu/people/david-livingstone-smith
• Media – https://www.davidlivingstonesmith.com/media

Topics we cover

• What dehumanization is: conceiving others as subhuman creatures or monsters
• How we hold contradictory beliefs (human and subhuman) at the same time
• The role of epistemic authority, leaders, “experts” and propaganda, in spreading dehumanization
• Why racialization often precedes full dehumanization
• Moral framing of mass violence as “self-defence” against monsters
• Economic insecurity and social fear as fertile ground for dehumanizing narratives
• Psychological self-defense: recognizing our manipulability
• What actually helps: honest historical education, dismantling racial thinking, and a robust press

Resources & further reading

• Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave, and Exterminate Others (2011) – https://www.davidlivingstonesmith.com/project-09
• On Inhumanity: Dehumanization and How to Resist It (2020) – https://www.davidlivingstonesmith.com/on-inhumanity
• Making Monsters: The Uncanny Power of Dehumanization (2021) – https://www.davidlivingstonesmith.com/making-monsters

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live, making podcasting easy for charities and social causes.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]

Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

“Inclusion is the behaviors that result in others feeling valued, respected, seen and heard.”

Dr. Victoria Mattingly (Dr. V)—industrial-organizational psychologist, CEO & founder of Mattingly Solutions, and co-author of Inclusalytics—joins us to show how rigorous data and deeply human connection can coexist. We unpack practical, measurable ways to build cultures of belonging—at work and in communities—where people can thrive as their authentic selves.

Connect with Dr. Victoria Mattingly

• Website – mattinglysolutions.com
• Instagram – @drvictoriamattingly
• LinkedIn – /in/vpmattingly/
• Dr V.s Udemy Course: Ally Up: How to Build and Activate Ally Partnerships
• Dr V. on Google Scholar – https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=L9cutXEAAAA

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Defining inclusion with outcomes: behaviours that make others feel valued, respected, seen, and heard
 ✔︎ “Inclusalytics”: merging workplace inclusion with analytics to measure belonging
 ✔︎ Why the platinum rule (treat others as they want to be treated) surpasses the golden rule
 ✔︎ The difference between mentorship and sponsorship—and why sponsors accelerate equity
 ✔︎ How executive sponsors can empower ERGs without overstepping
 ✔︎ Allyship as active behavior, not identity
 ✔︎ Three characteristics of effective partners in allyship: self-awareness, trust, and action orientation
 ✔︎ Capturing positive behaviors—why we should measure allyship, not just discrimination
 ✔︎ Using AI and language data ethically to advance inclusion

Resources & further reading

• Pre order: Act Like an Ally, Work With an Ally – Victoria Mattingly – Mattingly Solutions | Kindle
• Inclusalytics: How DEI Leaders Use Data to Drive Their Work – Victoria Mattingly & Sertrice Grice – Amazon | Goodreads
  
  

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Follow @HumanismNowPod | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Threads | X.com | BlueSky

Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live, making podcasting easy for charities and social causes.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]

Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

“If humanism is anything, it’s self-education. It’s progressing, becoming more educated, more enlightened.” - Dr Bill Angus

Dr Bill Angus takes us on a provocative journey through his transition from devout evangelical Christian to secular humanist in this candid, thought-provoking conversation. After 30 years of committed faith, Angus found himself re-examining the foundations of Christianity, leading to what he calls a “divorce” from Jesus. With humour and clarity, he challenges us to rethink what religion offers – and what humanism makes possible instead.

Connect with Bill & Resources:

• Divorcing Jesus: Atheism for Absolute Beginners – Bill Angus (2024) – Amazon
• Website – billangus.com
• Bluesky – @billangus.bsky.social
• Humanists New Zealand – humanist.nz

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Why Bill felt “divorcing Jesus” was the right metaphor for leaving faith
 ✔︎ Jesus as historical figure vs. fictionalised character of modern Christianity
 ✔︎ How religion can stunt personal growth through “instant salvation”
 ✔︎ Humanism as a practice of continuous learning and self-education
 ✔︎ Rethinking forgiveness, love, and moral values outside divine command
 ✔︎ Finding authentic community beyond the church
 ✔︎ Building strength and integrity through secular humanism
 ✔︎ The wide horizons of life after religion

Send us a text

Support the show

Support Humanism Now & Join Our Community!

Follow @HumanismNowPod | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Threads | X.com | BlueSky

Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live, making podcasting easy for charities and social causes.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]

Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.