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October 14, 2015
When Yale Humanist Community was just getting started, SMART Recovery -- an addiction recovery support group -- became one of our first regular programs. 
 
Why? I can't tell you how many people I've spoken with over the years who are seeking resources and support for addiction recovery, but who aren't able to find what they're looking for in a 12 step program. We're proud to offer a science-based alternative for people who are looking for help managing addictive behaviors.
 
Are you looking for support, or do you want to learn more about how SMART Recovery works? We invite you to join us this Sunday for a discussion with SMART's Founding President Dr. Joe Gerstein, who also serves on the board of the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard. Whether you're interested in the subject or looking for help for yourself or a loved one, we hope you'll join us this Sunday at Humanist Haven! 
 
Read on for more information about Sunday's event and other upcoming programs. We hope to see you soon.
 
Best,
Chris Stedman, Executive Director
Special guest at tonight's undergraduate dinner! 
Join journalist Maxim Eristavi for dinner and discussion.

Weekly undergraduate student dinners, hosted by our affiliated
undergraduate student group, occur Wednesdays at 6 PM. 

Tonight's undergraduate student dinner will feature a special guest: Maxim Eristavi, an independent journalist and co-founder of Hromadske International. One of the most well known English-speaking journalists stationed in Ukraine, Eristavi has been reporting on the country's political and social unrest since the very first days of Ukraine's 2013 Euromaidan protests. His work, which documents Russia's annexation of Crimea and its subsequent proxy war in Eastern Ukraine, focuses on propaganda, news manipulation, international politics, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) issues in Eastern and Central Europe.

While most of the undergraduate dinners take place on campus, on the first Wednesday of each month they happen off campus at the Happiness Lab coffee shop, which is attached to The Grove at 760 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT. At these off campus dinners, which started last week, dinner is provided. Want to join but not sure how to get there? A group of students will walk over from Phelps Gate at 5:45 PM. To contact the student directors and join the official list serv to get updates, email them at [email protected].
This Sunday: Addiction recovery support without 12 steps -- or a higher power
Humanist Haven welcomes Dr. Joe Gerstein on 10/4.
 
In many people's minds, addiction recovery is supposed to involve 12 steps. But what about people who don't find that approach helpful --or believe in a higher power? SMART Recovery, a secular approach to addiction recovery, is spreading all over the world and offering an alternative. SMART recently celebrated its twentieth anniversary in Washington, D.C. with a Proclamation from President Obama commending the organization for its contributions to people trying to recover from addictions. Here in New Haven, Yale Humanist Community has supported a weekly SMART meeting for more than a year. In this talk, SMART's Founding President Dr. Joe Gerstein will illuminate the SMART Recovery 4-Point Program, the SMART Inside/Out correctional program, funded by NIDA, and explain the scientific underpinnings of these programs and how the meetings work in practice.

Humanist Haven is YHC's community gathering where people from all across Yale and New Haven come together to ask big questions, explore what gives our lives meaning and purpose, and act to make the world a better place. Join us at The Grove -- 760 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT -- on the first Sunday of October (10/4) at 1 PM for Humanist Haven with Juhem Navarro-Rivera. 
 
Humanist Haven meets on the first and third Sunday of each month; meetings are free and open to the public, with child activities offered on the first Sunday of the month. Want to join a group walking over from campus? A group of students will leave Phelps Gate at 12:45 PM to walk to The Grove.

Dr. Joe Gerstein is the Founding President of SMART Recovery Self-Help Network, 501(c)3. A retired Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, he has served on Founding Boards of SMART Recovery Australia and SMART Recovery UK and has personally facilitated over 3000 SMART Recovery meetings in hospitals, prisons and communities around the world. He is also a founding board member of the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard, and has served as President of the Greater Boston Humanists since 1983.
Special event with Yale groups on 10/26

This month, our WTF? (Who to Follow?) discussion group will host a special meeting in partnership with a number of Yale groups. Join YHC, W{holy} Queer, the Yale Hindu Students Council, the Yale Chaplain's Office, and the Office of LGBTQ Resources at Yale for a conversation with Yagnaram Ramanuja Dasan about community, solidarity, and how we can look to others for support, guidance, inspiration, or resources. 

This conversation will happen on Monday, October 26 at 7 PM at the Office of LGBTQ Resources at Yale -- 40a Ashmun Street, New Haven, CT. Dinner will be provided. We hope to see you there! 

Yagnaram Ramanuja Dasan is a queer, Latino Hindu blogger. In 2013 he founded LGBT Hindu Satsang, a welcoming, online space for LGBT-identified Hindus. He is currently the president of the organization's chapter in Philadelphia. He also serves as a priest in his community. Yagna has given talks on Hinduism and LGBT identity at the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference and the Philly chapter of PFLAG. He writes on Hindu theology, spiritual practice, and social justice on his blog, J�ana-dipena.
Announcing our Sagan Day location: LC 102
Save the date: Nick Sagan to talk on Monday, November 9.

Though he died in 1996, astronomer Carl Sagan's work continues to have a tremendous impact. This Carl Sagan Day (November 9), YHC is honored and thrilled to welcome a special guest: Nick Sagan, son of Carl Sagan. In a moderated discussion with YHC Executive Director Chris Stedman, Nick will talk about his father's impact, the connection between his father's work and Humanism, and his memories of growing up with Carl Sagan -- including what it was like to record a greeting for potential extraterrestrials at six years old for the Voyager Golden Record.

We invite you to save the date and join us at Linsly-Chittenden Hall Room 102 (63 High Street, New Haven, CT) on November 9 for a conversation with Nick Sagan, and a celebration of the life and legacy of his father Carl Sagan.

Nick Sagan is an author of novels, screenplays, teleplays, comic books, animation episodes and computer games. A prolific filmmaker and writer, his credits include episodes of "Star Trek" and the book You Call This the Future?which Publisher's Weekly called a "delightful 'expedition in search of the future', providing clear explanations of today's cutting edge technologies." He is also the author of the acclaimed Idlewild Series and creator of the Shrapnel graphic novel series for Radical Publishing. The son of astronomer Carl Sagan and Pioneer plaque artist Linda Salzman, Nick was 6 years old when his greeting, "Hello from the children of planet Earth," was placed aboard the Voyager Golden Record as a representation of the English language for potential extraterrestrials to one day discover.
Needs of New Haven: What you can do to help
 
Needs of New Haven, a new YHC monthly discussion series, launched on Monday, October 5. At this meeting, we spoke with Pastor Ariel Martinez about the work he does with New Haven's Latina/o community through La Puerta Community Development Coalition. He identified a particular need for resources which connect incarcerated folks with the rest of the community. This could best be achieved through establishing a halfway house. The halfway house could serve the dual function of stopping cycles of substance abuse while also providing legal work status for undocumented folks. The crucial next step for Rev. Martinez's project is securing land adjacent to the Door of Salvation Church for the halfway house; this will require legal/real estate support. Anyone with a lead on a legal representative willing to work with Rev. Martinez and La Puerta Community Development Coalition should email us at [email protected].

Next month, on November 2, we will be hosting our second Needs of New Haven meeting with a representative from Columbus House, a nonprofit that responds to and prevents homelessness. Bring your questions and join us at the same time and place, at 7:30 PM at the Happiness Lab at The Grove. If you have a suggestion for a local nonprofit or community activist whose work you would like to see elevated through the Needs of New Haven program, we are still looking to book some of our remaining meetings and encourage you to email ideas to [email protected].

Needs of New Haven is just one of our discussion groups, which meet on the first, second, third, and fourth Mondays of each month. Visit the Discussion Groups page on our website to learn more about each group and how you can get involved.
Volunteer with our new STEAMMM program!


Note: Because of funding issues, Clemente Leadership Academy is starting school later than planned. As a result our first STEAMMM activity will be Monday, November 2.

This fall, YHC is partnering with Clemente Leadership Academy to provide a monthly after school STEAMMM (science, technology, engineering, art, math, and medicine mentoring) activity for their middle school-aged students. The program is designed to foster an interest in STEAMM fields and an understanding of how important and useful STEAMM is for society in these young students.

YHC volunteers have an opportunity to share their unique expertise in a STEAMM field with local at-risk students and provide a valuable service for the larger New Haven community. The activities will take place from 3-5 PM on the first Monday of every month beginning in November.

The most unique aspect about this program is that volunteers are encouraged to design and present their own "lesson" or "project" for the students, if desired. Pre-planned activities are also available. It's a great opportunity for aspiring teachers and those who just love working with youth.

For Yale students who would like to travel to the service site together from campus, a group will be meeting at Phelps Gate at 2:30 PM to take the Red shuttle route. Others can meet at Roberto Clemente School or email [email protected] to coordinate ride sharing and other info.

Sign up here to volunteer; you are still welcome to serve if you don't sign up in advance, but you will be serving in an assistant capacity. For more information please contact [email protected] and include "STEAMMM volunteering" in the subject line.
SMART Recovery facilitator Carol Siddall speaking on SMART and Humanism on 10/27

The next monthly meeting of Hartford Area Humanists (HAH) will be on Tuesday, October 27 at the Wood 'N Tap Restaurant in Rocky Hill. Drinks and conversation begin at 6:30 PM, and then a brief business meeting, dinner, and the guest speaker will all start at 7:00 p.m.
 
This month, the HAH guest speaker will be Carol Siddall, the current president of the Humanist Association of Connecticut. She's a regular at Humanist Haven, where she and Richard are known and appreciated for their presence and for the delicious brownies that they bring every time! Carol is also a SMART Recovery meeting facilitator, including for our weekly meeting at the Yale Humanist Community. Carol will share how facilitating SMART Recovery meetings has given her a sense of really doing Humanism, and how it's changing her view of the culture wars, from the school-to-prison pipeline to the "War on Christmas."

Before taking her turn as president, Carol was the editor of the newsletter of the Humanist Association of Connecticut since 1999 and can claim herself to have championed and assisted in starting the Greater Worcester Humanists, Connecticut Valley Atheists as well as Hartford Area Humanists. Carol currently works as a systems analyst for Connecticut Community Care, Inc., a non-profit that administers the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders in 2.5 of the 5 regions in the state. 

We encourage you to come out and hear Carol's thoughts! If you want to carpool up to Rocky Hill for her talk, please email us at [email protected].
Support YHC: Become one of our 20 for 50!



As you can see from our schedule of recurring events, YHC makes a meaningful contribution to Yale and the Greater New Haven community, and especially to those who participate in our many activities and programs. 
 
Most of these events take place at The Grove. The 20 for 50 campaign will ensure that YHC's work can continue. We're seeking 20 individuals who will pledge to donate $50 per month and help us cover the most basic cost of our space -- the rent.  That's just $1.67 a day, or less than a cup of coffee at many coffee shops.
 
Will you be one of the 20 for 50? 
 
As a 501(c)(3), YHC relies entirely on your donations, with no financial support from Yale University. Your donation is fully deductible. Click here to make a one time gift or set up a recurring donation.

"During my time as a Master of Divinity student, I often found myself feeling quite isolated from the other students because I identify as agnostic and Humanist. Yale Humanist Community provided a space where I could be myself without being judged. I was shown love, kindness, and, most importantly, that being nonreligious in no way diminishes one's ability to do good for others." -Mesha Arant, 2015 Yale Divinity School graduate
Weekly YHC Programs

See below for our lineup of recurring programs and visit yalehumanists.com to learn more!

Sundays
 
1 PM: Humanist Haven
First and third Sundays of each month
Location: The Grove
Who: Open to the public
 
6 PM: Grad Students, Professionals, and Young Adults Board Game Night
Second Sunday of each month
Location: Email for details
Who: Open to the public
 
Mondays

3-5 PM: STEAMMM (science, technology, engineering, art, math, and medicine mentoring) service program
First Monday of each month (beginning in November)
Location: Clemente Middle School
Who: Email for details
 
7:30 PM: Discussion Groups
-Needs of New Haven (first Monday of each month starting in October)
-Practical Humanism (second Monday of each month)
-Unsacred Sacred Texts (third Monday of each month)
-WTF (fourth Monday of each month)
Location: The Grove
Who: Open to the public
 
Tuesdays
 
Existential counseling office hours (also available other days by appointment)
Location: YHC Office at The Grove or Davenport College
Who: Open to the public
 
2-3 PM: Chat with Maytal (from the Yale Chaplain's Office) and Chris
Location: Breathing Space (Old Campus)
Who: Undergraduate and graduate students only
 
Wednesdays
  
6 PM: Undergraduate Atheists, Humanists, and Agnostics dinner
Location: First Wednesday of the month at The Grove, all other Wednesdays on campus
Who: Undergraduate students only

7 PM: SMART Recovery
Location: The Grove
Who: Open to the public

Thursdays

Existential counseling office hours (also available other days by appointment)
Location: YHC Office at The Grove or Davenport College
Who: Open to the public
 
12:30 PM: None/Others lunch
Location: Yale Divinity School
Who: Yale Divinity School students only

Fridays
 
8 PM: Grad Students, Professionals, and Young Adults Pub Night 
Fourth Friday of each month
Location: Firehouse 12 (unless otherwise stated)
Who: Open to the public
Get YHC Gear!

Want to wear your Humanism on your sleeve? (Or your laptop, or your...?) Check out our YHC tees, buttons, and stickers -- and let us know if you want to learn more about how to get your own by donating to YHC!

Drink YHC coffee!

Have you enjoyed the coffee at Humanist Haven? Want to make it at home? 

Get your caffeine fix with our locally-roasted, small batch, ethical coffee. Proceeds support YHC! 

Click here to buy.

Volunteers needed for
Humanist Haven
 
From the thoughtful reflections offered at every Humanist Haven, to the dedicated set up and clean up support we rely on in order to make the space comfortable and welcoming, our Humanist Haven gatherings are driven by the generous service of our volunteers. This year, we're doubling the number of Humanist Havens, which means we'll need your help more than ever. 
 
Have you enjoyed a Moment of Reflection, or participated in a Moment of Connection, and thought: "I could do that!" Do you want to help us with our new children's story time initiative? Well now's your chance to get involved. Click here to submit your interest and availability to volunteer.
 
P.S. We're looking for books -- especially ones with Humanist themes -- to use for our children's programs. If you'd like to lend us one, or donate one to our library, please let us know!
Divinity School students weekly lunch 

The None/Others (formerly known as the Open Party) at the Divinity School host round-table lunches on Thursdays at 12:30 PM. To find out more about joining, volunteering, speaking opportunities, or for general inquiries please contact the None/Others at [email protected].
Monthly young adult pub night & board game night


YHC's group for graduate students, professionals, and young adults hosts two events every month

The first is a board game night, every second Sunday of the month at 6 PM. For location details, email [email protected]. 
 
The other is a pub night, every fourth Friday of the month at 8 PM at Firehouse 12. We hope to see you there!
Struggling with addiction? Join us for SMART Recovery

 
Are you struggling with addictive behaviors? Our weekly SMART Recovery support group mees every Wednesday at 7 PM in the Happiness Lab coffee shop, which is attached to The Grove at 760 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT
 
The goal of SMART, which stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training, is to provide quality, science-based educational tools and community for individuals struggling with addictive behaviors-and a nontheistic alternative to twelve-step programs, which rely heavily on God and Christian theology. People of all faiths and beliefs are welcome to attend. Please click here for updates regarding weather-related or other cancellations of our meetings.
 
Want to learn more about SMART? We're hosting Founding President Dr. Joe Gerstein for a talk at Humanist Haven this Sunday.  Visit our website to learn more!
YHC members speaking, writing, and doing! 

Below are some things Yale Humanist Community members have been saying and doing this month. If you'd like us to share something you're doing in a future newsletter, please let us know!

-YHC board member Chelsea Blink submitted a Letter to the Editor calling on interfaith advocates to include the nonreligious. Watch for it in the New Haven Register (in print and online) very soon! 

-YHC board member and discussion group facilitator Tom Krattenmaker was on ESPN talking about NFL player Arian Foster's nontheism. 

-YHC Faculty Adviser Laurie Santos was featured in the preview for the new season of Going Deep with David Rees. (You may see our Executive Director on the show when it airs, too.) 

-YHC alum Conor Robinson shared a photo from his work with the Humanist Service Corps. 

-YHC's Volunteer Coordinator Wendy Webber participated in the New Haven's City-Wide Open Studios, where she showed photos taken during her year volunteering with Pathfinders Project, an international Humanist service initiative. 

-Discussion group and Humanist Haven regular Erika Morrison published her new book Bandersnatch and celebrated with a book release party at The Grove, in the same room where we host Humanist Haven. 

-YHC's Executive Director Chris Stedman spoke with WNPR about why public transit makes a community feel more connected. He also talked about some Humanist ideas worth sharing with the podcast Life Itself, and spoke at the Common Ground conference at Rutgers in New Jersey and at the Humanist Association of Connecticut's October meeting.
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