Greetings!
It has now been two years since Juneteenth was declared a national holiday in the United States. And here at BN, we continue to celebrate in the “spirit” of liberation while challenging the historical and institutional injustices that still directly affect the Black community.
June was a very busy month for us. In Detroit, we represented at the Motor City Black Age of Comics convention, and the Madison Heights Juneteenth festival (both for the first time). And in the Atlanta area, we returned as exhibitors for the 5th Annual Clayton County Juneteenth Freedom Festival in Jonesboro, GA. What’s significant about this particular location is that was right down the street from the Road to Tara Museum, which pays tribute to the movie “Gone With The Wind”, and now prominently highlights pioneering Black actresses Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen. And we were on hand with our own tribute to McQueen, who famously declared, “As my ancestors are free from slavery, I am free from the slavery known as religion.”
Being free from dogma remains the core mission of our work at BN, which is why we also celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride this month. As we have stated since our inception 12 years ago, we welcome all regardless of gender identity, sexual identity, age, national origin, or racial identity. And this will NEVER change.
Our annual summer fundraising drive is upon us, and as always, we count on your support. Our modest goal of $5,000 jump starts our mid-year operations and programs, including our show In The Cut, and the sponsorship of the Hurston scholarship for Black student activists. In the past, your generosity has helped us to exceed this goal by double the amount, and we hope that this year will be just as successful.
We are steadily working on our key goals for 2023, which includes updating our organizational bylaws and policies, strengthening our leadership team (including our board), and expanding our community engagement. And if you visit the Donate tab on our site, you will find updated financial information, so that you can see how far we have come, and how much more we need to continue.
As always, none of this is possible without you. And we truly thank you for supporting us, especially through this transitional time. BN will ALWAYS be dedicated to Black nonreligious liberation, which means a commitment to humanism, critical thinking, and community.
Sincerely,
Mandisa L. Thomas
Founder and President
Black Nonbelievers
“Walking by Sight, NOT Faith!”
#BNchangeslives
