About Us

Michigan Humanists‘ mission is to advance a secular community and promote humanist values. Central to our mission is developing a vibrant secular community throughout Michigan to allow atheists, agnostics, humanists, skeptics, and other freethinkers to share enriching experiences, offer mutual support, engage in community service, and work to end the stigma attached to being a nonbeliever. We promote reason, science, and church/state separation to counter the influence of religion and pseudoscience in public policy, and to defend the values, interests, and civil rights of nonreligious citizens.

Our monthly events include Café Inquiry (presentations and discussion groups), Skeptics in the Pub (casual meetups), and Living Without Religion (support group). Other highlights include the weekend-long Secular Summer Retreat and yearly Solstice Dinners. We also provide opportunities for meaningful volunteering for the greater good through Secular Service. Visit the Event Calendar to learn about specific programs. All our events are open to the public. A few require advance registration or tickets, which is noted in the events.

Michigan Humanists is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, EIN: 88-1621009.

History

Michigan Humanists is a new group organized by founding members and past leaders of the West Michigan Freethought Association and Center for Inquiry Michigan.

The Freethought Association of West Michigan was founded in 1997 by Jeff Seaver, Don Hansen, and Charles Leedy. Starting as an informal group of less than a dozen, membership eventually grew to 400 freethinkers, with over 550 attendees at some featured lecture events. In 2007, the Freethought Association merged with Center for Inquiry and became Center for Inquiry Michigan.

Originally, the group met at the home of Don Hansen. Since then, events have been held at Schuler Books, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Wyoming Public Library, Grand Rapids Community College, Yankee-Clipper Library, the Women’s City Club, Wealthy Theatre Annex, and most recently, on Zoom.

Michigan Humanists was founded in 2022 to carry on the 25 years of work started by Jeff, Don, and Charles.

Our programming is made possible only by tax-deductible donations from supporters like you.

Board of Directors

Jason Pittman – President (two-year term ending January 2025)
Cindy Krieg – Vice President (two-year term ending January 2024)
Tim Postma – Treasurer (two-year term ending January 2024)
Dean Tersigni – Secretary (two-year term ending January 2025)
Sue Johnson
Dennis Gaymer
Mike Slomka
Charles Van Ark
Brendan Gauthier
Beth Jensen

Emeritus
Roger Brewin

Dr. Greg Forbes
Andy Webb

Senior Advisor

Jefferson Seaver

Freethinker & Volunteer of the Year Awards

The Freethinker of the Year Award was created in 2003 in honor of the contributions of Don Hansen, founding member of the Freethought Association, to recognize an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to advocating/promoting reason/rational inquiry, critical thinking, freethought, science, and/or protecting secular rights and advocating for secular values within Michigan. Awards can be modified to recognize lifetime achievements, and a Student Freethinker of the Year has been awarded some years in addition. Recipients are selected by the Michigan Humanists Board of Directors from nominations made by board members and fellow volunteers.

Honorary recipients below were awarded by the West Michigan Freethought Association or Center for Inquiry Michigan prior to the formation of Michigan Humanists.

Honorary Recipients

2023 Recipient — Stacey Murphy
2022 Recipient — Kyle Kooyers, Associate Director of the Kaufman Interfaith Institute
2021 Recipient — Jennifer Beahan, Former Executive Director, CFI MI
2019 Recipient — David Gorski, Editor of Science Based Medicine
2018 Recipient — Jeffrey Falick, Rabbi, Birmingham Temple
2017 Lifetime Service Award — Jeff Seaver, Founding Executive Director, West Michigan Freethought Association
2017 Recipient — Carl Bajema
2016 Recipient — Cathy Seaver
2015 Recipient — Robert Goodrich
2014 Recipients — Shirley Draft & Mike Rainwater
2013 Recipient — Jacob Slomka
2013 Student Recipient — Maria Beelen
2012 Recipient — Luke Galen
2012 Student Recipient/Volunteer of the Year — AJ Bunker
2011 Recipient — Ed Brayton
2011 Student Recipient — Ellen Lundgren
2010 Recipient — Jeremy Beahan
2010 Student Recipient — Erin Ribbink
2010 Lifetime Achievement Award — Arlene-Marie, President, Michigan Atheists
2009 Recipient — Adrienne Asselmeier
2008 Recipient — Josh Dunigan
2007 Recipient — Charles LaRue
2006 Recipient — Gregory Forbes
2005 Recipient — Jason Pittman
2003 Recipient — Don Hansen

The Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to an outstanding volunteer who has gone above and beyond to support the Michigan Humanists community in the past year. Recipients are selected by the Michigan Humanists Board of Directors from nominations made by board members and fellow volunteers.