HoT June 2026 Roundtable & AHA Chapter Meeting

Roundtable: What Does Patriotism Mean for a Humanist? 📅 Sunday, June 7 | 1:00–3:00 PM 📍 Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library ☕ Coffee, lemonade, and cookies provided

America’s 250th anniversary is coming, and the flag is everywhere — on caps, bumpers, and campaign signs, wielded as a political prop by those who would define patriotism as loyalty to a particular party, ideology, or leader.

But the flag belongs to all of us. The question is: what do we think it stands for?

Join us for an open roundtable conversation on what patriotism actually means through a humanist lens. What feelings come up for you when you hear the word? Pride? Discomfort? Grief? Complicated history? We’ll talk honestly about America’s promises and its contradictions — and whether humanists can and should reclaim Americana as something bigger, broader, and more honest than what’s being sold to us right now.

This isn’t a lecture. It’s a conversation. Come ready to think out loud.

We’ll also be joined by Virginia Rodriguez and Christian Watkins from the Manhattan Area Resettlement Team (MART), who will share what their organization does and explore ways we might work together. If humanist values mean anything, they mean showing up for our neighbors — and this is a chance to find out how.

Click https://zoom.us/j/97389140640?pwd=8bBEsv7aafxJ4kdH7rnecbIKtSwEy2.1 to start or join a scheduled Zoom meeting.