President’s Column

Be Seen, Then Heard

by Heather Hegi

As atheists, I think it is important for us to be engaged in our local community. Then if your local city decides to add a prayer before city council meetings and you show up to protest, you aren’t a nobody to them. In fact, being engaged might make them think twice before even instituting something that blurs the line between state and church in the first place.

There are many different ways to become engaged. It can be as simple as attending city events, town halls, or a national night out event; to something more involved such as joining a local civic organization (I’m thinking League of Women Voters, the Rotary, or a Historical Society), joining a city commission (Planning, Parks, or Environmental for example depending on the city), or getting involved in your local political party.

In my experience, joining your local political party at the Senate District level has been the most empowering. I am on a first name basis with our local Senator, Representatives, and several City Council Members. Now that our Senate and Representative spots are up for election with no incumbents seeking reelection, I’m on the list to get invites to candidate kickoff events where I can speak up for issues I care about and maybe have some influence on their platform, and it allow me to be better informed and promote candidates that align best with my secular values. Attend this month’s public meeting to learn about one of the best ways to start getting involved in your local political party through caucusing.

We need to be proud of our atheism, and, if comfortable, be out as an atheist in local communities. That is where a difference can be made. I hope I’ve inspired you to become more engaged in your local community if you aren’t already. Either way, I hope you have a prosperous new year!