51. Maggie Ardiente, President of Humanists International on Spreading Joy in the One Life We Have

"Another form of resistance is joy.”

Maggie Ardiente, newly elected President of Humanists International, joins Humanism Now to share how humanism grounded in curiosity, compassion, and community can meet today’s rising threats to democracy and science. From a Catholic upbringing to global leadership, Maggie lays out a practical, joyful vision: build resilient humanist networks and live our values in the one life we know we have.

Connect with Maggie:

• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/maggieardiente/
• LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggieardiente/

Topics we cover

• Building humanist community: from campus groups to a global movement
• Why labels and groups matter for the non-religious
• Humanism in public life: defending democracy, science, and human rights
• Joy as resistance: living well as a humanist practice
• Practical ways to start or grow a local humanist group
• Misconceptions about “humanism” in the United States
• Leadership skills for secular nonprofits (fundraising, empathy, voice)
• Supporting humanists at risk—especially across the Global South

Resources & further reading

• Humanists International – Global federation advancing humanist values – https://humanists.international
• American Humanist Association – US national org for humanists – https://americanhumanist.org
• Secular Coalition for America – Policy advocacy for secular Americans – https://secular.org
• Physicians for Social Responsibility – Health professionals for climate solutions & a nuclear-free world – https://www.psr.org

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Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.