Plain Truths – Abortions, Births and Other Matters (Members’ Blog)
“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth” Henry David Thoreau Americans in a certain respect are under-read and over-exposed thanks, in part to social media, thereby producing a population that has a highly personal and ego-centered view of themselves...
Ethics in Action – Collection for Women’s Shelter
At a time when so many people in our communities are struggling, sometimes it seems overwhelming to try to look for solutions, but even small acts can make a difference. As part of the Secular Week of Action, we had a toiletries collection to help support the CAMBA...
Ethics for Children Service Project – Show of Gratitute
Our April Ethics for Children project was a show of gratitude. The Prospect Park Board Gaming Club is a long-standing supporter of our children's program. As a gesture of gratitude, we made board game pieces for them to use. With much creativity and great patience...
In support of the victims of the Sunset Park Shooting
The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture would like to express our concern and support for the victims of the horrific subway shooting in Sunset Park. Our thoughts go out to the victims, their families and friends.
Ethics For Children Service Project – Multigenerational Connection
With our BSEC platforms and Ethics for Children classes being held online, there have been fewer opportunities for multigenerational interactions within our community. Many of our students have never seen the BSEC building bustling with activity or enjoyed a brunch...
Announcing our new Managing Director
We would like to welcome Erin Carney as the new Managing Director of the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture. The Recruitment Taskforce conducted an exhaustive campaign and had the pleasure of interviewing several impressive candidates; however, none matched as many...
Ways to Help Ukrainians Affected by the War
The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture is committed to peace and human rights. We are also part of the American Ethical Union (AEU), and the statement on the Ukrainian crisis can be found below: https://ethical.nyc/aeu-statement-on-the-ukraine-crisis/ Below you will...
Ethics for Children Service Project – A Surprise Party!
For their February service project, the Ethics for Children program threw a surprise party to validate and honor the work of two special guests - Jorge and Nahomy. Jorge and Nahomy work in an industry that has been deeply impacted by the pandemic - Domestic...
Ethics for Children Service Project – Books
The Ethics for Children program hosted its first service day of 2022 with a theme of literacy. They collected 26 boxes of gently used books (that is over 1,000 books) to donate! The children's books that were collected are being donated to the Brooklyn Book Bodega...
Ethics for Children Service Project – Food Security
The December Ethics for Children Service Day was focused on food security. We assembled grab bag lunches and collected pantry items for the community fridge that is hosted by the Wyckoff Museum (5816 Clarendon Rd Brooklyn). We also had a special guest, Anaika Forbes,...
Help our children feed the hungry!
Dear friends, We have entered the holiday season, and food insecurity becomes even harder for so many families during this time of the year. Our kids want to make a difference, and we need your help. This month the kids from the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture 's...
Ethics for Children – Service Day
The November Ethics for Children Service Day was in service of the animals. We made toys, treats, and did drawings of animals in the NYC ACC shelter. The catnip dumplings, dog tug toys, and timothy treats for the bunnies and guinea pigs will help the animals to deal...
BSEC Members’ Blog
BSEC Members BlogDISCLAIMER: The articles are published as submitted by the authors who hold the intellectual rights and take full responsibility for the content. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BSEC. BSEC takes no responsibility or liability for...
EFC student fostering a puppy!
Our Ethics for Children student Westley Miller shared some exciting news this summer: His family is fostering a puppy! It has been really special hearing about his experience, so we asked him to share about it for our blog. ------------ We are currently fostering a...
BSEC Members Celebrate Halloween!
This Halloween, some of our members shared their costumes and decorations with us. BSEC members also know how to have fun!
OPINION – Mask-less? Anti-virus shots? Really? ( Members’ Blog)
By Muriel Tillinghast “As anti-vaxx groups nationwide continue to push dangerous theories, some are already reaping the consequences. In their latest deadly advice, the same anti-vaxx groups that pushed at-home COVID-19 remedies including drinking bleach, taking...
My 9/11 by Muriel Tillinghast (Members Blog)
I have written about this elsewhere, but I will commit to writing about it now. I can remember the day it happened It was a Tuesday morning. It was a day to remember not only because of the events that unfolded, but because it was an exceptionally beautiful...
Covid- Virus Update/Uptick (Members Blog)
By Muriel Tillinghast As you can see, most of the Northeast and upper Midwest, as well as much of the West, have only “moderate” or “low” transmission." But it looks to me like except for these areas, the rest of the country is off the chain and we are heading into...
(Video) Where is the Joy in Freedom? By NYC Deputy Mayor J. Phillip Thompson
On June 13th, 2021, we welcomed NYC Deputy Mayor J. Phillip Thompson as a guest speaker at our Juneteenth platform titled "Celebrating Juneteenth: Where is the Joy in Freedom?" Below is a transcript of his talk: Where is the Joy in Freedom? By NYC Deputy Mayor J....
The 1960’S: Decade of Assassinations (Members Blog)
By Lujira Cooper Medgar Evers 1963 June CIVIL RIGHTS John F. Kennedy 1963 November EXTERNAL CONFLICT James Chaney 1964 June FREEDOM RIDER Michael Goodman 1964 June FREEDOM RIDER Led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Andrew Schwerner 1964 June FREEDOM RIDER Malcom X 1965...
Conference
Enslaved Blacks, Native Peoples and Allied Others in the Frenzy of American Expansionism.Barely twenty years after the American Revolution, racially dominant interests turned internally to securing wholesale the country's physical land space and harnessing its...
(VIDEO) Jerrie Steward – Great Granddaughter of the enslaved Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson
The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture (BSEC) and Lucy's Children ( Racial Justice Group) present Jerrie Stewart, 5x Great Granddaughter of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson , who will talk to us about what she thinks and knows, and what is family lore. As a member...
John Brown, A Catalyst for Change, Harbinger of the American Cataclysm (Members Blog)
Who was this man? History, more often than not, is a narrative agreed upon. By whom, you ask? By those who are read, who chronicle the events, set the tone and determine the mission of those acts which being read in the now will perhaps impact the future. Those...
Statement on Anti-Asian Bigotry and Violence
Statement on Anti-Asian Bigotry and Violence March 10, 2021 The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture denounces the increasing instances of bias, violence, and hate crimes toward Asian and Asian American individuals, both in the United States and in other countries. In...
Pondering War by Muriel Tillinghast (Members Blog)
(Download this document here) I was in my third year at Howard University when I had an unusual opportunity to travel to Southeast Asia. One of my stops was in the Philippines — an archipelagic country, a big word for a nation of islands, in this case about 7600...
Legislation Celebrates Juneteenth (Members Blog)
A Day Which Commemorates Black and African American Freedom and Achievements Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed into law legislation (S.8598/A.10628) designating Juneteenth as an official public holiday in New York State. The new law celebrates Juneteenth, a day...
Our Ethics for Children Program 2019-2020
As we look at our past year with so much joy and amazing moments, it becomes clear that to create new moments this coming year will require a re-invention of how our program works, at least in the near future. We look at our program last year as we are filled with...
The Sentry (Ruth Bader Ginsburg) (Members Blog)
We are mourning the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg who for 27 years sat on the United States Supreme Court. Her impact in writing, affirming and advocating primarily the rights of women in a fractious and increasingly conservative judicial arena gave her various...
Reusable Solutions ( Zero Waste)
We had a wonderful platform on August 2nd, 2020, about reusable solutions with Ben Kogan. Ben and some of our members and visitors shared a few links of resources to help us reduce waste and support our planet. They can be found below: Break Free from Plastic Bill:...
America Not at its Greatest (Members’ Blog)
Note: This is a statement of solidarity with and for the current public responses to the police murder of George Floyd, late of Minneapolis, Minnesota by the Ethical Action Committee of the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture. Today, millions of people around the...
BSEC Statement on the Protests
We at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture denounce the violence toward African Americans and other People of Color. We speak out against failures to reform police practices and to the underlying systemic racism that contaminates our world and distorts our common...
COVID Related Resources (Updated)
Dear friends, Below you will find a few resources that might be helpful during this difficult time. If you would like to suggest a resource, please send your suggestions using the form at: https://forms.gle/LJhMKvXaVY55U6Jx7 Please note that these are suggested...
This Black History Month, Support Black Businesses!
As we celebrate Black History Month try to use your money where it matters, at local black businesses. Here are some listings. have fun! A few resources: Black-Owned Brooklyn Black-Owned Restaurants in Brooklyn Shoppe Black Brooklyn One business who is...
Pledge Dinner 2019
On Friday, November 1st, 2019, our members and friends gathered for a celebration of friendship, art, and appreciation for our community. Below are a few pictures of the evening, which featured poetry read by Kim Brandon and Tasha Paley, a fun theatrical sketch...
Books to Prisoners Program
Hello all, I am delighted and proud to announce that The Brooklyn Society For Ethical Culture now has a Books to Prisoners program. On Friday July 26th We mailed twelve cartons of books to the Montogmery State Prison in Mount Vernon, GA. I have spent the last year...
The Art of Dying with a monthly Death Discussion Group
What might we plan, hope, dream, imagine as we consider our mortality? The Ethical Living Committee at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture is championing a series for shared discussion and contemplation on death and dying. All topics welcome. There are no taboos....
Our Members News – Poetry in the Garden
Join some of our members at the Prospect Heights Community Farm for a series of Poetry performances and readings in the garden. When: Saturday, August 24th | 5:00-7:00 pm Where: Prospect Heights Community Farm, 252 Saint Marks Avenue (btwn Underhill + Vanderbilt...
Social Justice Books Recommendation
Learning to become more anti-racist involves many things. In our racial justice book group we learn from reading books by and about oppressed people as well as speaking about our experiences of racism, otherness, intersectionality, or awareness of how our society...
Juneteenth, a Historical Analysis (Members Blog)
Platform speech by Muriel Tillinghast (used with permission)July 7, 2019 It was an honor to delve into this annal of American history. It allowed me to probe some historical confusions and to, hopefully, correct a few misconceptions — mine and probably yours as...
Our Ramadan Gift and Food Collection
By Burt Hurwitz We received a request from the Arab American Association of NY for contributions of toys and food for needy families during the Ramadan season. We sent out the call to our members and over two Sundays they responded with a large collection of toys and...