A Look Back—Because Democracy Doesn’t Defend Itself

In 2024, the American Humanist Association refused to sit quietly while Christian Nationalists laid out their vision for a theocratic America. They had a plan—a hundreds of pages long document called Project 2025—spelling out exactly how they would dismantle civil rights, impose religious law, and turn the executive branch into an authoritarian tool of white Christian power.

We responded with a plan of our own—and new leadership to help carry it forward.

This year, we welcomed Fish Stark as AHA’s new Executive Director. A lifelong humanist and seasoned advocate, Fish brought a renewed sense of urgency and moral clarity to our work at a moment when both were desperately needed. Under his leadership, AHA sharpened its public voice, expanded its political footprint, and reminded the country that defending democracy means refusing to cede the narrative to those who seek to destroy it.

We trained new organizers in swing states. We sent thousands of voters postcards telling the truth about what was coming. We got stickers into coffee shops, libraries, barbershops, and book clubs across the country. We funded local campaigns, launched national ones, and made sure secular Americans knew one thing above all: they weren’t alone—and they weren’t powerless.