Support for AHA Discord

Thanks for your interest in the American Humanist Association Discord! Discord is a text, voice, and video chat app to connect communities online on topics of interest to you. AHA members receive a special invitation link to access our full server (email us at discord@americanhumanist.org if you need it resent). If you’re not already an AHA member, you can join here. Some spaces are open to the general public to help people find out about the AHA, humanism, and connect with other humanist parents.

If you’re familiar with Discord, we welcome you to jump in and explore. If you’re new to Discord, we’re happy to guide you through accessing the app, understanding terms, and engaging in our community. You can learn about Discord Basics here, contact Discord Help here, or contact us at discord@americanhumanist.org. 

Accessing Discord

You can access Discord with a phone, tablet, or computer. To join the AHA Server, you’ll need to have a Discord account and an invitation link.

If you have a Discord account: You can (a) click the invitation link (http://discord.gg/K8ur2kXgD8) and then login or (b) login, click on the + in the sidebar to Add a Server, go to the bottom to Join a Server, and then enter the AHA invitation link. You’ll be asked to choose “Accept Invite,” and then directed to answer questions about your interests and agree to the community guidelines.

If you don’t have a Discord account: You’ll need to create an account by choosing a Display Name, completing a robot test (you can click on vertical … to choose preferred type of test), and then entering your email, a strong password, and your date of birth (to prove you’re over 13 years old). Next you’ll verify your email so you can login, answer questions about your interests, and agree to the community guidelines.

You choose how and when you want to engage on the Server. By clicking “American Humanist Association” at the top, you can control your settings, notifications, and availability for direct messages. The Server Guide recommends spaces where you can introduce yourself, share your journey to humanism, learn about living your values, and join discussions on topics like art, food, philosophy, science, social justice, celebrations, grieving, and so much more (some spaces are only available to AHA members). From the sidebar you can expand and collapse Categories and enter Channels. In Channels, you can change your settings at the top, post a message, and click on a message to react, reply, forward, etc.

Useful Discord Terms

Server: Servers are the spaces on Discord. They are made by specific communities and friend groups, and can be public, private, or a hybrid. Any user can start a new server for free and invite others to it.

Category: Categories are collections of Channels.

Channel: Discord servers are organized into Channels dedicated to specific topics and may contain different permissions. The Channel types are: Text, Announcement, Forum, Rules Channel, Voice, and Stage. AHA mostly uses Text channels, where users can post messages, upload files, and share images for others to see at any time. We’ll also use Voice and Stage channels for interactive live events like talks, presentations, and discussions.

DMs and GDMs: Users can send private messages to other users as a direct message (DM), as well as start a voice or video call. Most DMs are one-on-one conversations, but users have the option to invite up to nine others to the conversation to create a private group DM (GDM), with a maximum size of ten people. Group DMs are not public and require an invite from someone in the group to join.

Community Guidelines

As humanists, we strive to approach others with empathy and respect, and take responsibility for our actions. The AHA’s Discord server fosters an online community with shared values, a common cause, and a variety of interests. It is of paramount importance that each and every person in our community has a positive and rewarding experience and, to that end, the AHA is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all participants who agree to:

  • stay on topic and engage in civil discourse in good faith;
  • keep contributions constructive in nature and tone;
  • use “I” statements and not overly personalize the stated opinions and ideas of others;
  • approach other participants and content with an open mind;
  • ask clarifying questions and consider different perspectives in a respectful manner;
  • not hijack or dominate Categories and Channels for personal promotion;
  • share your thoughts and resources while also giving space to hear from others;
  • be patient with people’s engagement preferences and availability;
  • absolutely zero harassment or personal attacks on other participants;
  • and understand that this is a venue for engaging in conversations with other humanists, and contact the AHA by emailing staff directly on matters of everyday operations, concerns, criticisms or issues that require staff/board attention.

If you’re unable to comply with community guidelines, you will be removed from the AHA Discord Server.

We look forward to getting to know you on the AHA Discord and appreciate your support in making it an engaging and entertaining experience for all.