By Ellie Haylund
Happy New Year! As we look ahead to 2025, I am filled with a combination of hope, inspiration, and uncertainty. Reflecting on where we’ve come from and where we want to go, I see vast opportunities to grow our community, advocate for our values, and make a meaningful impact in the world.
One of my greatest hopes is to see HMN continue to grow as a robust and welcoming community for like-minded people. Over the years, we’ve found a variety of ways to reach more people who resonate with the mission and values of humanism. In fact, our membership continues to grow and now stands at 436 — up from 282 in 2022.
I’m eager to expand efforts to both reach new members and find deeper engagement with those already involved. As we flourish, it’s essential that everyone in our community feels a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
Looking at the year ahead, I dream of HMN becoming an even louder, more visible advocate for the causes that align with our values. Through strategic planning, resources, and dedicated volunteers, we’ve done significant advocacy work with local legislation in areas including secular substance-abuse programs and medical aid in dying. We have engaged with community partners including the ACLU of Minnesota, Free Bikes 4 Kidz, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Open Arms, and SMART Recovery.
As champions for the separation of religion and government, we can play a critical role in fighting back against the threat of Christian nationalism, which we expect to increase during the Trump administration.
We have some significant programming scheduled for 2025, including a Religious Freedom forum this month. Fish Stark, the new executive director of the American Humanist Association, will speak at our February Community Gathering. We can learn from him how the humanist worldview is expressing itself nationally.
With growth and ambition come challenges. We must, for example, be able to sustain the energy and resources needed to achieve our goals, mindful of the limitations that are inherent in an all-volunteer nonprofit. Our Fuel Our Growth, Fund Our Future campaign aims to address this challenge by raising money to hire a part-time staff person to help us achieve our goals and further our influence.
Another concern is today’s polarized environment. Increasingly, we see divisive and harmful ideologies threatening the progress of widespread human flourishing and human-centered solutions. We must work to position HMN as a source of rationality and a voice of compassion amidst the noise.
Ultimately, my vision for us in 2025 is one of development, inclusion, and impact. The addition of a part-time staff member will be a key milestone in strengthening our organization. We’ll continue to build partnerships, advocate for meaningful policies, and create spaces where people can explore what it means to live ethically and meaningfully.
This vision isn’t just mine — it belongs to all of us. Whether through volunteering, financial support, or sharing your ideas, you play a critical role in shaping the future of HumanistsMN. Together, we can face challenges and realize our hopes and dreams. Thank you for your commitment to our shared mission in 2025 and beyond!
Ellie Haylund is president of HumanistsMN.
Hopes, Dreams, and Fears for 2025
January 5, 2025
By Ellie Haylund
Happy New Year! As we look ahead to 2025, I am filled with a combination of hope, inspiration, and uncertainty. Reflecting on where we’ve come from and where we want to go, I see vast opportunities to grow our community, advocate for our values, and make a meaningful impact in the world.
One of my greatest hopes is to see HMN continue to grow as a robust and welcoming community for like-minded people. Over the years, we’ve found a variety of ways to reach more people who resonate with the mission and values of humanism. In fact, our membership continues to grow and now stands at 436 — up from 282 in 2022.
I’m eager to expand efforts to both reach new members and find deeper engagement with those already involved. As we flourish, it’s essential that everyone in our community feels a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
Looking at the year ahead, I dream of HMN becoming an even louder, more visible advocate for the causes that align with our values. Through strategic planning, resources, and dedicated volunteers, we’ve done significant advocacy work with local legislation in areas including secular substance-abuse programs and medical aid in dying. We have engaged with community partners including the ACLU of Minnesota, Free Bikes 4 Kidz, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Open Arms, and SMART Recovery.
As champions for the separation of religion and government, we can play a critical role in fighting back against the threat of Christian nationalism, which we expect to increase during the Trump administration.
We have some significant programming scheduled for 2025, including a Religious Freedom forum this month. Fish Stark, the new executive director of the American Humanist Association, will speak at our February Community Gathering. We can learn from him how the humanist worldview is expressing itself nationally.
With growth and ambition come challenges. We must, for example, be able to sustain the energy and resources needed to achieve our goals, mindful of the limitations that are inherent in an all-volunteer nonprofit. Our Fuel Our Growth, Fund Our Future campaign aims to address this challenge by raising money to hire a part-time staff person to help us achieve our goals and further our influence.
Another concern is today’s polarized environment. Increasingly, we see divisive and harmful ideologies threatening the progress of widespread human flourishing and human-centered solutions. We must work to position HMN as a source of rationality and a voice of compassion amidst the noise.
Ultimately, my vision for us in 2025 is one of development, inclusion, and impact. The addition of a part-time staff member will be a key milestone in strengthening our organization. We’ll continue to build partnerships, advocate for meaningful policies, and create spaces where people can explore what it means to live ethically and meaningfully.
This vision isn’t just mine — it belongs to all of us. Whether through volunteering, financial support, or sharing your ideas, you play a critical role in shaping the future of HumanistsMN. Together, we can face challenges and realize our hopes and dreams. Thank you for your commitment to our shared mission in 2025 and beyond!
Ellie Haylund is president of HumanistsMN.