Biography:Mandisa Thomas

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Mandisa Thomas
Mandisa Thomas speaks at American Atheists 2017 National Convention.
Thomas in 2017
Born1976 (age 47–48)[1]
Jamaica, Queens, New York
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma materQueens College, City University of New York
Occupationactivist [2]
Years active2011–present

Mandisa Lateefah Thomas (born 1976) is the founder and president of Black Nonbelievers Inc. She has spoken at secular conferences and events and has promoted the group's message in a variety of media outlets.

Early life and background

Thomas' upbringing was in a nonreligious, single-parent household, but she describes her grandmother as "staunchly religious".[3][4][5] Although Thomas sang in a church choir as a child, she considered the singing to be "just performing".[6] She describes learning, during her many "difficult conversations" with others in black society, that her own family includes more atheists than she first expected.[7][4] She considers religion, and Christianity in particular, to have been ingrained into the African-American identity by force.[7] She credits her upbringing with enabling her to see and understand this aspect of the historical ties between religion and the black identity in the United States. Within the African-American community, Thomas says that discussing this problematic history is often perceived as a form of betrayal or a rejection of one's own race.[8][9]

At the age of twenty-one, Thomas moved with her husband to Atlanta, where cultural factors made it difficult to lead a secular life. Among broader secular circles, where black Americans are underrepresented, Thomas' experience has ranged from feeling welcomed, to isolated, to ignored.[10] This experience led her to found Black Nonbelievers.[7][5]

Black Nonbelievers

Founding principles and motivation

Thomas founded Black Nonbelievers, Inc. in 2011 as a secular fellowship.[11][5] Its goals include eliminating stigma, increasing visibility, and providing support and networking opportunities around non-belief in the African-American community.[7][8][10][9] She believes it is important to expand diversity within the black community to include people who challenge the effectiveness of the church and its doctrine, and who advocate for "more tangible, evidence-based solutions" to the challenges facing the community.[8][9] Black Nonbelievers is a non-profit organization [2] whose leadership is mostly female and includes LGBTQ representation.[12]

Events

The organization's local chapters organize events in each of ten U.S. cities.[13] Besides group discussions, the group's regular meetings have included poetry readings, singing, bowling nights, holiday dinners, and community volunteerism including highway litter cleanup.[5] In November 2017, Thomas was a speaker at Black Nonbelievers' first annual Convention at Sea, a shipboard gathering and lecture series.[14] She is also scheduled to speak during the second iteration of this event, planned for November 2018.[15] In addition to speaking, she is a primary organizer for this event.[14][15][2]

Outreach and cooperation

Mandisa Thomas (right) presents 2017 Secular Coalition for America Awards to Congressmen Jerrold Nadler and Bobby Scott

Thomas says that Black Nonbelievers has seen increasing interest from individuals, media outlets, and other organizations interested in working together.[8] The organization partners with other secular organizations including African Americans for Humanism, which ran a 2012 billboard campaign depicting Thomas alongside Langston Hughes.[16][17] Other partner organizations include Openly Secular and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.[18][2]

Thomas spoke at the 2013 National Convention of American Atheists.[19] That same year she organized the Blackout Secular Rally in New York, which was the United States' first outdoor event headlined by nontheists of color and the first secular rally celebrating racial diversity.[20][21] She credits Ayanna Watson with helping develop the idea after the success of the 2012 Reason Rally.[22]

Mandisa Thomas speaks at the 14th Freethought Day in Sacramento, California

In 2017, Thomas was recognized by name in a bill (SCR-79) introduced by state Senator Richard Pan, and adopted by the California State Senate, proclaiming October 15, 2017 as the 16th annual celebration of California Freethought Day.[23]

Thomas has said that Black Nonbelievers is willing to set aside differences in ideology and work with faith-based organizations to address problems facing the African-American community. She describes how disclosing one's non-belief can present a barrier when approaching such organizations, but adds that this need not be the case. She has commented that no monopoly exists on fellowship and community, while also stating that the church has a considerable advantage in that area.[8]

Move to full-time activism

In March 2018, Thomas resigned from her full-time position as Event Services Manager at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's conference center in order to devote herself full-time to activism within Black Nonbelievers and the broader secular community.[2]

Media appearances

File:Mandisa Thomas Dragon Con 2018.webm Thomas has made interview appearances in media outlets including CBS News,[18] WABE FM 90.1's Closer Look,[8], NPR's Code Switch podcast, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation's Freethought Radio program.[4][2] She has been profiled in publications including Jet magazine[6] and Playboy[9], and has written opinion pieces for outlets including CNN.[10]

Her acting credits include The Mythicist Milwaukee Show,[24] as well as the documentaries Contradiction (2013),[24] Racial Taboo (2013),[25] and My Week in Atheism (2014).[citation needed]

Awards and honors

In 2018 the Unitarian Universalist Humanist Association awarded Thomas its Person of the Year award.[26]

Personal life

Thomas and her husband, who is also atheist, are raising their three children as freethinkers and encouraging them to make their own choices regarding religion. The eldest of her children self-identifies as atheist.[18][6] Thomas and her family reside in suburban Atlanta, Georgia.[18][7]

References

  1. ↑ "Mandisa Thomas (L)(, 41, Morrow, GA". Archived from the original on 27 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180127185257/https://www.mylife.com/mandisa-dixon/mandisadixon. Retrieved 27 January 2018. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Freethought Radio: Black Nonbelievers" (mp3). Freedom From Religion Foundation. 22 March 2018. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180329154117/https://secure-hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/a/4/5/a45958ca11e87ddd/FTradio_621_032218.mp3?c_id=19890361&expiration=1522342019&hwt=1de07a681a4aec6d44a7360f1a08be2b. 
  3. ↑ Poole, Shelia M.. "Every Day Is Sunday: As atheism rises, nonbelievers find one another". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on December 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171225224638/http://www.myajc.com/lifestyles/religion/every-day-sunday-atheism-rises-nonbelievers-find-one-another/xsKDGVgIgfAXzEoMQdX66K/. Retrieved December 7, 2017. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Demby, Gene; Meraji, Shereen Marisol (December 20, 2017). "Black Atheists, White Santas, And A Feast For The Deceased" (in English) (MP3). NPR. Archived from the original on October 17, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181017204406/https://16523.mc.tritondigital.com/NPR_510312/media-session/d09ab0c9-3e3b-4a1f-a44e-800013b27fe0/anon.npr-mp3/npr/codeswitch/2017/12/20171219_codeswitch_holidayask.mp3. Retrieved December 23, 2017. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Zuckerman, Phil (2014). "5". Living the Secular Life: New Answers to Old Questions. New York: Penguin Group. pp. 117–119. ISBN 978-1-59420-508-8. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Kyles, Kira (April 30, 2012). "5 Things About: Mandisa Thomas". Jet (Johnson Publishing Company) (April 30, 2012): p. 36. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150415214256/http://trendmag2.trendoffset.com/publication/?i=107793&p=36. Retrieved December 24, 2017. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Erdman, Shelby Lin. "Atlanta Atheist Wants To Erase Stigma In Black Community". 90.1 FM WABE. Archived from the original on December 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171225224205/https://www.wabe.org/atlanta-atheist-wants-erase-stigma-black-community/. Retrieved December 7, 2017. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 O'Hayer, Dennis; Scott, Rose (July 13, 2015). "Closer Look" (in English) (MP3). 90.1 FM WABE. Archived from the original on December 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171225223734/http://cpa.ds.npr.org/wabe/audio/2015/07/MandisaThomasWEB071315_7.mp3. Retrieved December 25, 2017. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Holland, J.W. (1 July 2018). "Among the Atheists". Playboy (Playboy Enterprises) (July / August 2018). 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Thomas, Mandisa (March 28, 2015). "Confessions of a black atheist". CNN. Archived from the original on December 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171225224732/http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/28/living/black-atheist-confession/. Retrieved April 15, 2015. 
  11. ↑ "BUSINESS INFORMATION: BLACK NONBELIEVERS, INCORPORATED". ECORP. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. https://archive.is/20171228153557/https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch/BusinessInformation?businessId=1670905&businessType=Domestic%20Nonprofit%20Corporation. Retrieved December 29, 2017. 
  12. ↑ Cameron, Christopher (19 June 2018). "Five Fierce Humanists: Unapologetically Black Women Beyond Belief". The Humanist (American Humanist Association) (July / August 2018). Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180810160224/https://thehumanist.com/magazine/july-august-2018/features/five-fierce-humanists-unapologetically-black-women-beyond-belief. Retrieved 10 August 2018. 
  13. ↑ "Black Nonbelievers , Inc. : Walking by sight, NOT Faith!". Black Nonbelievers, Inc.. Archived from the original on December 26, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171226170455/https://blacknonbelievers.wordpress.com/. Retrieved December 26, 2017. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "BN's First Annual Convention at Sea". Archived from the original on December 26, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171226171320/https://www.meetup.com/Black-Nonbelievers/events/236214018/. Retrieved December 26, 2017. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "2018 Black Nonbelievers Convention at Sea!". Archived from the original on December 26, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171226172052/https://www.meetup.com/Black-Nonbelievers/events/246104080/. Retrieved December 26, 2017. 
  16. ↑ Kevin Eckstrom (February 22, 2012). "Religion News Service | Mandisa Thomas". Archived from the original on April 15, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150415213948/http://archives.religionnews.com/tags/tag/mandisa+thomas. Retrieved April 15, 2015. 
  17. ↑ "Announcing the We Are AAH Campaign". Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180203181541/http://www.aahumanism.net/announcements/view/announcing_the_we_are_aah_campaign. Retrieved 3 February 2018. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Rocca, Mo. "The challenges facing atheists in the U.S. (video)". CBS Interactive Inc.. Archived from the original on December 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171225224418/https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/the-challenges-facing-atheists-in-the-u-s/. Retrieved December 7, 2017. 
  19. ↑ "2013 National Convention Speakers | American Atheists". Atheists.org. October 31, 2013. Archived from the original on April 29, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150429021325/http://atheists.org/convention2013/speakers. Retrieved April 15, 2015. 
  20. ↑ Niose, David. "Blackout Secular Rally: Atheism Makes Minority Inroads". Sussex Publishers, LLC. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-humanity-naturally/201307/blackout-secular-rally-atheism-makes-minority-inroads. Retrieved December 29, 2017. 
  21. ↑ "Blackout Secular Rally: An Organizer’s Perspective". Thehumanist.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171225225658/https://thehumanist.com/news/hnn/blackout-secular-rally-an-organizers-perspective. Retrieved April 15, 2015. 
  22. ↑ "BLACKOUT, an Interview with Mandisa Thomas". Secular Woman. July 19, 2013. Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160505205043/http://www.secularwoman.org/blackout-an-interview-with-mandisa-thomas/. Retrieved April 15, 2015. 
  23. ↑ "Bill Text – SCR-79 California Freethought Day". State of Califormia. Archived from the original on December 26, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171226194744/https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SCR79. Retrieved December 26, 2017. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Mandisa Thomas". Archived from the original on December 26, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171226192039/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7506850/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1. Retrieved December 26, 2017. 
  25. ↑ "Racial Taboo – Cast". Brill Branding. Archived from the original on December 26, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171226193008/http://racialtaboo.com/cast/. Retrieved December 26, 2017. 
  26. ↑ "Mandisa Thomas to Receive UU Humanist Person of the Year Award". 11 May 2018. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180903124251/http://huumanists.org/blog/201805/mandisa-thomas-receive-uu-humanist-person-year-award. Retrieved 17 October 2018. 

External links




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