First Existentialist Congregation
An independent member of the Unitarian Universalist Association
Robert Baker teaches history at Georgia State University. He is the author of Prigg v. Pennsylvania: Slavery, the Supreme Court, and the Ambivalent Constitution and The Rescue of Joshua Glover: A Fugitive Slave, the Constitution, and the Coming of the Civil War.
This program will be a reflection on a core tenet of Jewish teachings– the idea of welcoming the stranger. We will hear about the life, times,and legacy of trailblazing Jewish- American poet and activist Emma Lazurus, who penned the words on the base of the Statue of Liberty as a prophetic rebuke to fear, Xenophobia and anti-immigrant isolationism. What was the basis for her moral commitment– and ours as well? PS: There is a Unitarian Transcendentalist thread in her story
Rev. Marti Keller recently finished a justice ministry with the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation that spanned two decades. Prior to this she had been a communications director, legislative advocate and executive director for several women and family policy groups, including a dozen years with Planned Parenthood. She is still serving as consulting parish minister in Auburn Alabama
Angela Denise Davis, M.Div., M.S., is a ukulele instructor, workshop facilitator, ordained minister, and public speaker. Her work as a minister focuses on how the fusion of art and spirituality can enlarge
the ground beneath our feet and enrich the ways we move in personal and social spaces. In addition, she is also the creator, host, and producer of the ZAMI NOBLA Podcast.
Lisa is a psychotherapist in private practice, a poet, writer, and activist. She is a long time member of the First Existentialist Congregation. She has been a student of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh since 1999 and has studied with many other Buddhist teachers. Lisa incorporates feminism, existentialism, mindfulness and compassion in her therapy practice. She also trains therapists how to use mindfulness in their lives and professional practices. She offers her CD, Mindful Meditations for Well Being, as a free download from www.wellbeingpsychotherapy.net.
Amy Stout trained as a neuroscientist and pharmacologist. When she made a career change from lab work to research administration, she began a phase of community engagement and local activism. She has served in number of volunteer roles at the neighborhood and city level and is an advocate for better laws and policies related to sustainability, planning and land use. She is a member of the founding board of directors of the Candler Park Conservancy and will discuss their work as well as other citizen activism that has positively impacted this public park. The combination of a public works project and the influx of a keystone species has transformed a section of the park into a treasured nature habitat in the midst of the city.
McKenzie Wren is a skilled facilitator who honors the power of community to solve its own problems. Her particular areas of focus are helping businesses and non-profits create cultures of collaboration and inclusion. Through her independent practice called Culture on Purpose, McKenzie helps groups and organizations increase their sense of community specifically by assisting with communication flow and increasing engagement. She brings an asset-based approach to all that she does and uses collaborative and participatory tools to make sure all voices are heard. She excels in helping teams and coalitions thrive by supporting participants in creating shared vision and processes. Underlying all of her work is a commitment to social justice and racial equity. Her work around diversity, inclusion and equity is rooted in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s expression of the Beloved Community.
McKenzie earned her master’s degree from Emory University Rollins School of Public Health where she also taught students on leadership and community engagement. She is VP of membership of the Southeast Association of Facilitators, Director of Education at National Association of Women Business Owners and President of Congregation Bet Haverim where she also sings in the chorus. She is passionate about her family, gluten free chocolate chip cookies and her electric bicycle.
Anthony Knight is the President & CEO of The Baton Foundation—a Georgia nonprofit organization that serves the emotional, intellectual and cultural needs of Black boys in grades five through nine. Before founding the Foundation, Mr. Knight worked for twenty-two years as a museum educator and consultant. Mr. Knight has extensive experience with and interest in African American history and culture, public and living history, informal education and Black youth. Mr. Knight’s work with The Baton Foundation reflects his ongoing interest in the issues and practices related to the collecting, preservation and interpretation of information about and material culture from the African Diaspora. Mr. Knight’s undergraduate work was in Spanish and English (Ohio Wesleyan University), and his graduate work was in museum education (The George Washington University). Mr. Knight also holds a degree in Spanish-to-English translation from the Núcleo de Estudios Lingüísticos y Sociales, Caracas, Venezuela. Mr. Knight is a New York City native.
Franklin Abbott has been a practicing psychotherapist in Atlanta for nearly forty years. He is also a poet, musician, community organizer and amateur oral historian. His connection to the Congregation and Old Stone Church goes back more than 40 years to early urban radical faery gatherings held in the sanctuary before First E became its steward. He has spoken at First E many times, performed music and poetry there, and coordinated events and memorials.
