This dispatch was added by one of our Nonprofit Neighbors. It does not represent the editorial voice of The Rapidian or Community Media Center.
A recent focus on science and how scientific findings impact public policy has put a spotlight on the scientific community and their research. We accept that science, as a field of knowledge and way of thinking, is not swayed by politics or opinions; it is nonpartisan and all-inclusive. This is the time for us to come together as one community, take a stand, and lead a new conversation.
Center for Inquiry (CFI) Michigan, a local secular community group, is officially sponsoring the March for Science in Lansing on Saturday, April 22nd. Jennifer Beahan, CFI Michigan Program Director, will be a featured speaker at the Lansing March, and CFI members will be attending the march in Lansing, as well as several satellite marches throughout the state.
“We are sponsoring the march because science is a core aspect of our mission. It is vital that we speak out against efforts by the current administration and Congress to deny facts and reject reason on crucial issues such as climate change, vaccinations, reproductive rights, and fake medicine,” Beahan said. “When our leaders choose to reject science and embrace superstition, pseudoscience, and conspiracy theories, they are endangering the lives of their own citizens and putting our planet at risk.”
Center for Inquiry Michigan will participate in the March for Science in Lansing at the capitol lawn on Saturday, April 22 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. During the march, there will also be fun science activities for kids, “teach-in” booths and science-themed performers. Be sure to stop by CFI Michigan’s booth to learn more about their programs and local events.
For those in the Grand Rapids area who plan on marching, CFI Michigan is also hosting a Sign-making Party the night before. In recent years, CFI has become an increasingly influential force for the promotion and defense of science in society and public policy and boasts fellows such as astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson, and science communicator Bill Nye. In recent years, it has played an indispensable role in several science-related issues on a national scale, including the launch of the TIES program, which educates middle school teachers on how to teach evolution, and the Keep Healthcare Safe and Secular Campaign which ensures that healthcare policy decisions are made on scientific grounds, and not based on religion, “tradition” or pseudoscience.
CFI Michigan regularly hosts local events that are open to the public including:
Café Inquiry discussion groups at Schuler Books, where critical thinkers gather twice a month for casual conversations on various topics. At Skeptics in the Pub you can grab a brew and share what’s on your mind with fellow skeptics at Founders Brewing Co. They also host educational lectures twice a month at the Women’s City Club on various topics from science, to philosophy and current events.
For more information on local events and events around the state (there are many more), you can find their event calendar at www.cfimichigan.org/. Learn more about wide range of Center for Inquiry’s national programs and their advocacy work in the CFI 2016 Progress Report.
If you have any questions, please contact Program Director Jennifer Beahan at 616-706-2029 or email at [email protected]
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