Pro Bono Photo: Serving the photo needs of social action and environmental organizations in the Bay area

Rollie Williams

11 a.m., July 27, 2025

Join us this Sunday, either in person or online, as we welcome Chris Casselll to tell us about Pro Bono Photo, which serves the photo needs of social action and environmental organizations in the Bay area.

PBP (https://www.probonophoto.org/) is a clearinghouse that matches worthy organizations that need photographic and videographic services, with volunteer photographers and videographers who wish to donate their time and expertise. PBP was founded in early 2017 by Jack Owicki; the first Women’s March was the initial large event that we covered. Chris Cassell has been a photographer for PBP since that beginning.

In the years since then, and as PBP has become increasingly known to social and environmental non-profit organizations, two different roles of PBP have become increasingly separate and sometimes in tension with each other in terms of their ground rules. Those roles are (1) covering protests, and (2) helping non-profits document their meetings, conferences, etc. The protest coverage role had receded somewhat during the Biden administration but, needless to say, has exploded in activity since the start of 2025.

Chris will describe the evolution of Pro Bono Photo and those roles over the years, highlighted by photos (taken mostly by Chris) from events that PBP has covered. He will also explore the aspirational notion that the effect of PBP’s activities has been “necessary, though not sufficient”. That is, through documenting protests, PBP multiplies the effectiveness of those actions so that protest becomes more than just a bunch of left-coast people waving signs in each others faces. Helping to demonstrate that a critical mass of Americans share their anger with the current direction of politics is a necessary step. But that step plus several others may be needed to effectively change the direction that American society is headed.

Chris is a retired aerospace engineer; Lockheed Martin brought him to the Bay area in 1997, but in 2012 he transitioned to being a co-founder and the astrodynamics lead of Deep Space Industries, Inc. DSI had the long-term goal of near-Earth asteroid mining, but failed as a business in 2018. Chris’ education includes a B.A. in Physics from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences from UC, San Diego.

He is a member of two “religious humanist” organizations; the Ethical Culture Society of Silicon Valley (past Treasurer), and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto where he is currently a member of the Action Council (for social action).

Chris has been a serious amateur photographer since the late ’70s. Currently, in addition to Pro Bono Photo, Chris is active with the Los Gatos-Saratoga Camera Club where he is Judge VP, responsible for arranging judges for the club’s monthly photo competitions. He also regularly judges photo competitions at other camera clubs around the Bay area.


Attend in Person:
On the first and fourth Sunday of the month, like this Sunday, attend our forum in person with fellow humanists at the Neutra House Conference Center, 181 Hillview Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022. Lunch will be served after the forum. We request a $10 donation.

If you can join us in person, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

Join the meeting by phone: +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)

Find an international number to call: https://zoom.us/u/afYkAuvE6

———-

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This is what a digital coup looks like

Carole Cadwalladr

11 a.m., July 13, 2025

Join us this Sunday, either in person or online, as we watch and discuss a video of Carole Cadwalladr, who is a journalist who probes the nexus of politics and Silicon Valley power. A longtime feature writer for the UK’s Guardian and Observer, she now explores “How to Survive the Broligarchy” in her Substack newsletter. Her reporting has won a Polk Award and the Orwell Prize for political journalism; she was also a Pulitzer finalist for National Reporting in 2019 with the New York Times, investigating Facebook, Cambridge Analytica and the misuse of data in the Brexit referendum and the 2016 US presidential election.

“We are watching the collapse of the international order in real time, and this is just the start,” says investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr. In a searing talk, she decries the rise of the powerful tech executives who are using their global digital platforms to amass unprecedented geopolitical power, dismantling democracy and enabling authoritarian control across the world. Her rallying cry: resist data harvesting and mass surveillance, and support others in a groundswell of digital disobedience. “You have more power than you think,” she says.

In April 2019, she gave a TED talk about the links between Facebook and Brexit, entitled “Facebook’s role in Brexit — and the threat to democracy”. British businessman, political donor, Arron Banks objected to her statement that Mr. Banks had told untruths about a secret relationship he had with the Russian government and initiated a libel suite the settlement of which is now to be taken to the European Court of Human Rights.

You can watch this 17-minute talk at: https://www.ted.com/talks/carole_cadwalladr_this_is_what_a_digital_coup_looks_like/


Attend in Person:

On the second Sunday of the month, like this Sunday, you can attend our forum in person with fellow humanists in the Orchard Room at the Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022. Lunch will be served after the forum. We request a $10 donation.

If you can join us in person, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

Join the meeting by phone: +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)

Find an international number to call: https://zoom.us/u/afYkAuvE6

———-

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How Oil Propaganda Sneaks Into TV Shows

Rollie Williams

11 a.m., July 6, 2025

Join us this Sunday, either in person or online, as we watch and discuss a half hour video from Climate Town. Rollie Williams shows how oil propaganda is inserted into movies and TV shows and becomes part of what is considered “common knowledge.”

Climate Town is a documentary-comedy show focused on addressing the climate crisis through highly researched and vetted climate communication.

Rollie Williams is a Brooklyn-based comedian and video editor, with a Climate Science and Policy degree from Columbia University. He is the creator and host of the digital comedy series Climate Town. In the past few years, the channel has amassed 520,000 subscribers, several millions views, a handful of awards, and has spawned an engaged Discord community of fun climate people.

Williams is also the co-creator and co-host of The Climate Denier’s Playbook podcast which is exactly what it sounds like. Formerly, Williams hosted the monthly comedy show ‘An Inconvenient Talk Show’ featuring comedians (SNL, The Daily Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and climate scientists (NASA, MIT, Harvard).

You can preview this 31-minute video here: https://youtu.be/wBC_bug5DIQ


Attend in Person:
On the first and fourth Sunday of the month, like this Sunday, attend our forum in person with fellow humanists at the Neutra House Conference Center, 181 Hillview Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022. Lunch will be served after the forum. We request a $10 donation.

If you can join us in person, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

Join the meeting by phone: +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)

Find an international number to call: https://zoom.us/u/afYkAuvE6

———-

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Click the Interested button or share on Patch:
https://patch.com/california/paloalto/calendar/event/20250706/ca8b1bde-db0e-442d-bffb-a8b977d24122/how-oil-propaganda-sneaks-into-tv-shows

Retweet our announcement on the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter:
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What Can You Do with Google AI

Matt Courtney

11 a.m., June 22, 2025

Join us this Sunday, either in person or online, for an insightful and engaging talk that will delve into the transformative capabilities of Google AI, with a particular focus on showcasing the groundbreaking features and practical applications of Gemini. This forum offers a unique opportunity to explore how these cutting-edge technologies are not just theoretical advancements, but powerful tools you can use in your everyday activities. Discover the power and versatility of these revolutionary AI solutions.

Matthew Courtney is a former Google engineer, currently the host of the tech news podcast How the Tech Are You, and a writer and producer for the YouTube channel “The Power of Money.” He is a general technology enthusiast with a passion for exploring cutting-edge advancements.

06/22/2025 What Can You Do with Google AI? – Matt Courtney from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.


Attend in Person:
Attend our forum in person with fellow humanists at the Neutra House Conference Center, 181 Hillview Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022. Lunch will be served after the forum. We request a $10 donation.

If you can join us in person, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

Join the meeting by phone: +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)

Find an international number to call: https://zoom.us/u/afYkAuvE6

———-

Subscribe to our events in your Apple Calendar:
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Click the Interested button or share on Patch:
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Humanists at UUCPA Humanist Conference Watch Party

AHA Conference (from 2014)

7 a.m., June 28, 2025

This month, the American Humanist Association is holding its 84th Annual Conference, entitled “Humanists Move America”.

The Humanists at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto, UUCPA, invite you to a watch party, so we can participate in the conference together.

The conference is in Chicago, but the Humanists at UUCPA have reserved a room with a TV at the church. Unlike the legacy monthly Humanists at UUCPA meeting, this watch party will be in-person only.

Topic: Humanist Conference Watch Party
Format: In-person
Host: Humanists at UUCPA
Where: Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto
Room 10 (the meeting room closest to the parking lot)
505 East Charleston Road
Palo Alto, CA 94306

Sessions
AHACON25 Schedule with links to speaker biographies:
https://www.conference.americanhumanist.org/schedule

7:00am-7:45am
Swipe Left, Swipe Right:
The Future of Mating and Marriage – A Humanist’s Perspective
with Darrel Ray

8:00am-8:45am
Hope or Havoc:
The Future of AI and Human Freedom
with Krystal Jackson

9:00am-9:45am
The Secular Case for Reparations
with Cynthia McDonald

11:00am-10:45am
Fighting Back in the Courts:
How AHA’s Legal Strategy Is Evolving for 2025 and Beyond
with Amitai Heller

12:00pm-12:45pm
From Representation to Power:
How Humanists Can Build a Political Movement
with Wil Jeudy, Sarah Levin, Karina Quintanilla, and Stephanie Vigil

1:00pm-1:45pm
Center for Freethought Equality Annual Meeting
with North Dakota State Senator Ryan Braunberger and former Colorado State House member Stephanie Vigil
Being a member of the humanist and atheist community is no longer an effective opposition issue in today’s politics.


Attend in Person:

If you can join us, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

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RSVP on Meetup:
https://www.meetup.com/humanistcommunity/events/308524063//

Click the Interested button or share on Patch:
https://patch.com/california/paloalto/calendar/event/20250628/8105192f-5f12-4b2e-87ac-28b771fb1f33/humanists-at-uucpa-humanist-conference-watch-party

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