Meet the New AHA Staff Member: Christina Morra
Please welcome the AHA’s new Community Organizing Coordinator, Christina Morra!
What is your educational and work background?
I hold a B.S. in Public Administration, a certificate in Municipal Management, and a J.D.
I have been an organizer for as long as I can remember, drawn to bringing people together to build community, solve problems, and advance shared goals. When I first got involved in a local political campaign, it felt like a natural fit. I enjoyed the pace, the strategy and working closely with people: supporting volunteers, building relationships and developing a team. I went on to join races from city council to Congress, eventually shifting into public policy advocacy as another exciting way to organize around issues that matter to people to create change. I have been fortunate to work for amazing nonprofits focused on electoral reform, expanding access to healthcare and improving environmental policies. I went to law school because I believed a legal education would enhance my understanding and perspective, and would make me a better advocate.
How did you first learn about humanism?
I have been somewhat familiar with the term “humanism” for quite a while in a philosophical or literary context, but became aware of humanist organizations a decade ago. About a year ago, I learned about the American Humanist Association and began reading about humanism on the AHA website, and realized how much humanism resonates with me!
Did you grow up in a traditional religious faith? How did it impact you?
Growing up, I went to Catholic school for 14 years while also regularly attending Protestant church services for about a decade.
Having these two immersive influences helped me understand different perspectives and beliefs, and also gave me critical insights into how to reconcile contradictions.
What interested you most about working for the American Humanist Association?
Everything! Having the opportunity to use my skills to do work I enjoy and advance causes I care about with an amazing team is truly idyllic. I feel so fortunate to be at an organization with such kind, dedicated people who live their values.
What book has influenced you the most?
It would be disingenuous not to mention the Bible. As a child, I memorized verses and compared translations (NIV, KJV, RSV, and others) to see how different word choices shaped meaning and context.
Beyond that, I used to read a lot of literature and fiction, and I know that reading so much helped shape my worldview for the better. A casualty of law school was a shift away from fiction. Since then, I have read exclusively nonfiction.
If you could have dinner with any three people in the world (living or dead), who would they be and why?
I would love to have dinner with several family members who died before I was born so I could learn about their lives and about our family.
But as for non-relatives:
- Roger Williams: I would love to learn about what it was like to advocate for the separation of church and state in the 1600s and find out what he thinks about how the U.S. is doing with that now.
- Judge Learned Hand: I would love to hear about his experiences writing decisions relating to First Amendment law, and also hear his perspective on how the U.S. has been interpreting this lately. I would also like to take him to the American Museum of Tort Law because his formula (B < PL) features prominently there.
- Nellie Bly: I would love to learn about her experiences as an undercover journalist exposing social injustices, and find out what she would want to investigate today.