Spreading Empathy for Secular Week of Action 2025
We knew from Project 2025 that a conservative administration wouldn’t support all Americans. We’ve since seen President Trump dismantle government protections with unethical executive orders and haphazard funding cuts. Now we understand the dark ideology motivating these efforts; right-wingers believe we’re suffering from “civilizational suicidal empathy,” as Elon Musk stated on Joe Rogan’s podcast: “the fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy.”
Musk and DOGE are using this dangerous mentality to cut safety-net programs, disband government departments, erase DEI progress, silence individuals who speak up, and so much worse. They’re also defunding children’s programming that teaches empathy. In the March 26, 2025 congressional hearing on PBS & NPR, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California cited Mr. Fred Rogers’ 1969 testimony arguing that quality educational programming was a cause that should transcend political differences and bring society together. “Some things are more valuable than money at a time where a country is polarized,” said Khanna. “I wish we had a little more empathy and caring, and that’s not a partisan issue.”
Humanists absolutely agree! Empathy connects us all—across political parties, religious traditions, genders, sexual orientations, races, economic status, abilities, and other lines of difference. Empathy drives compassionate action and empowers us to solve societal issues together. For Secular Week of Action (SWoA) 2025, running Friday, April 25 to Sunday, May 4, we’re calling on communities across the country to help us spread empathy and support those most impacted by the government’s drastic budget cuts and hateful orders.
The SWoA website includes a planning guide and toolkits for actions you can take like food and supply drives and distributions, nature cleanups, establishing little libraries and pantries, planting trees and gardens, crafting for good, and blood drives. It also has space to add your events so others can find them and join. Consider what support is needed in your area and what resources you can gather. Other helpful actions might include running voter registrations, volunteering at a retirement home, organizing skills-haring workshops, providing childcare at a PTA or council meeting, writing positive notes to patients receiving gender-affirming care, providing tutoring and job preparation sessions, educating people on current legislation, and more. The American Humanist Association is also providing seed grants to help our local chapters and affiliates offer events.
For ten days each year—encompassing the National Day of Prayer on the first Thursday of May (May 1, 2025) and the National Day of Reason on May 4th—SWoA rallies the secular movement and our allies together to respond to social problems and promote the welfare of humankind. Major partners include American Humanist Association, American Atheists, Secular Student Alliance, The Freethought Society, and Secular Coalition for America.
Create and join events from Friday, April 25 to Sunday, May 4 to put our values into action and support communities that are being attacked. Humanists know empathy is a strength, not a weakness, and we have plenty to share.