Snapshot 4: Projects & Activities
Lots Going On with the Brights
We encourage all Brights to uphold the overall operations, support the development, keep up the momentum, and help The Brights' Network to grow in a financial way.
- We hope you are keeping up with the Bulletins and are aware of the various activities. However; if you are new to the movement and don't know how we got to where we are, this is the link for you:
What Has Happened Up to Now
- If you are not yet acquainted with how the organization operates its current programs, click on this link:
The General "Behind the Scenes" Activities Picture
Recent Activity
What does it take to “run” The Brights’ Net? Here are some of the tasks and achievements since the last Equinox. This list provides a flavor of what takes place from day to day, but it is only suggestive, not exhaustive of tasks.
Centralized Communications
- BC sent over 1,650 personal emails in response to registrations or queries (emails to Brights or interested others out of MSOutlook) since the last Equinox..
- Emails sent from the Democracy in Action database exceed 200,000
>Six monthly Bulletins to all active subscribers (international)
>BC-initiated numerous new Brights local groups.
>Courtesy emails for other organizations. - Further servicing the community:
>Ongoing forwarding of postal mail from Brights in prison (no computer access) to the volunteer coordinator handling correspondence
>TBN responded to over two dozens of requests along the lines of this example: “ Hi there! I want to know if any local action is being coordinated in [nation or region or other place]. If there is no official representation, how would I start to create one? Thanks in advance.”
>Supplemental email “blasts” from database sent to local groups for various purposes (this list is not exhaustive, but includes: Hong Knog, Tunis, Luxembourg, Oklahoma BLC, Chile, India, New Zealand, Germany, Alaska, Poland, and Philippines).
Key Topical Regional Alerts
- Secular Parenting seminars: As a likely service for parents in the constituency, BC cooperated with the author of Parenting Beyond Belief to notify "nearby Brights" of the time and place of 4-hour presentation on "Secular Parenting." Since March, Dr. Dale McGowan has traveled to conduct seminars for parents in 4 cities, and over 600 Brights within 50 miles of each were notified.
Merchandise
- New and more whimsical Brights Calendar for 2009, appropriate for brights and supers (available to constituents; earns just $1 per calendar for The Brights' Net)
Organized Activities [In Progress]
- (Action Arena 1) Morality Project leader deems Project A completed. With BC, he has drafted the material to be submitted to scientific experts for endorsement, identified candidates for a scientific review panel, and is obtaining contact information for these researchers, all of whom are active in researching the naturalistic basis of morality.
- Three Brights; Special Initiative Groups (listed in the March 2008 Equinox as being "on the drawing board" have now been launched. These SIGs will offer opportunities to focus action of Brights on targeted arenas of science, education, government, and community.
New Long-term Project Emerging
- (Action Arena 2) Brights' Net cooperation with three other organizations on a "Youth Education" project to increase online accessibility - for parents, teachers, camp counselors, etc. - to quality educational materials in key niche areas - e.g., critical thinking, secular ethics, open inquiry - with international hosting by Brights (a lessons/activities wiki or database). The development team selected "Critical Thinking" as the priority for initial action.
Back Burner (Time Constraints)
- Some polling of the constituency to better assess current constituency profile is next up in priority.
- Brights' Forum activists will need support from the organization for action projects that pass the analysis level and are seen likely to reach an outcome..
- There are occasional meetings at which there should be visibility for - or education about - The Brights' Network (travel to meetings or interviews may be desirable).
Lifting up the status of the naturalistic worldview requires actions as well as growing the constituency! A lot of "Brights' Action" takes place with local leaders. With even more resources to provide facilitation for local actions, this "visibility and action" category could generate the real pay-off for the movement!
Please give what you can to expand and support these activities!
Achievements, Plans, and Needs
(Four Snapshots)
Note: you can also click to each Snapshot in the right column.
