Het there, I’m Becky—nontraditional student, future social worker, full-time mom, part-time chaos coordinator, and a firm believer that reason, compassion, and bodily autonomy shouldn’t be controversial.

’m raising $700 to attend the 2025 Secular Student Alliance Conference in Cincinnati this July. This covers the usual suspects—flights, lodging, meals, conference fees, and, let’s be honest, probably one emergency granola bar from a hotel vending machine.

Why this matters:

I’m working on my Social Work degree at the University of Houston–Downtown, where I’m also in the process of starting a Secular Student Alliance chapter. Yep—starting it. From scratch. Because students deserve a space that says, you don’t have to subscribe to dogma to believe in justice.

This conference is a big deal. It’s a gathering of people who care about evidence-based activism, mental health, reproductive rights, free speech, and inclusive community—all things I want to be louder about. I’ll be learning from folks who’ve done the work, built the chapters, organized the rallies, and created the change—and I want to bring that energy back to my campus and community.

Why I need help:

I wear a lot of hats—full-time student, parent, advocate, occasional snack-bag sherpa—and while I’ve got hustle, I don’t have unlimited resources. I’ve applied for scholarships and financial assistance, but I still need help filling the gap.

If you’ve ever thought, “Hey, we need more secular voices in social work,” or “I’d like to support someone who’s out here trying to build something meaningful (with heart, honesty, and probably too many color-coded Google Docs),”—this is your moment.

Whether you can give $5, $50, or just a share and a kind word—thank you. You’re helping make space for people who often feel like they don’t have one.

Let’s get this secular show on the road. (Literally.)

Thanks for helping me show up, speak up, and build something real,

Becky

Secular Student Alliance 2025 Student Leadership Conference
July 17-19, 2025   at the University of Cincinnati

The Secular Student Alliance conference is the largest gathering of secular students in the country. For students and the entire secular community, this unique conference experience blends amazing speakers, grassroots organizing, and leadership enrichment, with a secular perspective. 

The best way to ensure a secular future is to invest in secular youth. Imagine when you were a student having a unique opportunity like this conference to network with other students, develop your leadership skills, and strengthen your secular values. 

We recognize that not every student is in a position where they can be open about their secularism, and we are working to change this. When you donate, you enable our students to live out their secular activism. You amplify their voices, help tell their stories, and reward them for their hard work. Some of our students’ families do not support them because they are nonreligious. Many of our students do not come from families who can afford to travel across the country.  You may be the difference between a student being able to attend the national conference, or not.