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Emcee and Speakers
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Jonathan Lopez
As Drag Queen Artist, "Hellen Heels"
From Stockton, CA, Jonathan works at a non-profit organization for the betterment of LGBT+ communities and activities.
"Hellen Heels" has performed in every major city in the Central Valley, Bay Area and beyond. She is a member of a burlesque troupe and comedy group, and dabbles in variety showcases, bingo nights, many brunches and dinners, charity shows, and movie nights. Her favorite is Drag Queen Storytime! Hellen also hosts Badlands, Eves of Paradise, and Roscoes.
She hopes that, one day when she hangs up her heels, she's made an impact on the drag scene, created opportunities, and made everyone smile on the way. 🔗 Follow her on Instagram (@Hellenheels). 📅 Hellen will be our emcee throughout the main event on Sunday and a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
"Hellen Heels" has performed in every major city in the Central Valley, Bay Area and beyond. She is a member of a burlesque troupe and comedy group, and dabbles in variety showcases, bingo nights, many brunches and dinners, charity shows, and movie nights. Her favorite is Drag Queen Storytime! Hellen also hosts Badlands, Eves of Paradise, and Roscoes.
She hopes that, one day when she hangs up her heels, she's made an impact on the drag scene, created opportunities, and made everyone smile on the way. 🔗 Follow her on Instagram (@Hellenheels). 📅 Hellen will be our emcee throughout the main event on Sunday and a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
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Seth Andrews
Podcaster and Secular Activist
Seth is a former evangelical and Christian broadcaster who now hosts The Thinking Atheist… one of the most popular podcasts and online atheist communities in the world.
He's authored five books, including his latest offering, "Christianity Made Me Talk Like an Idiot.” He also hosts a second podcast, "True Stories with Seth Andrews."
With a mix of humor and heart, Seth has spoken for audiences large and small in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia about his former faith, the promotion of science and skepticism, the importance of Humanism in this often-crazy world, and why we should all pursue a personal relationship with reality. 🔗 Follow Seth on Twitter/X, Instagram, and TikTok (@SethAndrewsTTA), on YouTube (@TheThinkingAtheist), and on his website (sethandrews.com). 📅 Seth will speak in the late afternoon of the main event on Sunday and a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
He's authored five books, including his latest offering, "Christianity Made Me Talk Like an Idiot.” He also hosts a second podcast, "True Stories with Seth Andrews."
With a mix of humor and heart, Seth has spoken for audiences large and small in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia about his former faith, the promotion of science and skepticism, the importance of Humanism in this often-crazy world, and why we should all pursue a personal relationship with reality. 🔗 Follow Seth on Twitter/X, Instagram, and TikTok (@SethAndrewsTTA), on YouTube (@TheThinkingAtheist), and on his website (sethandrews.com). 📅 Seth will speak in the late afternoon of the main event on Sunday and a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
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Corey Wright
Writer, Educator, Mental Health Practitioner
Corey is a creative force and passionate mental-health advocate whose work lives at the intersection of art, storytelling, and healing. His creative projects spark conversation and connection, showing how imagination and vulnerability can become catalysts for transformation.
His passion for mental wellness drives everything he does. Through his podcast, he brings together survivors, artists, and activists, highlighting the many ways people find strength and resilience after adversity. He also uses his platform to challenge stigma and affirm that survival is not the end of the story—it’s the beginning of something new.
His soon-to-be-released book, "The Unmaking: Life After Survival", is a deeply personal account that explores what it means to rebuild after religious trauma. With honesty and insight, he offers readers both recognition and hope.
Corey can be seen on Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War (Season 2) and the upcoming Olivia Newton John documentary. 🔗 Follow Corey on Instagram and TikTok (@coreyLwright).
📅 Corey will be one of our first speakers on Sunday and a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
His passion for mental wellness drives everything he does. Through his podcast, he brings together survivors, artists, and activists, highlighting the many ways people find strength and resilience after adversity. He also uses his platform to challenge stigma and affirm that survival is not the end of the story—it’s the beginning of something new.
His soon-to-be-released book, "The Unmaking: Life After Survival", is a deeply personal account that explores what it means to rebuild after religious trauma. With honesty and insight, he offers readers both recognition and hope.
Corey can be seen on Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War (Season 2) and the upcoming Olivia Newton John documentary. 🔗 Follow Corey on Instagram and TikTok (@coreyLwright).
📅 Corey will be one of our first speakers on Sunday and a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
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Nick Fish
President of American Atheists
Nick is the president of American Atheists, where he leads efforts to defend the separation of religion and government and advance equality for atheists and nonreligious Americans.
Since joining the organization in 2012, he has directed advocacy, grassroots organizing, and public policy initiatives, and was appointed president in 2018. A frequent commentator in national media, Nick speaks on issues of secularism, religious nationalism, and the rights of nonreligious people. 🔗 Learn more about American Atheists at atheists.org, on Instagram (@AmericanAtheists), and on Bluesky (@atheists.org). You can also follow Nick on Bluesky (@nickfish.me) 📅 Nick will be our final speaker at our main event on Sunday afternoon and will be a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
Since joining the organization in 2012, he has directed advocacy, grassroots organizing, and public policy initiatives, and was appointed president in 2018. A frequent commentator in national media, Nick speaks on issues of secularism, religious nationalism, and the rights of nonreligious people. 🔗 Learn more about American Atheists at atheists.org, on Instagram (@AmericanAtheists), and on Bluesky (@atheists.org). You can also follow Nick on Bluesky (@nickfish.me) 📅 Nick will be our final speaker at our main event on Sunday afternoon and will be a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
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Haram Doodles
Ex-Muslim Artist, Activist
Haram Doodles is a collection of haram (forbidden) doodles created by an ex-Muslim Atheist in solidarity with courageous ex-Muslims who have left Islam.
Her sinful comics and memes are lovingly doodled with a Humanist approach and in protest of Islam’s strict restrictions on freedom, gender, sexuality, critical thinking, science, art, and life itself.
With a coalition of ex-Muslims and activists, she organized the first ever "ExMuslim Awareness Month" in 2022, an event now observed annually. She is also a volunteer for Ex-Muslims International, a global coalition of ex-Muslim organizations, advocates, and partners that utilize campaigns and events to raise awareness with and for ex-Muslims. 🔗 Follow Haram Doodles on X/Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky (@haramdoodles) or visit the website HaramDoodles.com. 📅 Haram Doodles will speak mid-afternoon on Sunday and is a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
With a coalition of ex-Muslims and activists, she organized the first ever "ExMuslim Awareness Month" in 2022, an event now observed annually. She is also a volunteer for Ex-Muslims International, a global coalition of ex-Muslim organizations, advocates, and partners that utilize campaigns and events to raise awareness with and for ex-Muslims. 🔗 Follow Haram Doodles on X/Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky (@haramdoodles) or visit the website HaramDoodles.com. 📅 Haram Doodles will speak mid-afternoon on Sunday and is a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
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Erica Lee
Congressional Candidate
Erica is an organizer, State worker, caregiver, proud fifth-generation Sacramentan, and atheist.
She's not your typical congressional candidate. She's paid rent, lived paycheck to paycheck, and navigated a broken healthcare system. She stood by her parents through terminal illnesses, worked jobs from prison healthcare to grassroots advocacy, and spent years walking the halls of Congress, not as a lobbyist, but as a volunteer fighting for change.
When no one else on the bench stepped up to challenge a wealthy, entrenched congresswoman who refused to show up for constituents, she filed to run for Congress. 🔗 Follow Erica on X/Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Bluesky (@ElectEricaLee) or visit the website ElectEricaLee.com.
📅 Erica will speak late-afternoon on Sunday and is a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
When no one else on the bench stepped up to challenge a wealthy, entrenched congresswoman who refused to show up for constituents, she filed to run for Congress. 🔗 Follow Erica on X/Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Bluesky (@ElectEricaLee) or visit the website ElectEricaLee.com.
📅 Erica will speak late-afternoon on Sunday and is a guest at our Fundraising Reception.
Aysha Khan
Activist
Aysha is the Director of Operations and has been with EXMNA for eight years, including working on the Normalizing Dissent tour that brought Ex-Muslim perspectives to college campuses throughout the US and Canada.
Growing up in a moderate Pakistani Muslim household, Aysha struggled with reconciling the rights and freedoms afforded to her as a citizen of a Western secular country, with the restrictive and obsolete "rights" and roles prescribed to her in the Qur'an (especially in the areas of marriage, divorce, travel, inheritance, court testimony, and bodily autonomy).
🔗 Follow ExMNA on YouTube, Facebook, and Bluesky (@exmuslimsorg).
📅 Aysha joins the Authors and Podcasters panel on Sunday and will be at the Fundraising Reception the evening before.
Growing up in a moderate Pakistani Muslim household, Aysha struggled with reconciling the rights and freedoms afforded to her as a citizen of a Western secular country, with the restrictive and obsolete "rights" and roles prescribed to her in the Qur'an (especially in the areas of marriage, divorce, travel, inheritance, court testimony, and bodily autonomy).
🔗 Follow ExMNA on YouTube, Facebook, and Bluesky (@exmuslimsorg).
📅 Aysha joins the Authors and Podcasters panel on Sunday and will be at the Fundraising Reception the evening before.