Sandra Dunham
I first learned of CFIC when I saw an advertisement for the position of “Executive Director of Development” in the early summer of 2017. I had just left full-time employment to pursue a better work-life balance and set up a small business to work with non-profits and charities to help them achieve their goals. I made a commitment to do work that was meaningful to me.
At that time, I had never heard the term humanist. But as I read the ad and researched The Centre for Inquiry Canada, I became increasingly aware that I was a humanist and that the goals of CFIC were very closely aligned with my own. I began work as a contractor for CFIC in the fall of 2017, and through that experience, I have learned an amazing number of things and met some truly exceptional people.
Now, it is time for me to move on to the next phase of life – retirement. I will while away my hours on the many hobbies that my flexible working life has allowed me to pursue; playing bridge (if you enjoy games and like constant mental stimulation, I recommend you find lessons and see whether you also enjoy the game), practicing yoga, curling, riding my bike, and participating in a myriad of other outdoor winter and summer activities.
It saddens me to leave CFIC. When I am working with others at CFIC, I am sure to have interesting, candid conversations that are always engaging and allow me to grow. I am sure that I will continue to follow CFIC, and I hope to continue to contribute articles to Critical Links, as I simply have too much to say to stay quiet. However, I shall be stepping down as a paid contractor.
What are my best memories and favourite projects of CFIC? (Note that these can change on a daily basis.)
- In the summer of 2021, I participated in a meeting of the communications committee from a campsite on PEI. There, the idea of a podcast arose (thanks to Lee Shields, who nudged us in this direction). Always over-cautious, I demanded that we have a pilot project and that we not launch the podcast until we had 6 episodes recorded. I was SURE that we would run out of topics and people to interview. Now, 5 years later, Podcast for Inquiry (PFI) is always interesting and informative. Way to go, Leslie and team!
- The Cost of Religion in Canada was a multi-year, multi-article investigation into the financial cost of religious privilege in Canada. As a “numbers nerd,” I was fascinated to quantify the cost. I admit, I also learned a tremendous amount about manipulating a massive data set in Excel.
- The evolution of Critical Links has been great to be involved with as well. I especially enjoyed changing our platform from one long-running newsletter (which ran until October 2020) to a series of articles with links to our website, which began in November of the same year. Not only did this make Critical Links easier to read, but it also means that each separate article can be found using our search engine.
- Being a part of CFIC during the pandemic was a rewarding experience. We were able to provide lots of information about COVID-19 and to offer people webinars and entertainment that helped us fill our days. I especially enjoyed our “Magical Solstice Celebration 2020” featuring our own James Alan.
Mostly, however, I enjoyed meeting and hearing from the people who make up CFIC. You are an amazing group to have a “real” conversation with, to explore meaningful topics with and to share in our goal of making Canada a better place to live. Thank you.