Sami Al-Asady – My Improbable Path to the White House: Lessons on Education, Ambition and Public Service

Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix welcomes Sami Al-Asady, raised in Glendale, Arizona by refugees of the Iraqi and Bosnian Wars, Sami navigated the public American education system as a first-generation student keen on understanding why the world functions as it does, and how to change it for the better. Despite the limitations of an underfunded high school, Sami leveraged his access to teachers who saw his potential and encouraged his growth. During Sami’s senior year of high school, COVID-19 lockdowns interrupted formal education, which he supplemented with a self-designed book curriculum. Through reflections fostered by writers, poets, and philosophers, and acknowledgement of alarming Supreme Court decisions and the discord national politics, he wanted to get involved. Sami has has served on the board of Secular AZ, interned for Congressman Ruben Gallego, written for the Arizona Republic, Arizona Capitol Times, and OnlySky, spoken at the 2021 Freedom From Religion Foundation National Conference, and completed President Biden’s first class of the White House Internship Program. Through these experiences, Sami has harnessed insights on the topics of education, meaning, and ambition. He is thrilled to impart his perspective and foster dialogue with members of the Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix community.

Doors open at 9:00 am for optional buffet breakfast ($5 donation) and socializing. Presentation begins at 10:00 am.

If you can help with set-up, clean-up, and/or by bringing a breakfast casserole, please go to SignUpGenius HERE

A Children’s Program is available during the Speaker Meeting. Go to a separate Meetup to RSVP for your kids HERE.

Prefer to join us remotely?

1. Zoom Link: HERE
2. YOUTUBE: You can watch live (15 second delay), or you can watch later. LINK HERE

Need help? Email humanist@hsgp.org before the day of this meeting.