Tobi Ruwase is a lifelong music enthusiast with a background in community outreach and early childhood education. As a graduate assistant in Texas, she supported grant-funded programs for migrant and underserved families and interned at the United Nations in New York. Raised in a non-religious home in Nigeria by Muslim and Christian parents, she understands firsthand the isolation of growing up without a secular community in a deeply religious society. Now a new mother, she joined Humanists Australia’s Altruistic label to help build the cultural infrastructure she wishes she’d had: humanist resources, music, and community for the next generation.
They are advocating.
They are supporting each other.
They are the young people we’re looking for.
And, unknowingly, they are the foot soldiers.
The problem is they have no meeting point.
They’re doing it on social media. That’s where I meet them. That’s where they already are.
But algorithms limit them. Their messages about awakening, deconstructing, and humanist values stay trapped in niches.
They need more visibility. Beyond the algorithm. Into more mainstream spaces. And a meeting point with organisations such as Humanists International, its member organisations, and allies. We should be working together. A symbiotic relationship, of sorts.
And others on the journey to self-discovery, who feel isolated, need to see them too. To know there is hope. To find their tribe…
This isn’t about competition. It’s about connection.
In 2025, Hemant Mehta, aka Friendly Atheist, wrote about how the American Humanist Association (AHA) is empowering a new wave of atheist content creators. AHA Communications Director Court Beyer explained their goal: to help creators “grow their impact while bringing humanism into more conversations.”
AHA is partnering with content creators video-to-video. In the long-term, they want to work with “micro-influencers” — people with smaller audiences who reach communities others aren’t tapping into.
Humanists Australia’s record and publishing label, Altruistic, is another example. Same principle: give the voices structure and reach. We’re volunteers. But I can imagine what’s possible if we dedicated ourselves full time, the way Mehta argues non-theistic communicators should.
We’ve started.
Our job is to amplify these voices. Not just post them, but give them structure, distribution, and a home.
What does that home look like?
It’s not a building. It’s a network — shared platforms, funding, mentorship, cross-border collabs, and a seat at the table with Humanists International and member orgs. A place where a musician in Lagos, an animator in Nairobi, and a writer in Accra can find each other, get support, and reach audiences beyond the algorithm.
Take one African multi-instrumentalist and music educator in our network — a former choir leader who now uses social media to repost and amplify voices exploring meaning, responsibility, and deconstructing faith. They’re part of the community I’m listening to as Head of Artist Outreach & Publicity, Africa.
It was through our network that I came across animator elshaddude’s TikTok animation music video “Just Believe” — a creative voice using art to explore themes of belief and freedom. You can find him on TikTok as @elshaddude
We’ve reached out to commend his work and appreciate what he’s doing. We’re also in conversation about collaborating on a music video, as we hope to do with other creatives using art to push similar messages. As we say here in Nigeria, we want to “loud it!”
The goal is the same as AHA’s and Altruistic’s: visibility, connection, and a home for these voices.
The creatives are already speaking. The good news is, just as our fellow Humanists International member organisations are represented across 6 continents, Africa has this same energy — and it’s not limited by borders. Our job is to make sure African voices are heard, that they find each other, and that they’re connected to the wider global humanist network.
Because deconstructing is step one. Belonging is step two. Amplifying is step three.
If you would like to find out more about Altruistic or get involved, email: [email protected]
References
Mehta, H. (2025). How the American Humanist Association is empowering a new wave of atheist content creators. Friendly Atheist. https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/how-the-american-humanist-association
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