FFRF, with the financial backing of the individual donors, has collaborated with the Secular Student Alliance to select, announce and distribute these student awards. (As per SSA policy to help protect the students’ identities, only the students’ first names are used.)
At Austin Community College, Isaiah served as the student body president, is a member of Phi Theta Kappa and a commissioner with the city of Austin on the College Student Commission, as well as the Human Rights Commission. Isaiah served as a legislative intern and as a congressional intern at the U.S. House of Representatives. Isaiah will graduate with an associate of arts in government and plans to go to law school. Isaiah is currently working on starting a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to the unhoused population, LGBTQ youth, and all others that are in need of humanitarian services and support. In his spare time, Isaiah volunteers for poverty alleviation and engages in public service to help be the change that he wishes to see.
During high school, Isaiah successfully challenged Birdville Independent School District and Lake Dallas Independent School Districts’ unconstitutional announcements of church activities during their football games with help from the American Humanist Association. He also successfully challenged Birdville Independent School District for allowing school administrators to participate in baccalaureate ceremonies, having its retreats in church, and having cross displays in the classroom. Isaiah is an advocate for the separation of the church and the state and religious freedom and believes that the government should always remain neutral when it comes to religion.
FFRF thanks FFRF Member Al Luneman for making possible this scholarship.
