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Events and Appearances Archives

August 28, 2024

October 20, 2024 – FFRF Legal Fellow Hirsh Joshi Speaking at Metro Chicago Chapter of FFRF (Skokie, IL)

FFRF Patrick O’Reilly Legal Fellow Hirsh Joshi will be speaking at the Ethical Humanist Society, hosted by the Metropolitan Chicago Chapter of FFRF. This free event is open to the public, and will be held on October 13 at 1PM, located at 7574 Lincoln Ave, Skokie IL. Hirsh will be discussing the current state of FFRF ongoing legal battles, as well as highlighting the foundation's recent successes. This event is in-person only, and registration is not required. Hirsh joined FFRF in January 2024. He was raised in the Chicago suburbs and graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2019 with a B.A. in Political Science. He then graduated from the Cotton Bowl champion University of Missouri in 2023 with his Juris Doctor. Hirsh is currently licensed as an attorney in Missouri. To learn more about the Metropolitan Chicago Chapter of FFRF, email Steven Foulkes, chapter president: [email protected].
August 15, 2024

September 7, 2024 – Deputy Legal Director Liz Cavell to Speak at the Kentucky Freethought Convention (Erlanger, KY)

FFRF Deputy Legal Director Liz Cavell will be speaking on topics surrounding the current state of the Supreme Court at the Kentucky Freethought Convention on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Cavell joined the FFRF as a staff attorney in January 2013, after working for the Foundation part-time since September 2012. Elizabeth became Deputy Legal Director in April 2024. To purchase tickets for this event, and to view the full schedule and list of speakers, click here.

August 18, 2024 – FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line to Speak at Ozarks Chapter of FFRF (Bentonville, AR)

Christopher Line headshot
Chris Line, Staff Attorney at the Freedom From Religion Foundation, will be speaking in Bentonville, AR to discuss the implications of Christian Nationalism, the laws protecting separation between church & state, and the legal landscape entering the 2024 election.   The event will be held on August 18, 2024 at 11AM in NWA Best Friends in Bentonville, AR. This event is open to the general public for $5, and free to members of the Ozarks Chapter of FFRF. General admission tickets can be reserved by clicking here. To learn more about the Ozarks Chapter of FFRF, visit their Facebook by clicking here.
July 1, 2024

July 1, 2024 – FFRF Associate Counsel Sam Grover to Discuss Louisiana Ten Commandments Lawsuit in Webinar (Virtual)

Sam Grover headshot
Join us on Monday, July 1, at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CST) for an exclusive webinar to discuss the Louisiana Ten Commandment lawsuit, filed together with Americans United for Separation of Church and State, American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Louisiana and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Our panel of speakers includes:
  • Andrew L. Seidel, Americans United
  • Dan Mach, ACLU National
  • Sam Grover, Freedom from Religion Foundation
  • Multiple plaintiffs in the case
Our experts will explain our strategy for keeping Louisiana public schools inclusive for all students and free from religious coercion. We’ll share next steps in this fight, how you can support our efforts against this law and similar bills in other states, and answer your questions live! RSVP now. If you are unable to attend the webinar live, RSVP now to receive a recording of the discussion afterward!
May 9, 2024

July 26, 2024 – FFRF Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence to speak on Common Wealth Development Panel (Madison, WI)

Sammi Lawrence headshot
Anne Nicol Gaylor Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence will be speaking on a panel for Common Wealth Development’s employment and mentorship program at the Madison Central Library on July 26, 2024 in Madison, WI. The career panel seeks to introduce teenagers from less privileged backgrounds to a variety of careers. This event is by invitation only; the participating students won a spot in the program after competing in a rigorous application process. Common Wealth Development is a non-profit community development organization whose mission is to support and preserve the vitality of neighborhoods in the Madison Metropolitan area. Their work serves as the foundational bedrock of healthy community and economic development, with projects aimed at improving the housing and business climate of our neighborhoods through a people-first approach centered on racial justice and community level health improvement. To learn more about Common Wealth Development, visit their website. 
April 25, 2024

May 1, 2024 – FFRF to Co-host Congressional Reason Reception (Washington, D.C.)

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, with our friends at the American Humanist Association and the Secular Coalition for America, will be hosting the inaugural Congressional Reason Reception on May 1 in Washington, D.C. The event will honor the use of reason in public policy, the Congressional Freethought Caucus and the legacy of Thomas Paine. The in-person event, which is sold out, will take place in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, starting at 6:30 p.m. Eastern. But you can join the event via Zoom by registering here. Guests include Reps. Jared Huffman, Jamie Raskin and other members of Congress, and Washington Post columnist, author and FFRF 2023 Freethought Heroine Kate Cohen.
April 4, 2024

August 31-September 1, 2024 – FFRF Co-Sponsoring Celebrating Dissent Oslo (Oslo, Norway)

banner for Celebrating Dissent, an event in Oslo, Norway on August 31 to September 1, 2024
FFRF Co-Presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker will be attending "Celebrating Dissent Oslo" on August 31st through September 1st, 2024 in the capital city of Norway, Oslo. FFRF will be one of many co-sponsors of the event, and Barker and Gaylor will be joined by more than 50 other freethinking groups from over 30 different countries. The two-day conference is a continuation of the widely successful Celebrating Dissent conferences held in London, Amsterdam, Cologne, and Paris, in what has become the largest gathering of ex-Muslims in the world. Organized by the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and Dømmekraft, the event will pay tribute to taboo-breaking ex-Muslim comedian Shabana Rehman and celebrate blasphemy, apostasy and freedom of expression through discussions, poetry, film, protest art, and music. The event is open to the public, and tickets and registration can be found by clicking here.
January 30, 2024

April 26-28, 2024 – Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker to speak at the Spring of Reason and Exuberance’s Rationalist International Conference (Finland, Estonia, & Baltic Sea)

posters of Annie Laurie and Dan Barker for the Spring of Reason and Exuberance Rationalist International Conference
Annie Laurie and Dan Barker will be speaking at the Rationalist International's Spring of Reason and Exuberance conference, which will be held on a 3-day cruise in the Baltic Sea on April 26-28, 2024. The cruise will host a 3-day festival of reason, giving attendees a chance to experience the beauty of the Baltic archipelago, see historic places, and the global centers of freedom of thought, free speech, and human rights. For more information, and to register for this event, click here to visit the Rational International's website.

February 25, 2024 – FFRF’s Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence to Speak at the Congregation Beth Adam (Loveland, OH))

FFRF's Anne Nicol Gaylor Legal Fellow, Sammi Lawrence, will be speaking at Congregation Beth Adam in Loveland, OH on February 25th, 2024. Lawrence will be presenting to members of Congregation Beth Adam as part of their regular Adult Education series and will be covering recent state/church violations in the OH area, FFRF's actions & victories, and current Ohio legislation. The event will be both in person and virtual, and the link to the virtual meeting will be posted here closer to the event date. Though this event is free, it is only open to members of the Congregation Beth Adam. For more information about Beth Adam, please visit the congregation's website at bethadam.org.

February 17, 2024 – Dan Barker to Speak at the Secular Humanists of Roanoke (Roanoke, VA)

headshot of Dan Barker with a white background
FFRF Co-President Dan Barker will be speaking at the Secular Humanists of Roanoke meeting at the South Roanoke County Library for Saturday, February 17, 2024 from 10am to Noon. Barker will be discussing church and state issues of Roanoke and the surrounding communities. This event is free, open to the public, and registration is not required. For more information about the Secular Humanists of Roanoke, click here. More details to follow.
January 1, 2024

January 29th, 2024 – FFRF to Co-Sponsor Thomas Paine Birthday Celebration (Virtual)

a gentleman costumed to look like Thomas Paine
FFRF will be co sponsoring an annual event to recognize and celebrate Thomas Paine’s birthday on January 29th. The theme for the 2024 event is "The Anti-Slavery Efforts of Thomas Paine." The event starts at 4:00 PM EDT or 7:00 PM EDT, and is a virtual event. Pre-registration for Paine’s birthday celebration is required. The event registration link can be found by clicking here. Sponsors of the 2024 event are the Secular Coalition for America, Black Nonbelievers, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Center for Inquiry, the Thomas Paine Memorial Association (TPMA), and the Freethought Society.
November 9, 2023

December 9, 2023 — FFRF’s Co-Presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker to Speak at Laics of the World Unite (Paris, France)

Dan Barker headshot
FFRF's Co-presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker will be speaking at Laics of the World Unite in Paris, France on December 9th, 2023. Annie Laurie Gaylor will be speaking on a panel to discuss gobal unification needs alongside Martine Cerf, Marieme Helie Lucas, Mohamed Cheikh Mkhaitir, and Megan Manson. Q&A will follow the panel. Dan Barker will be performing a few musical numbers on the piano. This event is cosponsored by FFRF. More information about this event can be found by clicking here. Dan Barker headshotAnnie Laurie Gaylor headshot
October 15, 2023

November 9, 2023 — FFRF’s Legal Director Rebecca Markert to Speak at the Notre Dame Law School (Notre Dame, IN)

Rebecca S. Markert headshot
FFRF's Legal Director Rebecca Markert will be speaking at the Notre Dame Law School Chapter of the American Constitution Society on November 9, 2023. Notre Dame ACS is dedicated to promoting progressive legal transformation and addressing the inherent flaws in the Constitution, laws, and legal systems. Ms. Markert will be discussing the constitutional principle of separation of state and church, her work on these issues, her background and early career, the values that inspire her, and her thoughts on the future of litigation on these issues. Q&A will follow. A solidified date and more details to come.
September 17, 2023

October 1, 2023 — Sammi Lawrence to Speak at the Lake Superior Freethinker’s Chapter of FFRF (Duluth, MN)

FFRF's Anne Nicol Gaylor Legal Fellow, Sammi Lawrence, will be speaking at the Lake Superior Freethinker's meeting at 11AM on October 1st, 2023. This free presentation will be both in-person and virtual and a Zoom link will be posted closer to the event. Sammi graduated magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2017 with a B.A. in English Literature and a minor in Professional Writing & Publishing. She first worked for FFRF as a legal intern while attending law school at the University of Wisconsin. She graduated with her Juris Doctor from UW-Law in May 2022. More details to come. Sammi Lawrence

October, 2023 — FFRF’s Legal Director Rebecca Markert to Speak at the Notre Dame Law School (Notre Dame, IN)

FFRF's Legal Director Rebecca Markert will be speaking at the Notre Dame Law School Chapter of the American Constitution Society in October, 2023. Notre Dame ACS is dedicated to promoting progressive legal transformation and addressing the inherent flaws in the Constitution, laws, and legal systems. Ms. Markert will be discussing the constitutional principle of separation of state and church, her work on these issues, her background and early career, the values that inspire her, and her thoughts on the future of litigation on these issues. Q&A will follow. A solidified date and more details to come.   Rebecca S. Markert
September 6, 2023

September 6, 2023 — Kat Grant to Speak at Indiana University Maurer School of Law (Bloomington, IN)

Freedom From Religion Foundation