The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s 46th annual national convention is quickly approaching — and you won’t want to miss it!
The gathering will take place Friday, Oct. 13, and Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison, Wis., with the annual membership meeting on Sunday, Oct. 15.
With the convention getting close, we encourage you to reserve rooms immediately. One hotel is sold out and deadlines are approaching on the two other convention hotels. For the first time in FFRF’s 46-year history, the convention will take place on a “Football Saturday,” meaning convention goers are competing with Wisconsin Badgers fans.
The convention will not only showcase FFRF activism, but will place special emphasis this year on the threats of white Christian nationalism and to abortion rights. It will also include “godless gospel” entertainment and cameos by two drag queens!
Joining the lineup will be author and filmmaker Jeremiah Camara, who also serves on FFRF’s Executive Board. Camara is the author of Holy Lockdown: Does The Church Limit Black Progress? and is director and producer of the documentary film “Holy Hierarchy: The Religious Roots of Racism in America,” as well as creator of the widely watched video series “Slave Sermons.” He’ll speak about his forthcoming documentary, “The Age of Appeasement.”
Other convention speakers include:
• Elie Mystal, receiving FFRF’s Clarence Darrow Award. The Harvard Law School grad and MSNBC frequent guest is author of the bestselling Allow Me To Retort — A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution.
• Robert P. Jones, founder and president of Public Religion Research Institute and author of two books on white Christian supremacy.
A trio of other experts on white Christian nationalism will dominate the Saturday morning program:
• Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and organizer of Christians Against Christian Nationalism.
• Andrew Seidel, author of American Crusade: How the Supreme Court is Weaponizing Religious Freedom. He is VP of strategic communications at Americans United.
• Bradley Onishi, a faculty member at the University of San Francisco. He is author of the new book, Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism — And What Comes Next.
Abortion rights will be addressed by three expert speakers:
• Jen Castle, national director of abortion service delivery at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She will accept on behalf of Planned Parenthood the $35,000 Henry Zumach Freedom From Religious Fundamentalism Award.
• Mary Ziegler, a noted abortion rights legal expert and professor of law at UC Davis School of Law. She will receive FFRF’s “Forward Award,” given to those who are moving society forward. She is the author of many articles and six books on social movement struggles around reproduction, autonomy and the law.
• Lizz Winstead, a political satirist. She will receive FFRF’s “Emperor Has No Clothes Award.” Winstead is a co-creator of “The Daily Show” and a founder of Abortion Access Front, a team of comedians, writers and producers who use humor to destigmatize abortion and expose the extremist forces working to destroy abortion rights. She will be the Saturday night keynote speaker.
• Godless Gospel, directed by André Forbes and produced by FFRF Co-President Dan Barker, which will do an encore of its acclaimed debut at the 2022 national FFRF convention.
• Kate Cohen, who writes elegant, freethinking columns as a Washington Post contributing writer exposing America’s reflexive deference to religion and its effects on education, health care and human rights. She will receive the Freethought Heroine Award.
• Emily Olson, a member of the city council in Owosso, Mich. She will receive FFRF’s “Nothing Fails Like Prayer” Award for bravely attempting to persuade the council to discontinue prayer.
• A secular legislative panel, which will include Wisconsin state Sen. Kelda Roys and Minnesota state Rep. Mike Freiberg.
• Our student activist awardees — Bear Bright and Laur Stovall — are suing over West Texas A&M censorship of a drag show benefit sponsored by a secular student club on campus. The students, fittingly, will be introduced by two local drag queen performers — Bryanna Banx$ and Latina Envy.
Also featured will be the usual “Highlights of the Year” from Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, the legal report by FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert and staff attorneys, and a new (c)(4) FFRF Action Fund report by FFRF Governmental Affairs Director Mark Dann and Senior Policy Counsel Ryan Jayne. Plus, there will be the Traditional “NonPrayer Breakfast,” drawing for “clean,” pre-“In God We Trust Currency” and freethought fellowship.
Sign up now! Registration deadline is Sept. 29. The 46th annual FFRF convention promises to be quite a treat.
