Faith-based groups are ramping up efforts to gain power and influence by undermining the First Amendment, warns the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). To shed light on these developments, Patrick Elliott, FFRF’s Legal Director, will present an upcoming talk to the HumanistsMN, examining the growing threats to the separation of state and church at the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, MN on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 3 p.m.

Elliott will outline how religious organizations are pursuing lawsuits and lobbying for legislation aimed at injecting religion into public schools and public life. His presentation will highlight what he calls a “power grab” by Christian nationalist movements, as well as recent high-profile cases that illustrate the risks to constitutional freedoms.

The event will also spotlight the legal and advocacy work that FFRF is doing nationwide to defend secular government and protect individual rights. This is a free event open to the public.

To see the event page, and to learn more about HumanistsMN, visit their website.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is pleased to announce that Co-President Dan Barker will be presenting virtually to the ACCRA Atheists as part of their Reason Rising Monthly Series this September.

Barker’s presentation, titled “From Evangelical Priesthood to Atheism,” will explore themes of humanism, science, human rights, and critical thinking. A former evangelical minister turned leading atheist advocate, Barker brings a unique perspective on the journey from faith to reason.

The event will be held virtually from 5:00–7:00 p.m. GMT (Noon–2:00 p.m. CT).

To learn more about the ACCRA Atheists and their Reason Rising series, please visit the ACCRA Atheists Facebook page.

Join FFRF Legal Director Patrick Elliott for a compelling discussion on recent threats to the constitutional separation of state and church. Elliott will shed light on how religious organizations are advancing their agendas through the courts and legislation—particularly efforts to insert religion into public schools.

The talk will examine key legal cases and the growing influence of Christian nationalism, as well as the work FFRF is doing to protect secular government and First Amendment freedoms.

This free, in-person event is open to the public. No RSVP is required.

Date: Sunday, August 24, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM EDT (Doors open at 9:40 AM)
Location: The Craftsman Inn & Suites, 7300 East Genesee Street, Fayetteville, NY 13066

Join Upstate New York Freethinkers for their 2nd Annual Chapter Gathering! This exciting event is open to the public (tickets required) and features a stellar lineup of speakers from the Freedom From Religion Foundation and beyond.

Throughout the day, you'll have opportunities to meet and chat with our distinguished speakers, including Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker!

Featured Speakers:

Annie Laurie Gaylor: FFRF Co-President
Dan Barker: FFRF Co-President
Kate Cohen: Author of "We of Little Faith"

The day's agenda includes insightful presentations, a delicious hot buffet luncheon, and tours of the historic Matilda Joslyn Gage museum (a short drive from the conference). Attendees will also have the opportunity for book signings with the featured speakers.

Optional Saturday Evening Dinner: An optional dinner is available on Saturday, August 23, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at The Craftsman Wood Grille and Tap House (at participant's expense, ticket RSVP required).

Don't miss this opportunity to connect with fellow freethinkers and engage with leading voices in the movement!

IFT = I Love Freethought

For more details and to purchase tickets, please visit: unyft.org/go

On Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 1:00 PM, the Austin Area Chapter of the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) will host Mickey Dollens, FFRF’s Regional Governmental Affairs Manager and Oklahoma State Representative, for a public talk at the Austin Public Library’s Pleasant Hill Branch, located at 211 E. William Cannon Dr., Austin, TX 78745. Dollens will provide updates on FFRF’s legal efforts in Texas, discuss national legislative trends, and offer strategies for effectively engaging with state lawmakers. A Q&A session will follow the presentation. This event is free and open to the public. Those interested in attending are encouraged to consider joining the Austin Area Chapter of FFRF. For more information, please send an email to chapter leader Andrew Bushard.

Sammi Lawrence, Staff Attorney at the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), will participate in an upcoming career panel hosted by Common Wealth Development as part of the Wanda Fullmore Youth Internship Program. The panel is designed to introduce local high school interns to a diverse range of professional career paths and insights from Madison-area professionals. The Wanda Fullmore Youth Internship Program is a competitive summer initiative that provides more than 25 Madison youth—primarily from BIPOC communities—with hands-on work experience, mentorship, and skill development. One of the program’s cornerstone events is its annual career panel, which offers interns an opportunity to engage directly with professionals from various industries. While the event is free to attend, it is not open to the public. For more information about the program or how to get involved, click here. Sammi Lawrence was promoted to FFRF Staff Attorney in September 2024, following her work as the Anne Nicol Gaylor Legal Fellow beginning in June 2022. A native of Southern Wisconsin, Lawrence earned her B.A. in English Literature, magna cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater in 2017. She later received her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2022, where she also served as a legal intern for FFRF. In addition to her legal advocacy work, Lawrence enjoys hiking, baking, and painting.

Sammi Lawrence, Staff Attorney for the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), will speak to members of the Alexandria Freethinkers on Thursday, May 29, 2025, at the Westside Regional Library in Alexandria. Lawrence will provide updates on FFRF’s ongoing legal work and current events related to the separation of church and state. The event is free to attend but limited to members of the Alexandria Freethinkers. For more information about the group or how to join, click here. Lawrence was promoted to Staff Attorney in September 2024 after serving as the Anne Nicol Gaylor Legal Fellow since June 2022. Originally from Southern Wisconsin, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater in 2017 with a B.A. in English Literature. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2022, during which she interned with FFRF. Outside of her legal work, Lawrence enjoys hiking, baking, and painting.

Patrick Elliott, legal director for the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), will be among the featured speakers at the upcoming Rally for Secular Government and National Day of Reason event at the Minnesota State Capitol, on Wednesday, April 30, at the Minnesota Capitol rotunda with the program beginning at 1:15 pm. The rally will also feature remarks from Minnesota legislators and representatives from several advocacy organizations, including Minnesota Atheists, HumanistsMN, OutFront Minnesota, and the Minnesotans Against Christian Nationalism Coalition. The event aims to highlight the importance of maintaining a clear separation between religion and government, and to promote inclusive, evidence-based policymaking. The program will welcome a variety of speakers, including Minnesota state legislators and members of the Minnesota Secular Government Caucus—a group we’re especially proud to have representing the state. Feel free to bring homemade signs supporting the cause—just remember, no sticks attached. Let’s stand together for reason, inclusion and secular government! See more details and RSVP here. In addition to coming to this protest, reach out to your representatives! Find out who your representatives are here.

Join FFRF Legal Counsel Chris Line, alongside the Metro Denver Chapter of FFRF, for a vital discussion on the growing impact of Christian nationalism and its dangerous push to dismantle the separation of church and state. The event will be held on Saturday, April 26, at 4 pm at the Secular Hub (254 Knox Ct., Denver, CO). Line will provide an update on Project 2025, the sweeping agenda designed to reshape the federal government into a tool of religious extremism, threatening secular democracy, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ protections, public education, and more. Line will also break down how religious extremists are working to erode constitutional protections, the legal and legislative battles currently underway, and how FFRF is fighting back through litigation, advocacy, and public education. Learn what’s at stake, what’s being done to stop this theocratic takeover, and how you can help defend our secular government! The event will be both in person and virtual. For more information on the event (including registration and virtual meeting link), click here. For more information on the Metro Denver chapter of FFRF, click here.   More on Chris Line: Chris Line is Legal Counsel for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, where he works to uphold the separation of church and state and defend the rights of nonreligious Americans. He first joined FFRF in 2015 as a legal intern while attending the University of Wisconsin Law School, and after earning his Juris Doctor in 2017, he transitioned into a full-time attorney role. Since then, Chris has written thousands of legal letters addressing church-state violations nationwide, successfully resolving hundreds of violations. In addition to his legal work, he is an accomplished photographer, with his work appearing in The Humanist, The Progressive, and FFRF’s own Freethought Today.

FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor to Speak in Buffalo! Join Upstate New York Freethinkers as we welcome renowned freethought advocate, Annie Laurie Gaylor, Co-President of the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), to Buffalo, New York! For both the Chapter dinner gathering and Café meetup, exclusive for chapter participants, reserve your seats today! Choose to attend one, two, or all three of these events! Free stickers, buttons, bookmarks, the Freethought Today newspaper, and brochures will be waiting for you to take home and share with friends. A roundtable will be led by David Hoffman, Ph.D., the author of American Freethought: The History of a Social Movement, 1794-1948, who is also a participant of Upstate New York Freethinkers. This will be a great time for history buffs, legal minds, and anyone concerned about religious liberty. After the roundtable, we will have a chapter gathering dinner and the next morning a café meetup. We hope to see you there!

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a proud cosponsor of the Black Nonbeliver’s ‘Revival of Reason - The Homecoming’ event, taking place March 21-23rd, 2025 at the Oasis Event Center located at 6975 Jonesboro Rd, Morrow, GA 30260. Join FFRF and Black Nonbelivers near Atlanta, GA for this premiere gathering, which will focus on connecting and growing the non-religious community. FFRF Co-President Dan Barker will be performing in ‘Godless Gospel,’ a group of freethinkers—atheists and agnostics—performing a nonreligious and humanistic message in modern and traditional “gospel” styles of music. Featured speakers include: – Chris Cameron – Jeremiah Camara – Candace Gorham – Nikki G. – Cynthia McDonald – Kyria Santa – Mandisa Thomas – And MORE!!! This is a family-friendly event, so please bring your loved ones and anyone who is interested in learning and needs secular support. Student discounts and sponsorship opportunities are available. Registration is required. Click here for more information on the event and to register. 

FFRF Co-Presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker will be speaking at the Dubuque Area Humanist's Annual Darwin Lecture on Monday, February 17th, at 6:30 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 1699 Iowa St., Dubuque, Iowa. Gaylor and Barker will cover the topic of Today’s Challenges in defending the separation of church and state. The annual event is free and open to the public. No RSVP is necessary.

FFRF Co-President Dan Barker will be speaking at NaNoCon, an annual convention for the non-religious, at the Lodge at Montgomery Bell, located at 100 Hotel Avenue, Burns, TN, 37029. NaNoCon is a gathering for happy heathens living in the Bible Belt area and is a weekend-long event, hosting various secular speakers over the span of 3 days. NaNoCan has been dubbed the “Nones” Convention of the greater Nashville area and has been hosted annually since 2016. Barker will be joined by a variety of other guests, such as Candace Gorham, President of the American Humanist Association, April Ajoy, author of ‘Star Spangled Jesus’ and Seth Andrews, host of ‘The Thinking Atheist Podcast.’ The event is open to the public, and registration is required. For more information and to register, click here.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, The Thomas Paine Memorial Association (TPMA), Center for Inquiry/Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science (CFI/RDFR&S), Black Nonbelievers (BN), American Humanist Association (AHA), the Freethought Society (FS), and the Secular Coalition for America (SCA) are sponsoring a Zoom webinar celebration of the birth of Paine on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST. Pre-registration for this Zoom event is required. Register here. Congressman Jamie Raskin hopes to be the welcome speaker if his hectic Washington, D.C. schedule allows. Margaret Downey, president of TPMA, will also welcome everyone to the event and introduce the special guest speaker, artist Steve Simon. Simon will talk about Paine’s life and accomplishments while the artwork he created and dedicated to honoring the under-appreciated and oft-forgotten Founder is on display. The Simon portrait is actually the logo for this event and is pictured above. Following the Simon presentation, a video about the Thomas Paine Hotel, located in Paine’s birthplace (Thetford, England), will be shown. The director and owner of the hotel, Gez Chetal, will usher us through the hotel’s Paine-themed displays and educational exhibits. After the two presentations, audience members will be able to ask questions of the artist and Paine experts Gary Berton (president of the Thomas Paine National Historical Association) and Frances Chiu (professor, TPMA board member, and author of The Routledge Guidebook on Paine’s Rights of Man). SCA’s communications manager, Nnenna Onwukwe, will host the Q and A portion of this event. Representatives of the cosponsoring organizations will deliver closing messages. They are Robyn Blumner (CFI/RDFR&S), Annie Laurie Gaylor (FFRF), Fish Stark (AHA), Steven Emmert (SCA), Mandisa Thomas (BN), and Downey (FS). Register now.

FFRF co-president Dan Barker will be speaking at the Third Latin American Freethought Encounter in Mexico City, November 13–14, 2024. The conference, co-sponsored by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and many other groups in Central and South America, will take place at the National School of Anthropology and History. See details at piensalibre.lat. Ask for more information at [email protected]

FFRF is co-Sponsoring the 2024 International Secular Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos free online event on Friday, November 1, 2024, at 4:00 PM PDT / 7:00 PM EDT. This event is a celebration of life -- nontheist Hispanics view this day as a perfect way to remember the legacies of dead loved ones in a way that does not require prayer, church, or religious dogma. To nontheists, our legacies are our afterlife. More and more people are abandoning their religious upbringing but still want to celebrate the beauty of their culture. This is why a Secular Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos Secular event was created. Special guests include actor Jon Huertas; professor and political activist Grisch Raether; film and digital animator Yoa Martínez; neuroscientist and biomolecular engineer Sergio Labra; professional illustrator and artist Marco Lorenzana; and professor of theater Enrique Castillo. Register here.

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.

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].

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.