Friend:

"It is thrilling to be in such an intentionally diverse crowd all fighting for the rights and protection of every single one of us.” It’s thrilling and also emotional not just to know but to feel how we are the majority, uniting Americans across so many differences. That’s just a snippet of what I said about the energy and empowerment I experienced at AU’s inaugural Summit for Religious Freedom (SRF) in a podcast interview that was released this week – one of several podcasts to feature AU and SRF. Something like 125 million Americans listen to podcasts on a monthly basis, so it’s a big deal that we tapped into that coverage.  

The diversity of our movement, the commitment people have toward the separation of church and state as the shield that protects so many other rights and freedoms they care about, and the launch of our new “One Nation, All Beliefs” pledge were the themes of my interview with Bradley Onishi, host of the “Straight White American Jesus” podcast and one of SRF’s keynote speakers. Onishi said he felt it, too: “I just feel like everyone is here. The dynamism that creates is hard to put into words.”

Onishi’s podcast has begun releasing a series of interviews he recorded at SRF with several of AU’s Youth Organizing Fellows and diverse faith leaders who attended. In addition to our chat, he also has released the episode with the Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, a queer, Black clergywoman who is an adjunct faculty at Villanova University and a member of AU’s Faith Advisory Council. Bradley will be releasing additional episodes in the coming weeks – you can listen to them here.

“Straight White American Jesus” isn’t the only podcast covering SRF. The hosts of “Unreasonable,” a new podcast dedicated to church-state separation, also attended and interviewed AU’s Rob Boston about the event and AU’s work – you can listen to that here. And Rewire News’ popular “Boom! Lawyered” podcast recorded a live episode at SRF about the Supreme Court’s latest abortion ban decision; that episode is available here. 

Podcasts aren’t your thing? Check out this write-up on SRF from the Rev. Brian Kaylor, a member of AU’s Board of Trustees and editor of the Baptist news site “Word&Way.” And you can read my latest Church & State column about my experience at SRF’s Lobby Day with actors Bradley Whitford and Amy Landecker and several of our supporters.

If you missed out on the inaugural Summit for Religious Freedom, get a taste of the SRF energy and expertise at our next virtual SRF365 event. We’ll be hosting the webinar “What's at Stake for Our Issues at the Supreme Court” with experts from AU’s legal team and some of our partner organizations on Wednesday, May 24, at 7:30 p.m. ET. I hope you’ll join us!

With hope and determination,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO