News From The Week Of September 14 – September 17, 2020

Friend,

This was certainly a week to remember – for me, for all of AU’s staff, and hopefully for everyone who joined us at our first-ever (virtual) National Advocacy Summit!

The Summit was an incredible success: We had over 800 attendees tune in live; we had representation from at least 39 states plus D.C.; we visited (virtually) 104 Congressional offices to lobby for the Do No Harm Act (DNHA); we now have commitments from 210 members of the House out of the 218 votes we need to pass the DNHA in the House; and we have built tremendous momentum around the bill – our priority legislation – which will protect religious freedom for all.

If you didn’t get the chance to advocate for the Do No Harm Act with your members of Congress during our National Day of Action, it’s not too late! Click here to message them now: [link removed]

Over a dozen partner organizations joined us for panels and workshops on everything from the current makeup of our courts, to the intersection of race and religious freedom, to how we can protect religious freedom in our schools. The livestream of these workshops has racked up nearly 5,000 views on Facebook already. You can watch the full stream on Facebook by clicking here: [link removed]

And on top of it all, we also successfully launched our first-ever Youth Organizing Fellowship last Friday. We were thrilled to have all 10 fellows of our inaugural class participate in the Summit, and I look forward to working with them to build a pipeline of church-state separation champions to safeguard religious freedom into the future.

Finally, on this Jewish New Year’s holiday I’m wishing all who celebrate a sweet and happy year. L’shanah Tovah!

With hope and gratitude,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO

On Constitution Day, Let’s Celebrate Secular Government – And Vow To Defend It:
The new American government saw no need to include appeals to the divine its foundational charter, a powerful signal that when it came to religion, this nation wouldn’t presume to tell people what to believe or not to believe.
READ MORE » [link removed]

Americans United’s National Advocacy Summit Is Over – But Your Activism Must Continue:
Whether you attended the National Advocacy Summit or not, we urge you to get active to defend the separation of religion and government – the only principle that can protect the right to worship or not as you see fit as long as you don’t harm others.
READ MORE » [link removed]

On This Day Of Action, Help Americans United Pass The Do No Harm Act:
The Do No Harm Act will protect the rights of women, LGBTQ people, religious minorities and others from discrimination in health care, employment and access to government-funded services. More than 200 members of the House of Representatives and 30 in the Senate are co-sponsoring the bill.
READ MORE » [link removed]

AU’s National Advocacy Summit Will Carry Forth The Real Spirit Of Religious Freedom:
President John F. Kennedy understood that religious freedom was meant to be a shield to protect your beliefs, not a sword to lash out at others; he made that case powerfully 60 years ago.
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Americans United for Separation of Church and State
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