In June, a number of AU staff living in or near the District of Columbia participated in area Pride Month celebrations.
The Greater Houston chapter of AU, Faith Commons and Texas Impact together presented two Texas screenings of “Under G-d,” a 22-minute documentary short film earlier featured at the 2023 Sundance film festival. “Under G-d” highlights efforts to challenge state abortion bans on the grounds of religious freedom to protect women — and democracy — by preserving the constitutionally enshrined separation of church and state. Americans United President and CEO Rachel Laser headlined the discussion at both the Dallas screening and the Houston screening. Rev. Erika Ferguson, CEO Envision Justice, The Tubman Travel Project, was also a panelist at the Dallas event; Rev. Dr. George Mason, President of Faith Commons, moderated. Rabbi Joshua Fixler of Congregation Emanu El was co-panelist with Laser at the Houston screening.
On June 9 a “We Dissent Podcast” episode featured three secular women, including AU VP and Legal Director Rebecca Markert. The podcast was sponsored by Americans United, American Atheists, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
AU Orange County (Calif.) Chapter volunteers hosted an event focusing on recent Supreme Court cases involving church-state separation issues. Titled “The Supreme Court: Saving the Separation of Church & State,” the in-person and Zoom event was led by Eddie Tabash, a long-serving member of AU’s Board of Trustees. Tabash discussed recent court cases that have gravely damaged the First Amendment’s religious freedom clauses.