How to Get the Most Out of Your FAV Membership

by Kelly Kehoe | Jun 28, 2021 | Membership

There’s never been a better time to be a member of First Amendment Voice than now, as our organization continues to grow into a network of engaged, civic-minded members who are just as passionate for advocating for First Amendment freedoms as you are. We have an incredible line-up of exciting events planned for the near-future, as well as a range of research-packed, credible resources to help you escape the hyper-partisan rhetoric and misinformation swirling around in the public sphere both online and off. 

To get the most value out of your membership, here are some of the many benefits available to you as a member of First Amendment Voice:

Attend the National Symposium

Did you know that FAV members get exclusive discounts on admission to our National Symposium? Our annual event is held every September and features a variety of panels with industry leaders, civic advocates and legal experts in compelling discussions centered on unique aspects of the First Amendment. Our 2020 Symposium was successfully hosted in a virtual format and we anticipate our roster of thought-provoking panelists will continue to grow in the years to come as we expand our Symposium’s offerings. 

If you were unable to attend our 2020 Symposium, you can access recordings of panels on our YouTube page. Stay tuned for more information on our 2021 Symposium and be sure to get your member discount when you sign up!

Get Invited to Members-Only Events

In addition to our annual symposium, First Amendment Voice hosts regular events ranging from “digital detox” workshops (designed to help us mitigate the negative influences of technology in our lives) to coffee talks and “difficult conversations” workshops. Several events are available only to FAV members, so don’t miss out on these valuable opportunities to access the information and strategic guidance we all need to become better-informed, civically-engaged citizens in our communities. 

Access FAV-Exclusive Content

First Amendment Voice is well-known for our events, but that’s not all we offer. Our blog content features research-packed posts on timely topics from sources you can trust, and we also have exclusive white papers, special reports and one-page checklist-style guides to help keep you informed with actionable strategies for developing your own civic literacy and advocacy skills. 

Our most recent white paper – Pandemic of Polarization – offers an in-depth glimpse at the issue of increasingly partisan rhetoric and the role social media has played in these toxic discourses, in addition to proven communication strategies for overcoming interpersonal conflict in our own lives. We will be releasing another white paper in the near future, so keep an eye out for the member-exclusive link to it!

Network with Fellow Civic Advocates

First Amendment Voice, at its core, is about people. If it weren’t for We the People, our Constitution may not have included the vital freedoms outlined in the First Amendment, and we are committed to promoting constructive engagement between citizens in line with our nation’s constitutional ideals. 

Our networking opportunities are seemingly endless: you can join meaningful conversations with fellow members at FAV events, post comments to our blog posts, participate in small group workshops, volunteer with other civic-minded citizens, and so much more.

Be a Light in the Darkness: Why You Should Become a Member of First Amendment Voice

by Kelly Kehoe | Jun 14, 2021 | Membership

Take a moment to imagine a lighthouse. It’s perched on a seaside cliff, overlooking the dark, stormy seas below and weathering tremendous gusts of wind from all sides. Even amidst the most torrential storms, the lighthouse fulfills its core purpose by continuing to cast a bright glow into the distance, giving hope and direction to sailors navigating the turbulent seas on their own vessels. 

First Amendment Voice is just like that lighthouse. In 2020, we experienced some of the stormiest moments of our lives, including but not limited to the pandemic, protests, politics, natural disasters, and then some. Like the lighthouse, FAV remained steadfast through these storms by adapting to social distancing regulations with virtual programming alternatives, expanding our trove of valuable resources to reinvigorate civic advocacy efforts, and becoming a beacon of hope for citizens navigating waves of rocky discourses in their own lives. 

The seemingly relentless political polarization in the U.S. has only reinforced our mission to invigorate Americans to understand and exercise First Amendment rights through a collaborative campaign of awareness, education, advocacy, and facilitation.

If you’re not yet a member of First Amendment Voice, we need your help. Just as a lighthouse requires people and resources to fulfill its purpose, FAV needs people and resources to ensure we’re able to share our light with others who feel as though they’re drowning in the seas of destructive discourses all around us. Here are just a few of the many reasons why you should join FAV this year:

Access Exclusive Member Perks

FAV offers a tremendous variety of exciting events for the public throughout the year, and many of these events include members-only perks such as the VIP reception after our National Symposium panels in the fall, discounts or special access to FAV workshops, exclusive discussion opportunities, and so much more.

Get Research-Packed Advocacy Resources

Early in 2021, we released our first FAV-exclusive white paper entitled “Pandemic of Polarization: How America’s 2-Party System, Social Media and Our Brains Poisoned Civil Discourse (and What We Can Do About It).” In addition to producing new content with in-depth analyses and research from the most credible sources available, we also offer useful tools and handouts for members to help them become stronger civic advocates in their own communities. 

Our blog is free-of-access to members and non-members alike; with your membership, FAV may continue enhancing its efforts to share the most up-to-date, trustworthy and accurate information on issues relating to the First Amendment, political polarization trends, media bias, and civic advocacy both within the U.S. and abroad.

Receive a Free FAV T-Shirt

We currently have an exciting offer for members who sign up for recurring monthly donations of $10 or more: a free FAV t-shirt in your size! 
If you’re ready to escape the negativity and become a “light” of civil discourse in your own community, join FAV this year and experience all the benefits our rapidly-growing organization has to offer.