July 2019 Newsletter

July 2019 Newsletter

Dear FAV Advocates,

Let’s hear from a veteran who sheds his military uniform and looks for ways to keep serving in his community in Georgia.

Hello Everyone,

I just recently joined the First Amendment Voice (FAV) team as the South Eastern Region Delegate. It is with great excitement that I finally get to introduce myself to a great network of colleagues and fellow civil servants. Currently, I’m a Junior Sociology student at Columbus State University. I’m also a husband and father of two children living in the great State of Georgia. Before starting my post-secondary education, I was enlisted in the Army for 8 years and served three combat tours as an Infantryman.

While transitioning from the military, I was in search of a new mission that would also embody some of the important values that I wholeheartedly supported and fought for while enlisted. Most important of those were duty and selfless service. When I came across First Amendment Voice in its earlier stage with Executive Director Steve Miska, it was during the 2016 election. It was around this time, I resolved to bring unity to my community and to dedicate my life towards a greater good.

During this time, I developed a plan through prayer, to continue my duty and selfless service by seeking out local, state, and federal civil service opportunities while continuing my education.  I completed a fellowship with The Mission Continues nonprofit organization, and this last spring, I completed an internship with the Georgia General Assembly.   As I was building networks and growing my experience, I was also preparing myself for federal level service. As an advocate for FAV, it was easy for me to begin serving as a delegate.

I look forward to growing the organization and partnerships.  First up: get an on-campus club started early fall. FAV is on the agenda, and I have the support of multiple faculty members to include the Sociology Department Chair. I have also been approved to start on-campus engagements and look forward to creating a campus kit that can further help future colleges across the country as our organization grows in membership and support.

Again, it is with great excitement that I get to be a part of FAV, and that I have the honor to work surrounded by so many like-minded and passion driven people. I look forward to meeting all at the FAV National Symposium in the Fall!

Sincerely,

Dylan S. Fessler

Delegate FAV

Citizenship is not a spectator sport! If you like our newsletter, please share with a friend!

Steve

Podcast

We are very excited to bring the #FindYourVoice podcast to our audience. If you don’t have time to read the email or prefer to learn more during your morning commute, download our podcast. We take the inspirational stories from the monthly newsletter and provide more context.

In the News

Quiz: Can You Answer the Hardest Citizenship Test Questions? – The New York Times

Written by a Republican strategist, Claire Hardwick. This is a nice story about the importance of talking to others with differing opinions. 

Democrats and Republicans are very bad at guessing each other’s beliefs – The Washington Post

Upcoming Events

Delegate Coffee Talk, August 7th, 8 pm EST, videoconference (delegates & paid members only)

Symposium 2019, September 20-21st, Washington, D.C.

Symposium 2020, September 18-19th, Philadelphia

June 2019 Newsletter

June 2019 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Many of you may have noticed we kicked off a membership drive last week. Please consider becoming a paid member to help us bring FAV programming to those who lack the resources or access. We are grateful to a generous donor who provided matching donations to help incentivize our campaign. Double your impact now due to the matching donations. More details below. Paid membership comes with exclusive benefits and the knowledge you are helping FAV reach those who may not feel they have a voice in their communities.

This month’s good news story features a community partner, the i5 Freedom Network. The Executive Director, Brenda Wells, started the organization to make an impact against human trafficking. She is currently collaborating with FAV to hold a community forum in San Clemente to raise awareness about illicit massage parlors and to pass a city ordinance to make it more difficult for those establishments to open up. Culling best practices from other nearby cities, Brenda proposed measures that would significantly strengthen the current ordinance. By reviewing websites that feature illicit establishments in town, Brenda assessed that almost one dozen illegitimate establishments operate in San Clemente. These are usually run by organized crime. Most people are unaware of this going on. The i5/FAV public forum will feature speakers to educate the public, including from law enforcement, legitimate massage establishments, city officials, and a survivor of massage parlor trafficking.

The goals of the public panel discussion are twofold: 1) gain momentum to pass a significantly strengthened massage parlor ordinance and 2) raise public awareness on the importance of individuals lending their voice to important community conversations. Brenda is a heroine in the local community, but more importantly, will inspire average citizens to get involved in making their city safer and preventing trafficking from occurring in San Clemente. First Amendment Voice is proud to partner with Brenda and the i5 Freedom Network.

Citizenship is not a spectator sport! If you like our newsletter, please share with a friend!

Steve

 

June Membership Drive

Please consider supporting FAV efforts to push back against fear and apathy and inspire people to #FindTheirVoice and contribute to public discourse. Remember Gary’s story from the April newsletter? If you didn’t get a chance to read it, click the link. Story’s like Gary starting an Instagram contest to promote understanding about Unity and Division in our communities are why FAV exists. Basic membership costs just $25/ year and offers an automatic $25 discount on Symposium registration, in addition to exclusive benefits like our national coffee talk live videoconferences.

Would you like to help others #FindTheirVoice as well as enjoy the benefits of unique FAV programming? Consider becoming a Sustaining member at either the $1,000 or $500 level. Sustaining members get an invitation to our VIP tour of the Capitol Building the evening before the National Symposium in Washington, D.C.

DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT 

Thanks to the generosity of a FAV donor, we have two $5,000 matching grants. One to help stimulate the membership drive and the other to challenge $1,000 donors to step up and support FAV efforts to extend our programming to those who might not have the resources to attend without assistance. FAV routinely convenes very diverse audiences who get the opportunity to interact with each other in enriching environments. Please help us achieve our goal. Any level of contribution helps us reach the $5,000 mark. Give here 

In The News

A report from the Hudson Institute has interesting statistics on the state of anti-Semitism in the U.S. More details here.

This is a fascinating piece about young people who watched YouTube content, both far right and left, and how it can sway beliefs. It’s a fascinating look at one young man’s journey. Read more.

Save the Date

4th Annual National Symposium September 20-21 – the theme is “Polarization.” Paid members get an invitation to an exclusive VIP tour of the Capitol Building after hours. Spaces are limited, so register soon. Sustaining level donors at the $1,000 level get two tickets to the VIP tour while $500 level donors get one ticket. Guarantee that you get the experience to explore polarization in our society.

April 2019 Newsletter

April 2019 Newsletter

Back in September at the 3rd Annual First Amendment Voice National Symposium in Philadelphia, I met Gary Ell. Gary got inspired during our programming and wanted to get involved. He wasn’t sure how, but after some thought, he had an idea. Here is the story in his own words:

The world has become vehemently divided. Nearly every segment of society has been afflicted through division. We are divided by culture, gender, education, race, religion and political polarization that hinders governance. The 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections created a funnel that has encapsulated the USA and left me feeling divided, exhausted and fearful. As a Professional Photojournalist “sometimes” covering politics, my social media accounts were targeted and trolled. I shared an image on Facebook of my 10 y/o daughter holding a Hillary sign during the 2016 Democratic National Convention. She was so excited to attend the event and show her support of “Girl Power” as many young girls did. I taught my daughter that she can dream big and achieve great things. She believed in this candidate. The trolls did not! She was lambasted for holding that sign and believing in this female candidate. I was deeply disturbed and disgusted. This was my first-hand account of where society was spiraling.

A fire was ignited when I attended the First Amendment Voice Symposium in Philadelphia, P.A. in September 2018. FAV is a non-profit that serves to invigorate citizens to understand and exercise first amendment rights through a collaborative campaign of education and advocacy. I left the symposium feeling a need to “help” society. As a Photographer and Curator for a popular photography hub on Instagram, I had a voice and a platform. By unifying with six other popular photo hubs, we had a combined following of several million followers. We all were in agreement that we have a responsibility as Artists to address the important issues that are dividing the world and solve them visually. We felt that the theme of Unity/Division could help heal a deeply divided society, so we launched the challenge in January 2019.

What did we learn?
The submissions addressed the divisions more than the unity and that was ok. The challenge was like the current pulse of humanity and we don’t necessarily have the answers. It’s like what people feel right now; divided, alone and afraid. We tapped into something, a need that people feel they have to express. That’s what the challenge was about – Encouraging people to conquer the fear of expression or the feeling that their voice doesn’t matter.

Gary exemplifies the effect we try to have with FAV programming. We seek speakers and community leaders who inspire us all to #FindOurVoice and contribute to the public conversation, whether through art, like Gary, or by the multitude of other ways to contribute – the school board, PTA, university, church, synagogue, mosque, city council meeting, and other community organizations. We each have individual talents and a unique “voice.” Our form of government requires citizen participation. If you would like to learn more and feel inspired by Gary’s effort, join FAV in Washington, D.C. this September. Our 4th Annual National Symposium will feature the five winning submissions from Gary’s Instagram contest. Gary will provide an overview of the contest and some of the photographers will attend in person.

Citizenship is not a spectator sport! If you like our newsletter, please share with a friend!

Steve

Coffee Talk Shout-out

Thank you to everyone from Coronado and San Clemente Coffee Talks who recently signed up for our newsletter. We plan to continue to provide relevant programming that interests community members. We will offer national-level videoconference Coffee Talks in the future to paid members and delegates who would like to learn how to start a coffee talk program in their communities.

In The News

Arthur Brooks, President of the American Enterprise Institute, wrote the following op-ed in the New York Times. Recent coffee talk attendees have enjoyed discussion of the ideas he presents. Enjoy! READ NOW

Mark Your Calendars

May 10th — Global LA Summit w/ Pacific Council on International Policy

May 11th — Difficult Conversations workshop w/ Kern Beare, LA

September 13-14th — the 4th Annual FAV National Symposium, Washington, D.C.

March 2019 Newsletter

March 2019 Newsletter

Reflections on our first amendment freedoms in a foreign country

As I prepare to leave Amman, following a fruitful visit writing some final thoughts in a forthcoming book, visiting a friend, and seeing nonprofit field operations in action, I paused to reflect on the current state of discourse in our country. We live in a partisan environment where identity politics overrules civility to our fellow human being, where students have begun to mobilize against what they deem as older generational failure to address existential threats (climate change, student debt, post-college employment, the national debt, racism, gun violence and more), where more people have begun tuning out network news (on the right and left), where fear and apathy push voices out of the public square, but where many civic organizations and leaders encourage people to constructively contribute to important conversations in their communities.

Jordan has many more refugees and challenges of immigration than the United States. The vast majority of people inside its borders do not have equal rights. Few believe they can express their fears and be heard. Jordanians blame Iraqis for having spiked rents, and other prices more generally, during the waves of displacement that occurred during the conflict in Iraq. Palestinians feel they will never hold the same job prospects as their Jordanian countrymen, even though many have been here for fifty years. The freedom to assemble and petition the government for grievance pales next to the vibrancy in the United States, yet you would never know comparing the atmosphere here.

Jordan is a model of stability for the region. Jordanians go about their everyday lives. Many have significant grievances. I spent time interacting with nonprofits dealing in the refugee space, learning about the extreme biases and challenges that refugees face. They are not allowed to work. Many can’t afford to put their children through school. They spend their time agonizing over basic necessities, Maslow’s hygiene needs at the lowest level of the hierarchy.

Contrast the relative calm in Jordan to the tumultuous climate in the United States, and I believe it comes from a vibrant citizenry, not only aware of its rights but freely exercising them. A substantial portion of the population has awakened to the threat of losing their rights, whether freely practicing their religion, stating their beliefs, or other means of expression. The very tenor and clamor of expression in the U.S. leads me to assess that citizens and institutions are pushing back against perceived threats. It may be messy. It may sound noisy and shrill, but it may just exhibit the traits of those fundamental rights, granted by a Creator, freely expressed by individuals against perceived state infringements or ineptitude.

So, as much as I am an introvert by nature and need quiet and solitude to recharge my batteries, I take heart from the noise. I see leaders stepping up to start blog conversations, leading coffee talk discussion groups, and engaging their civic institutions to ensure their voices are heard. I may continue to seek my news from late night comedy or podcasts, but I’ll laugh at the comedy while reveling in the idea that democracy lives in the United States, practiced by its people and institutions on a daily basis. That’s a nice thought to come home to, in addition to rejoining my family after some time apart.

Citizenship is not a spectator sport! If you like our newsletter, please share with a friend!

Steve

VOTE now in the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest

Do you want to help students attend the next National Symposium in September? Please vote to help FAV sponsor students this year. SLC supports student involvement in citizenship and professional research opportunities. Be a part of helping young men and women learn more about their country and be involved in meaningful engagement in their communities.

Mark Your Calendars

April 6th – Coffee Talk, Coronado, CA SIGN UP HERE

May 10th – Global LA Summit w/ Pacific Council on International Policy

May 11th – Difficult Conversations workshop w/ Kern Beare, LA

January 2019 Newsletter

January 2019 Newsletter

Citizens & Delegates,

The coming year brings great promise for First Amendment Voice. FAV has applied for 501c3 status, beginning the transition from being a project to becoming a separate organization. We look forward to bringing our Philadelphia programming from the National Symposium to Los Angeles this spring, in addition to having community engagements in Atlanta, Columbus, Georgia, Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, and other locations. We hosted a coffee talk last week in San Clemente, California, along with the San Clemente Times to promote press literacy and support local media.

2019 promises to bring more awareness to important first amendment freedoms like practicing religion, self-expression, peaceful assembly to petition the government for grievance, and much more. We hope that if you haven’t made a new year’s resolution that you consider supporting FAV efforts by engaging in your community, supporting FAV programs through volunteering or contributing online or in person, or the many other ways you can make a difference in civic awareness and engagement. We specifically are seeking delegates to represent their states at the annual symposium in September. If you would like to be considered, please reach out today.

We have new advisors joining the movement this year and will make separate announcements in the coming weeks. If you know of anyone who has the expertise to contribute to growing the FAV movement, please reach out and let us know. We also appreciate the active engagement of some blog readers, twitter and Facebook followers, and others who provide constructive feedback and input to civic dialogue. We would like to specifically highlight BottomlessCoffee007 on our blog and twitter feed. If you haven’t seen the comments, you can find them here. Active participation in civic dialogue helps contribute to a robust, vibrant community. If you haven’t contributed yet, we hope you consider it this year. Please comment on our blogs, like/retweet or comment on twitter, like or share on Facebook, and like/comment on LinkedIn. We welcome and benefit from your input. With gratitude for the past three years and a promising future.

#FindYourVoice

The FAV Team

 

In the Media

Outrage Nation: Can America overcome its addiction to anger? Read more

Mark Your Calendars

January 12th in Coronado, CA Kern Beare leads a Difficult Conversations workshop. Click here for more details.

February 5th in Atlanta, GA Dr. Paul Murray and Steve Miska lead FAV Clergy Training on religious freedom

February 7-9 in Columbus, GA Steve Miska leads FAV coffee talks at various organizations

March TBD in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX Steve Miska leads FAV coffee talks at various organizations

April TBD in Los Angeles, CA the Pacific Council on International Policy hosts their annual Global LA Summit featuring FAV National Symposium programming

September TBD in Philadelphia FAV hosts the 4th Annual National Symposium

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Citizens & Delegates,

The coming year brings great promise for First Amendment Voice. FAV has applied for 501c3 status, beginning the transition from being a project to becoming a separate organization. We look forward to bringing our Philadelphia programming from the National Symposium to Los Angeles this spring, in addition to having community engagements in Atlanta, Columbus, Georgia, Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, and other locations. We hosted a coffee talk last week in San Clemente, California, along with the San Clemente Times to promote press literacy and support local media.

2019 promises to bring more awareness to important first amendment freedoms like practicing religion, self-expression, peaceful assembly to petition the government for grievance, and much more. We hope that if you haven’t made a new year’s resolution that you consider supporting FAV efforts by engaging in your community, supporting FAV programs through volunteering or contributing online or in person, or the many other ways you can make a difference in civic awareness and engagement. We specifically are seeking delegates to represent their states at the annual symposium in September. If you would like to be considered, please reach out today.

We have new advisors joining the movement this year and will make separate announcements in the coming weeks. If you know of anyone who has the expertise to contribute to growing the FAV movement, please reach out and let us know. We also appreciate the active engagement of some blog readers, twitter and Facebook followers, and others who provide constructive feedback and input to civic dialogue. We would like to specifically highlight BottomlessCoffee007 on our blog and twitter feed. If you haven’t seen the comments, you can find them here. Active participation in civic dialogue helps contribute to a robust, vibrant community. If you haven’t contributed yet, we hope you consider it this year. Please comment on our blogs, like/retweet or comment on twitter, like or share on Facebook, and like/comment on LinkedIn. We welcome and benefit from your input. With gratitude for the past three years and a promising future.

#FindYourVoice

The FAV Team

 

In the Media

Outrage Nation: Can America overcome its addiction to anger? Read more

Mark Your Calendars

January 12th in Coronado, CA Kern Beare leads a Difficult Conversations workshop. Click here for more details.

February 5th in Atlanta, GA Dr. Paul Murray and Steve Miska lead FAV Clergy Training on religious freedom

February 7-9 in Columbus, GA Steve Miska leads FAV coffee talks at various organizations

March TBD in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX Steve Miska leads FAV coffee talks at various organizations

April TBD in Los Angeles, CA the Pacific Council on International Policy hosts their annual Global LA Summit featuring FAV National Symposium programming

September TBD in Philadelphia FAV hosts the 4th Annual National Symposium

December 2018 Newsletter

December 2018 Newsletter

FAV Friends,

I wanted to share a theme, more of a feeling, that many of you probably experienced over the Thanksgiving holiday. That feeling was one of gratitude. I felt grateful for the opportunity to not only spend a wonderful dinner with family, but also to share a hiking and camping adventure with my son on Catalina Island. Given that Rob is now a working guy, Thanksgiving weekend was one of the few times during the year when he had four days off. Since the weather would also probably cooperate with us, we decided to hike the Trans Catalina Trail. Catalina Island lies 45 miles off the coast of Los Angeles.

Early Thanksgiving morning, Rob and I boarded a ferry bound for Avalon, the main town on the island. While that day would be arduous, we persevered through ten miles of mountainous terrain to make it to Blackjack campsite just before sunset. No leg of the remainder of the hike would challenge us like that. Gratefully, we feasted on a BBQ dinner and fell asleep early as a little rain drifted in. During the next three days, we enjoyed incredible sunsets, starlit nighttime skies, and raw nature. Wild bison surprised us, one of us walked into a cactus and needed some patching up, and shared hardship bonded us. While we both missed church that Sunday, we enjoyed a spiritual experience in nature that helped us reflect on the past year and dream about the next.

First Amendment Voice is looking forward to 2019 with gratitude, hoping that we can continue creating inclusive conversations that allows citizens to come together to bridge divides in our country. We hope you continue engaging with us as we educate and advocate for free expression, being able to freely practice our religions, press freedom, and the rights to assemble and petition government for change. We are thankful for your active participation in our Republic and hope you will help us inspire others to engage in the public square.

With appreciation for your support & interest,

Steve Miska and the FAV team


In the Media

Here is an interesting podcast exploring urban legends or other societal misperceptions – Perception Gaps by the Christian Science Monitor

On the value of our Constitution: This is an inspiring piece, published posthumously, from the late Charles Krauthammer about the rare reverence American citizens have for the Constitution. Enjoy.


UPCOMING EVENTS

Spring 2019 – FAV participation in the Global LA Summit sponsored by the Pacific Council on International Policy