All program events take place in the Palisades Ballroom, unless otherwise noted.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16
4 – 6:00 PM Welcome Reception & Early Registration
Hilton Myrtle Beach, West Lawn (Hilton Ballroom if it rains)
Light hors d’oeuvres, cash bar
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17
8 AM Registration, ballroom and sales tables open
Complimentary continental breakfast, coffee & tea
Palisades Ballroom Foyer
8:55 Program opens
“Die Gedanken Sind Frei,” Dan Barker
Welcome, Roll Call of States
Sadie Pattinson, Events & Outreach Manager
“Being an Atheist in South Carolina”
Herb Silverman, President Emeritus
Secular Coalition for America
FFRF Highlights of Year
Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Co-Presidents
Chapter Spotlight
Matthew Krevat, President, Triangle Chapter of FFRF
“It’s Only Natural”
Godless Gospel Singers: Candace Gorham, Cynthia McDonald, Mandisa Thomas with Dan Barker
10:00 Henry Zumach Freedom From Fundamentalist Religion Award: “Defending Today. Building for Tomorrow”
Nancy Northup, CEO, Center for Reproductive Rights
10:30 Break
10:50 To be announced
Break
12:00 PM. Buffet Lunch (ticketed)
Hilton Ballroom (2nd floor)
1:30 Ballroom, sales tables re-open
2:00 FFRF Legal Highlights
FFRF Legal Director Patrick Elliott, Deputy Legal Director Liz Cavell, Senior Litigation Counsel Sam Grover, Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence
3:00 FFRF Legislative Highlights
State Policy Manager Ryan Dudley, FFRF Governmental Affairs Director Mark Dann
3:30 Break
4:00 F.O.R.W.A.R.D.: The Citizen’s Guide to Political Change
FFRF Regional Governmental Affairs Manager Mickey Dollens
4:30 Forward Award
Dr. Maggie Carpenter
5:00 Book signing for Okla. State Rep. Mickey Dollens
Break
6:00 Cash bar opens
Hilton Ballroom (2nd floor)
6:30 Plated dinner (ticketed)
Hilton Ballroom (2nd Floor)
8:00 Roy Zimmerman in Concert
8:30 Emperor Has No Clothes Award
Mary L Trump
9:15 Book signing for Mary L. Trump
Dessert & hot beverages reception
Palisades Ballroom Foyer
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18
8 AM Non-Prayer Breakfast (ticketed)
Hilton Ballroom (2nd Floor)
Moment of Bedlam, Dan Barker
“Let’s All Give Thanks”
Godless Gospel Singers: Candace Gorham, Cynthia McDonald, Mandisa Thomas with Dan Barker
9:00 Ballroom, tables reopen
9:25 “Nothing Fails Like Prayer”
Dan Barker
9:30 Out of God’s Closet Diane & Stephen Uhl Memorial Student Activist Award
“A Nightmare on Creationist Street”
Bailey Harris
Beverly and Richard Hermsen Award
“Advocating For Change In Chaska, Minnesota”
Eli Frost
10:00 Student Scholarship Essay Winners
Jaianah Hightower, 5th-place, Gabrielle Williams, 3rd place, Mekah’E La Clair, first-place William Schulz BIPOC Student Essay Contest winners
10:30 Avijit Roy Courage Award
Introduced by Rafida Bonya Ahmed
“The Right to Freethought and Criticizing Ideas”
Mubarak Bala, President of Humanists of Nigeria
11:00 Freethought Heroine Award
“Emptying Pews, Evangelicals, and the Fight for American Democracy”
Chrissy Stroop
11:30 Book signings for Bailey Harris, Chrissy Stroop
Break
12:00 PM Buffet Lunch (ticketed)
Hilton Ballroom (2nd floor)
1:30 Ballroom, sales tables re-opens
1:55 “Godless Gospel” Singers
Third Annual Secular Legislative Panel
Kansas state Rep. Heather Meyer, Minn. state Rep. Andy Smith,Vermont state Rep. Monique Priestley
3:00 Clarence Darrow Award
New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie
3:45 Break
4:00 “The Great Abdication: America”s Descent into Authoritarianism”
Harvard Professor Steven Levitsky
5:00 Book signing for Steven Levitsky
Break
6:00 Cash bar opens
Hilton Ballroom (2nd floor)
6:30 Plated dinner (ticketed)
Hilton Ballroom (Second Floor)
8:00 Drawing for “Clean Money”
8:30 “Separation of Church and Hate”
Actor, comedian & Broadcaster John Fugelsang
Book signing for John Fugelsang
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19
8:00 Complimentary coffee, tea, pastries for those attending business meetings
9:00 Business (Membership) Annual Meeting
11ish State Representatives Annual Meeting
Adjourn by noon
