Project 2025: Navigating Religious Freedom and Humanist Values in a Shifting Legal Landscape

This presentation will explore the implications of Project 2025 on religious freedom and Humanist values, examining how proposed policies could reshape the intersection of faith, law, and secular life. We will delve into the initiative’s impact on issues such as reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ protections, and the separation of church and state, considering what these changes mean for Humanists and advocates of religious freedom. By understanding these potential shifts, we can better prepare to defend the rights and values that are fundamental to a pluralistic society.

Our speaker, Sam McGuire, has a varied background in counseling, education, event planning, and volunteer management. As American Atheists’ National Field Director, she works with local grassroots activists, volunteers, and affiliates to help them engage on emerging local civil rights issues, advocate for state-level legislation, and build thriving communities.

Sam became involved in secular organizing and activism following the 2012 Reason Rally, first becoming a founding member of the Southern Maryland Chapter of the Washington Area Secular Humanists (WASH) and later President of the regional organization. Sam has volunteered for the American Humanist Association, Camp Quest, and the Secular Coalition for America. In 2016, she was the volunteer coordinator for over 200 volunteers for Reason Rally and helped coordinate on-site logistics. She was elected to the Board of Directors and as President of the Reason Rally Coalition.

Sam previously served as a volunteer regional director for American Atheists overseeing local activism in the Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland area, earning her the Atheist Activist of the Year award in 2019.

The event is free and open to the public.