7th Annual DFW Summit on Religious Freedom & Human Dignity
“Finding Common Ground”
Tuesday October 15, 2024 from 2:00 to 8:30 pm
Register Now!
Summit Objectives
- Bring together a wide range of religious, community and thought leaders in collaborative support of action oriented religious freedom initiatives in North Texas,
- Facilitate cordial and supportive real-time, interfaith conversations,
- Explore and understand the implications of current legal cases,
- Discuss and understand the impact of religious freedom on DFW business and the economy,
- Develop institutional and individual action plans to support religious freedom in DFW
Logistics
- Date: Tuesday October 15, 2024
- Time: 2:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Venue: Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
- Parking available nearby (across the street)
- DART Station within 500 feet
- Registration is FREE: includes parking and light dinner (with dietary options)
- CLE Qualified
Summary Agenda
1:00 Registration and packet pickup
2:00 Welcome to Summit and opening session
Recent Texas Experiences and the Rising Generation Speaks
- Don and Wanda Wesson. White Rock Chapel, challenges of an historic Black church in Addison
- Salman Bhojani. Representative (District 92) in the Texas legislature on recent Texas legislation
- Representatives of the World Affairs Council “20 under 20”
3:00 Recent Wins and Challenges for Freedom and Dignity (CLE)
- Moderator: Keisha Russell, attorney and author
- Jeff Mateer, Chief Legal Officer, First Liberty Institute
- Hannah Smith, Associate Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, BYU Law School
- Sam Brownback, former Governor, Senator and Ambassador for International Religious Freedom
4:00 Emerging Professionals Speak about Finding Common Ground in Religious Freedom and Human Dignity
- Moderator: Brett Scharffs, Director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies
- Panelists: Students from the Law and Religion Clinic of The University of Texas at Austin School of Law
5:00 Defeating Antisemitism and Islamophobia
- Moderator: Bob Roberts, Pastor of Northwood Church; Multi-Faith Neighbors Network
- Panel: TBA
6:00 Hors D’ouevres served
6:30 Evening Program
Part 1: How Black Churches Fuel Human Dignity and Religious Freedom
- Moderator: Bob Ray Sanders, KERA, Ft. Worth Star Telegram
- Verna Melton. Founder of H.E.L.P. Foundation, Dallas Advocate
- Bishop Harold Edwards, Pastor, Church of the Living God
Part 2: Being Peacemakers while Advocating for Religious Freedom and Human Dignity
- Moderator: Steven Collis, Professor at The University of Texas at Austin School of Law, founder of the Law & Religion Clinic
- Shannon Minter, Legal Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights
- Almas Muscatwala, Chair of the Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation
- Sam Brownback, former Governor, Senator and Ambassador for International Religious Freedom