By BJC Associate General Counsel Jennifer Hawks Too often, the ring of religious freedom has sounded hollow to our Indigenous neighbors. For centuries, their religious freedom has been ignored or denied. It’s time we stand for the religious freedom of our Indigenous neighbors and help them protect their sacred land…

By Rev. Jennifer Hawks, BJC Associate General Counsel Early in my public school education, I learned there were three branches of government, but it was my U.S. government teacher, Mrs. Ruth Dunning, who made sure I understood how government works. She properly sensed that the class full of honors students…

By Dr. Sabrina Dent As the parent of an African American school-aged child and a religious freedom advocate, I celebrate how far America’s public education system has come since Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954). The landmark U.S. Supreme Court case determined that racial segregation in…

By Dr. Stephen Breck Reid “I believe… And that there’s a place in heaven for those who teach in public school.” The singer songwriter Carrie Newcomer and Ayaan Ali Khan affirm the vocation of public school teacher in the poem/song “I believe.” But why should regular people care about public…

By Rev. Robin Anderson Dedicated educators are the backbone of a solid public school system. I see it as a parent with three children in public schools, but I also witness it in my church. When I was pregnant with twins, a dear friend, who happens to be a public…

By Amanda Tyler A year after the horrific and deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol building and American democracy itself, our nation is taking stock. Congress and law enforcement continue their investigations. Those responsible for the attack have only begun to be identified and held accountable. We as a country…

By BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler This Saturday, we will mark the 20th anniversary of a defining day for modern Americans: Every one of us old enough to remember Tuesday, September 11, 2001 has the details of it seared on our memories. I had just started law school at the…

By Kristan Pitts “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” -Audre Lorde “It is our duty to fight for our freedom.” ― Assata Shakur, Assata: An Autobiography “It is in collectivities that we find reservoirs of hope and optimism.” ― Angela Y. …

By Bryan Kelley Denver, Colorado — I really enjoyed my time as a BJC Fellow — unexpectedly, this one-year program ended up becoming a two-year program thanks to changes and delays tied to the COVID-19 pandemic (and I continue to be thankful BJC was very reasonable and proactive in adjusting plans in light of COVID!). I’ve…