BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Florida Free Speech Forum - ECPv6.17.5//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Florida Free Speech Forum X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Florida Free Speech Forum REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:UTC BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:UTC DTSTART:20220101T000000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261012T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261012T130000 DTSTAMP:20261006T133552Z CREATED:20260923T160751Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261006T133552Z UID:996-1791804600-1791810000@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:The Empty Temple: Free Speech in the Twenty-First Century DESCRIPTION:October 12th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith Dr. Adam Lebovitz \nPlease register by 6 pm Monday\, October 5th\n \nFor our October luncheon\, Professor Lebovitz will examine the legal strategies on both the right and the left. “Free speech” has never enjoyed more robust legal protection\, thanks in part to the “absolutist” stance of the contemporary Supreme Court. Thus the prosecution of individuals or groups for harsh political speech\, a common feature of other Western democracies\, remains unthinkable in America. And yet both sides of the political spectrum have grown noticeably less tolerant of free speech\, particularly of extreme speech with which they disagree. Seeking ways to restrict such speech\, each side has discovered a series of loopholes that allow speech to be regulated without infringing any established First Amendment right. These strategies are often perfectly legal\, even as they erode the civic ideal of untrammeled argument and debate. This talk examines these legal strategies on both the right and the left\, and asks whether they threaten to hollow out the spirit of the First Amendment while leaving its letter intact. \nSPEAKER BIO\nAdam Lebovitz is a historian of constitutional ideas and an assistant professor at the University of Florida’s Hamilton School. He holds a PhD\, as well as a law degree\, from Harvard. His first book\, Republicanism in France after the Revolution\, was published in August in the series Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment. \nDETAILS\n\nMonday\, October 5th at 6 pm – Registration deadline\nMon\, Oct 12th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\nAdvance Registration Required\nDue to enhanced security in public schools\, The Florida Free Speech Forum now requires event attendees to register in advance. Proof of identity may also be required upon entry to the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School. In addition\, the number of attendees may be limited by the capacity of the venue. \n\nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/the-empty-temple-free-speech-in-the-twenty-first-century/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/FFSF-luncheon.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260914T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260914T130000 DTSTAMP:20260907T215012Z CREATED:20260818T131105Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260907T215012Z UID:986-1789385400-1789390800@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:The Erosion of the Voting Rights Act: Impact and Implications DESCRIPTION:September 14th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith Dr. Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons \nPlease register by 6 pm Monday\, September 7th\n \nFor our September luncheon\, Dr. Simmons will be speaking about the erosion of the voting rights act and its impact on current events. \nSPEAKER BIO\nDr. Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons is currently an assistant professor of religion and affiliated faculty in the Women’s Studies Department at University of Florida. Dr. Simmons received her Ph.D. in Religion with a specific focus on Islam from Temple University and a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies. \nDr. Simmons’ primary academic focus in Islam is on the Shari’ah (Islamic Law) and its impact on Muslim women contemporarily. Simmons spent two years (1996–1998) living and conducting research in the Middle East countries of Jordan\, Egypt\, Palestine\, and Syria. The areas of focus for her teaching at this time include Islam\, women\, religion and society; women and Islam\, African American religious traditions; and race\, religion\, and rebellion. During her early adult years as a college student and thereafter\, she was active with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). \nDr. Simmons spent seven years working full time on voter registration and desegregation activities in Mississippi\, Georgia\, and Alabama during the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. She also served as director of the Laurel County Freedom Schools site during Freedom Summer of 1964. \nDETAILS\n\nMonday\, September 7th at 6 pm – Registration deadline\nMon\, Sept 14th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\nAdvance Registration Required\nDue to enhanced security in public schools\, The Florida Free Speech Forum now requires event attendees to register in advance. Proof of identity may also be required upon entry to the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School. In addition\, the number of attendees may be limited by the capacity of the venue. \n\nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/the-erosion-of-the-voting-rights-act-impact-and-implications/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/FFSF-luncheon.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260511T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260511T130000 DTSTAMP:20260505T221558Z CREATED:20260503T173222Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260505T221558Z UID:977-1778499000-1778504400@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Who's Covering Your Community? Local News in the Age of Layoffs DESCRIPTION:May 11th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith J.C. Derrick\, publisher for Mainstreet Daily News \nPlease register by 6 pm Tuesday\, May 5th\n \nFor our May luncheon\, Mainstreet Daily News publisher J.C. Derrick will be speaking about the state of local news coverage in the face of newsroom layoffs and changes in the media landscape. \nSPEAKER BIO\nJ.C. Derrick is a proud Florida transplant who spent 18 years covering sports\, education\, and politics in Texas and Washington\, D.C.\, before joining Mainstreet in 2020. J.C. is also a member of the Florida Press Association Board of Directors. He holds a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Arlington and is married with three children. \nDETAILS\n\nTuesday\, May 5th at 6 pm – Registration deadline\nMon\, May 11th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\nAdvance Registration Required\nDue to enhanced security in public schools\, The Florida Free Speech Forum now requires event attendees to register in advance. Proof of identity may also be required upon entry to the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School. In addition\, the number of attendees may be limited by the capacity of the venue. \n\nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/whos-covering-your-community-local-news-in-the-age-of-layoffs/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/FFSF-luncheon.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260420T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260420T130000 DTSTAMP:20260413T220343Z CREATED:20260330T173311Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T220343Z UID:970-1776684600-1776690000@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Brechner Center's 2026 Freedom of Information Award DESCRIPTION:Monday\, April 20th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith Jason Leopold\, Senior Investigative Reporter at Bloomberg News \nPlease register by 6 pm Monday\, April 13th\n \nJason Leopold\, senior reporter for Bloomberg News and government-described “FOIA Terrorist” is this year’s winner of the Brechner Freedom of Information Award for his tenacity and passion in acquiring public records. The award is administered by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. \nLeopold was selected among 27 entries representing the nation’s best public-records journalism. He has filed thousands of Freedom of Information Act requests through two decades of reporting. Not only does Leopold break news through FOIA\, but he shares what he finds with the public and other reporters\, including through a weekly email newsletter and the podcast Disclosure. \n“The breadth of this work\, and the impact on who Leopold is investigating\, is staggering\,” wrote one of the three judges\, Francisco Vara-Orta\, trainer and director of diversity and inclusion for Investigative Reporters and Editors. “He is the blueprint for strong open records reporting and not being scared to go to court with resources he has behind him. He also shares his expertise with other journalists regularly so he pays it forward in democratizing best practices beyond his outlet.” \nLeopold has been noted as the most prolific individual FOIA litigant in the nation. Last year\, he filed 17 FOIA lawsuits to compel agencies to provide public records. He has testified before Congress regarding FOIA and is a frequent speaker and trainer at journalism conferences. \nHe also has been a recipient of the 2023 Gerald Loeb award for investigative reporting\, a 2022 George Polk award for health reporting and he has twice been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in international reporting. In 2016\, Leopold was awarded the FOI award from IRE and was inducted into the National Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame. \nLeopold’s newsletters range from how the Air Force named its next fighter jet “F-47” to the cost of the huge USDA Trump and Lincoln banners to the challenge for the Department of Interior when the Trump administration renamed a famous mountain. He has obtained exclusive records\, including a cache of 18\,000 emails from Jeffrey Epstein’s personal Yahoo account that anchored an ambitious investigative series about the disgraced financier\, including one that resulted in the firing of the UK ambassador to Washington\, and another that uncovered an abandoned federal money-laundering probe. \n[Click here to read more] \nDETAILS\n\nMon\, April 13th at 6 pm – Registration deadline\nMon\, April 20th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\nAdvance Registration Required\nDue to enhanced security in public schools\, The Florida Free Speech Forum now requires event attendees to register in advance. Proof of identity may also be required upon entry to the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School. In addition\, the number of attendees may be limited by the capacity of the venue. \n\nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/brechner-centers-2026-freedom-of-information-award/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/FFSF-luncheon-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260309T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260309T130000 DTSTAMP:20260302T231144Z CREATED:20260223T184208Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260302T231144Z UID:962-1773055800-1773061200@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Teaching in Florida\, 2026 DESCRIPTION:March 9th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith Anna Peterson\, Distinguished Teaching Scholar and Cronin Term Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Florida \nPlease register by 6 pm Monday\, March 2nd\n \nTeachers at public institutions of higher education in Florida face numerous challenges in the present political and social context. These include specific policies\, such as restrictions on certain topics\, requirements for humanities courses to engage the Western canon\, attacks on faculty unions\, political interference in administrative hires\, and a new post-tenure review process. Beyond individual laws\, many instructors experience an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty created by conservative policy makers and activists. This talk will outline some of the challenges and their consequences\, along with some ways faculty have been responding. \nSPEAKER BIO\nAnna Peterson is Distinguished Teaching Scholar and Cronin Term Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Florida. She is also the coordinator of the Sustainability Studies Program and director of the Center for Adaptive Innovation\, Resilience\, Ethics\, and Science. Her teaching and research focus on social and environmental ethics\, animal studies\, and the role of religion in social change. Her newest books are With God on Our Side: Religion\, Social Movements\, and Social Change (2024) and the forthcoming co-edited De Gruyter Handbook of Religion and Social Change. \nDETAILS\n\nMon\, March 2nd at 6 pm – Registration deadline\nMon\, March 9th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\nAdvance Registration Required\nDue to enhanced security in public schools\, The Florida Free Speech Forum now requires event attendees to register in advance. Proof of identity may also be required upon entry to the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School. In addition\, the number of attendees may be limited by the capacity of the venue. \n\nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/teaching-in-florida-2026/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/March-2026-FFSF-luncheon-with-Anna-Peterson.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260209T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260209T130000 DTSTAMP:20260202T222039Z CREATED:20260123T202931Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260202T222039Z UID:955-1770636600-1770642000@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Book Bans in Florida: What’s Happening and What’s Next DESCRIPTION:February 9th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith Jackie Davison\, Operations Manager for The Lynx bookstore \nPlease register by Monday\, February 2nd\n \nJoin us for a presentation that will provide background information on book bans in the state of Florida\, including information about recent court rulings and current legislative updates. The presentation will also discuss what The Lynx does as a small local business in response. \nSPEAKER BIO\nJackie Davison is the Operations Manager for The Lynx bookstore. The Lynx is a general-interest bookstore in Gainesville\, Florida\, with an emphasis on books that are currently challenged or banned in Florida\, as well as those by BIPOC authors\, LGBTQ+ authors\, and Florida authors. Jackie joined The Lynx in 2024 shortly before the store opened. Prior to bookselling\, Jackie was an attorney with the state and federal government for more than 10 years. The Lynx Watch\, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that distributes banned and challenged books in our community. \nDETAILS\n\nMon\, Feb 2nd – Registration deadline\nMon\, Feb 9th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\nAdvance Registration Required\nDue to enhanced security in public schools\, The Florida Free Speech Forum now requires event attendees to register in advance. Proof of identity may also be required upon entry to the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School. In addition\, the number of attendees may be limited by the capacity of the venue. \n\nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/book-bans-in-florida-whats-happening-and-whats-next/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FFSF-Feb-2026-luncheon.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260112T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260112T130000 DTSTAMP:20260106T022549Z CREATED:20260101T154747Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T022549Z UID:944-1768217400-1768222800@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Janet Coats\, Managing Director - Consortium on Trust in Media and Technology DESCRIPTION:January 12th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith Janet Coats\, Managing Director – Consortium on Trust in Media and Technology \nPlease register by Monday\, January 5th\n \nSPEAKER BIO\nCoats has been at the forefront of the seismic shifts in journalism and information culture over the last 25 years. She’s led large multimedia news organizations\, done groundbreaking work in civic engagement and reader outreach\, and built her own consulting company focused on engagement and sustainability strategies for non-profit and entrepreneurial news organizations. \nCoats is the former Executive Director for Innovation and Strategy at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. In that role\, she has oversight of the school’s media literacy efforts through its News Co/Lab\, the News21 national student reporting program\, faculty teaching associates\, and grant acquisition for sponsored research. \nPrior to joining Arizona State\, Coats was founder and CEO of Coats2Coats Consulting in Sarasota\, Florida\, an independent consulting firm focused on helping clients create relevant content\, develop community engagement and outreach strategies\, and build business plans focused on both philanthropic and earned revenue. She worked with non-profit newsrooms\, both public media and entrepreneurial startups\, to develop content strategies\, engagement and transparency methodology and revenue diversification approaches. \nFrom 1994 – 2009\, Coats held leadership positions at several news organizations\, including Senior Vice President of News and Executive Editor for The News Center in Tampa\, Florida\, and Executive Editor of the Sarasota (Florida) Herald-Tribune. From 2003-2004\, she served as Dean of the Faculty of The Poynter Institute\, a professional training school for journalists and communications professionals. \nCoats served as a Pulitzer Prize juror five times\, including as chair of the Public Service and Investigative Reporting juries. She served on the board of the American Society of News Editors\, twice chairing the national convention. \nDETAILS\n\nMon\, Jan 5th – Registration deadline\nMon\, Jan 12th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\nAdvance Registration Required\nDue to enhanced security in public schools\, The Florida Free Speech Forum now requires event attendees to register in advance. Proof of identity may also be required upon entry to the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School. In addition\, the number of attendees may be limited by the capacity of the venue. \n\nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/janet-coats-managing-director-consortium-on-trust-in-media-and-technology/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FFSF-luncheon-Jan-2025.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251208T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251208T130000 DTSTAMP:20260101T160919Z CREATED:20251119T193927Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260101T160919Z UID:934-1765193400-1765198800@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:From 20th Century Red Scares to the Blue Scare of Today: A Historical Perspective on the State of American Civil Liberties DESCRIPTION:December 8th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith author and Professor Emeritus Warren Goldstein \nPlease register by Monday\, December 1st.\n \nMost Americans who care about free speech have at least a passing acquaintance with the Red Scare of the 1950s\, known popularly\, if inaccurately\, as McCarthyism. Fewer know anything about the first Red Scare\, launched in 1919-1920 against radicals\, socialists\, and union activists. In this presentation\, US historian Warren Goldstein will try to connect the historical dots of state-sponsored repression of free speech\, from the first Red Scare to the current Blue Scare. He promises that this will not simply be an “ain’t it awful” lament\, but will also provide hopeful lessons from history that can help us today\, in our current multiple crises. \nSPEAKER BIO\nWarren Goldstein taught US history for 30 years at in the State University of New York and the University of Hartford\, where he chaired the Department of History for 25 years. He is the author of 6 books\, including Playing for Keeps: A History of Early Baseball; the biography William Sloane Coffin: A Holy Impatience; and For the Love of Physics\, with astrophysicist Walter Lewin. He has published numerous reviews\, essays\, and op-eds for the New York Times Book Review\, the Washington Post\, the Chronicle of Higher Education\, the Gettysburg Review\, Newsday\, the Philadelphia Inquirer\, the Hartford Courant\, Tikkun\, Commonweal\, and the Christian Century. \nDETAILS\n\nMon\, Dec 1st – Registration deadline\nMon\, Dec 8th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch (Our wonderful EHS Culinary hosts will be preparing a special holiday meal for us.)\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\nAdvance Registration Required\nDue to enhanced security in public schools\, The Florida Free Speech Forum now requires event attendees to register in advance. Proof of identity may also be required upon entry to the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School. In addition\, the number of attendees may be limited by the capacity of the venue. \n\nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is closed \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/from-20th-century-red-scares-to-the-blue-scare-of-today-a-historical-perspective-on-the-state-of-american-civil-liberties/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FFSF-luncheon-Dec-2025.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251110T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251110T130000 DTSTAMP:20251105T024649Z CREATED:20251031T011403Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251105T024649Z UID:927-1762774200-1762779600@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Our Library\, Our Legacy: Navigating Change in Florida and Beyond DESCRIPTION:November 10th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith Library Director\, Shaney T. Livingston \nPlease register by Monday\, November 3rd.\n \nOne of the most valued institutions in our community is the Alachua County Library District. We are proud to be one of the few counties in Florida where the library operates with its own taxing authority. \nShaney T. Livingston\, the Library Director\, will share her insights on how our library is navigating these challenging times\, both in Florida and across the nation. \nDETAILS\n\nMon\, Nov 3rd – Registration deadline\nMon\, Nov 10th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\nAdvance Registration Required\nDue to enhanced security in public schools\, The Florida Free Speech Forum now requires event attendees to register in advance. Proof of identity may also be required upon entry to the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School. In addition\, the number of attendees may be limited by the capacity of the venue. \n\nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/our-library-our-legacy-navigating-change-in-florida-and-beyond/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/FFSF-Nov-luncheon.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251013T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251013T130000 DTSTAMP:20251006T210421Z CREATED:20250915T181039Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251006T210421Z UID:910-1760355000-1760360400@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:GRU at the Crossroads: Local Control vs. State Authority DESCRIPTION:October 13th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith Susan Bottcher\, former Gainesville city commissioner and long-time political activist in Alachua County \nPlease register by Monday\, October 6th.\n \nThis coming November 4th the city of Gainesville will hold a Special Election. The only item on the ballot will be a referendum that asks whether you want to return the governance of GRU back to local control. This presentation will give the history and background of how we got to where we are today with the Governor DeSantis appointed Authority board and why we need to repeat this referendum that passed in 2024 with a super majority of support of Gainesville voters. \nDETAILS\n\nMon\, Oct 6th – Registration deadline\nMon\, Oct 13th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\n  \nSpeaker Bio\nSusan Bottcher is a former Gainesville city commissioner and has been a political activist in Alachua County for more than 20 years. She has helped on numerous candidate and advocacy campaigns since 2004. Susan currently serves on the state board of directors for Equality Florida\, the largest LGBTQ civil right organization in the state. \nAdvance Registration Required\nDue to enhanced security in public schools\, The Florida Free Speech Forum now requires event attendees to register in advance. Proof of identity may also be required upon entry to the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School. In addition\, the number of attendees may be limited by the capacity of the venue. \n\nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/gru-at-the-crossroads-local-control-vs-state-authority/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FFSF-luncheon-Susan-Bottcher-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250908T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250908T130000 DTSTAMP:20250902T222632Z CREATED:20250717T183936Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250902T222632Z UID:898-1757331000-1757336400@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Buckle Up: How Democracies Unravel: Lessons from the Past\, Warnings for Today DESCRIPTION:Sept 8th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith Paul Licata\, Retired Professor of Communications at Valencia College in Orlando \nPlease register by Monday\, Sept 1st.\n \n“Buckle Up\,” a PowerPoint presentation by Paul Licata\, PhD\, retired Professor of Communications at Valencia College in Orlando. Dr. Licata will take attendees on a ride as he explores the historic similarities and differences between the personal\, economic\, and social characteristics that led to the rise of Adolf Hitler and Donald Trump. \nDETAILS\n\nMon\, Sept 1st – Registration deadline\nMon\, Sept 8th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\n  \nSpeaker Bio\nDr. Licata taught undergraduate classes in communications\, humanities\, and interdisciplinary studies and Holocaust multimedia literature for over 30 years. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Holocaust Memorial Research and Education Center from 2003 to 2009. \nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/buckle-up-how-democracies-unravel-lessons-from-the-past-warnings-for-today/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/FFSF-luncheon1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250512T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250512T130000 DTSTAMP:20250508T222157Z CREATED:20250503T154354Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T222157Z UID:877-1747049400-1747054800@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Amplifying Understanding: Reflecting on Florida Free Speech Forum’s 3 Decades and the Road Ahead DESCRIPTION:May 12th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith Jay Whitehead\, Jon Reiskin\, and Allan March \nPlease register by Thursday\, May 8th.\n \n30 years ago FFSF was created by members of the press\, university\, church\, schools and libraries. Using the City Club Forum of Cleveland as an inspiration\, we brought people together to hear a speakers in person and to ask questions to better understand their point of view.  Those exchanges were recorded and aired to a wider community by WUFT.   \nNow much has changed.  Internet has made available so much information in the form of Wikipedia\, talk\, discussions\, lectures etc. \nToday members of the FFSF board will address three questions. How did we develop? What is happening about free speech today?   What does the future look like? Come join the discussion. \nDETAILS\n\nThursday\, May 8th – Registration deadline\nMon\, May 12th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\n  \nSpeaker Bios\nJay Whitehead\, FFSF President\nJay Whitehead is the current and many-time president of FFSF over the past 30 years. A native of the Nation’s Capitol\, he left DC in the wake of Watergate for grad school and then to Gainesville on a post-doctoral fellowship. Different from my individual research\, helping start the FFSF was a miracle of cooperation of many members of our community\, particularly the press\, the academy\, schools\, churches\, government and libraries. In this luncheon\, he will sketch some changes in that 30 year span and join in a discussion of what the future holds. \nJon Reiskind\, FFSF Vice President\nJon has been active in many groups since the 1980’s including Amnesty International and Planned Parenthood. Active in the local Democratic Party since the 90’s he chaired it from 2004-2012. More recently he chaired the Alachua County Library District Foundation and the Florida Free Speech Forum and is a board member of the Cotton Club Museum & Cultural Center. He organizes a quarterly Civics Series as part of the Community Coalition for Older Adults. \n Allan March\, FFSF Treasurer\nAllan March is a retired physician searching for solutions to 21st century problems such as global warming\, economic inequality\, and threats to our democracy. Presently he is focused on developing an evidence-based mobile phone application that would reduce the risk of heat related illness in outdoor workers laboring in extreme heat by providing them with a schedule of cool-down breaks specific to their activity\, time of day\, and geographic location. During a recent trip to Philadelphia he visited the National Constitution Center where he viewed an exhibit on the First Amendment\, the historic document whose implementation is the cornerstone of The Florida Free Speech Forum. \nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/amplifying-understanding-reflecting-on-florida-free-speech-forums-3-decades-and-the-road-ahead/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FFSF-luncheon.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250414T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250414T130000 DTSTAMP:20250407T221305Z CREATED:20250326T210325Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250407T221305Z UID:868-1744630200-1744635600@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Brechner Center's 2025 Freedom of Information Award DESCRIPTION:April 14th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \nwith Tom Sheck\, Alysia Santo\, and Rachel Lippmann \nPlease register by Monday\, April 7th.\n \nThe Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) has awarded the 2025 Brechner Freedom of Information Award to St. Louis Public Radio\, APM Reports and The Marshall Project for their collaborative investigative project\, “Unsolved.” This groundbreaking project has been recognized for its commitment to transparency and for illuminating crucial issues of public interest through extensive reporting on unsolved murders in St. Louis\, Missouri. \nSince 1986\, the Brechner Freedom of Information Award has celebrated the exemplary use of public records in work that advances government transparency and the public’s right to know. This year’s competition fielded 40 entries from across the country and globally. \nAccording to the judges\, “Unsolved” stood out for its in-depth reporting and impact\, offering an investigative look at the case files and systemic issues that have contributed to a lack of resolution in numerous criminal cases and demonstrated the persistence of the reporting team in getting access to these records after nearly three years of challenging the St. Louis Police Department. \n“Not only did the series make an impact on the community their work led to a change in policy that allows for more data to be accessed to the public\,” said one of the judges\, Kelly Kauffman\, engagement reporter at MuckRock\, a nonprofit that aids people in acquiring public records. \nThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Hidden Homicides: Violence\, chaos and secrecy inside the Georgia prison system” and The Associated Press’ “Prison to Plate: Profiting Off America’s Captive Workforce” received second and third place\, respectively. \nThe awardees’ work highlights the importance of investigative reporting in holding governments accountable and igniting policy change that limits transparency for all. \n“Public-records journalism saves lives\, saves tax dollars\, and makes our lives materially better\,” said David Cuillier\, director of the Brechner FOI Project. “We need to do everything we can to support this essential contribution to democracy. Freedom of information matters.” \nDETAILS\n\nMonday\, April 7th – Registration deadline\nMon\, April 14th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\n  \nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/brechner-centers-2025-freedom-of-information-award/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/FFSF-luncheon.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250310T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250310T130000 DTSTAMP:20250304T023351Z CREATED:20250224T213504Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250304T023351Z UID:860-1741606200-1741611600@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Persuading from the middle: Embracing the grey areas to increase persuasion and challenge critical thinking. DESCRIPTION:March 10th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nwith AJ (Amy) Jung\, Ph.D. (she/her)\, Assistant-In Teaching\, Management Communication Center\, Warrington College of Business\, University of Florida\nPlease register by Monday\, March 3rd.\n \nDr. AJ Jung\, like many\, has been concerned about the growing political extremes in the U.S. During her talk\, Dr. Jung will share valuable insights into fostering persuasive conversations in today’s political climate. Additionally\, Dr. Jung plans to incorporate international experiences to provide a global context to these discussions. \nSpeaker Bio\nDr. AJ Jung is a business professor in the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida. She has taught Communication\, Argumentation\, and Intercultural courses around the U.S. for over 20 years and directed an award-winning university speech and debate team for over a decade. As the adult child of religious missionaries to a remote African village\, AJ blends her international experience with academic theories and current events to help students adapt their communication to audiences in ways that are genuine and persuasive. \nDETAILS\n\nMonday\, March 3rd – Registration deadline\nMon\, March 10th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\n  \nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/persuading-from-the-middle-embracing-the-grey-areas-to-increase-persuasion-and-challenge-critical-thinking/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/FFSF-luncheon.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250210T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250210T130000 DTSTAMP:20250204T003201Z CREATED:20250127T010617Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250204T003201Z UID:848-1739187000-1739192400@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:From Strangers to Neighbors: Creating a Welcoming Greater Gainesville DESCRIPTION:Feb 10th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nwith Lauren Poe\, President/CEO of the Greater Gainesville International Center\nPlease register by Monday\, Feb 3rd.\n \nThe talk will focus on the mission and vision of the Greater Gainesville International Center\, with an emphasis on refugee resettlement\, serving our international community and creating a welcoming community in a changing political climate. \nSpeaker Bio\nLauren Poe moved to Gainesville\, FL in 1982 when his father took the Director of Bands job at the University of Florida. Lauren has been a member of the Gator Nation ever since. He completed his BA in History and M.Ed. in Secondary Social Sciences from the University of Florida and taught at Ft. Clarke Middle School and Santa Fe College for 24 years. Lauren was elected to serve on the Gainesville Commission in 2008\, serving two terms before being elected Mayor in 2016. He left office in January of 2023 after reaching his limit on consecutive terms in service. In 2016\, Poe received more votes than any other candidate in Gainesville City electoral history. \nSince leaving office\, Poe has be appointed the President/CEO of the Greater Gainesville International Center\, an local nonprofit organization whose mission is to\, “Elevate\, celebrate\, and empower our local international community and to better connect Gainesville with the rest of the world.” GGIC is now in their third full year of operations under Poe’s leadership\, which has included a formal affiliate partnership with the International Rescue Committee\, allowing GGIC to provide refugee resettlement services for our newest international neighbors. \nDETAILS\n\nMon\, Feb 3rd – Registration deadline\nMon\, Feb 10th – Luncheon at Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\n\n  \nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/from-strangers-to-neighbors-creating-a-welcoming-greater-gainesville/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/FFSF-luncheon-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250113T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250113T130000 DTSTAMP:20250107T000113Z CREATED:20241127T152749Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250107T000113Z UID:840-1736767800-1736773200@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:John Lewis: Good Trouble and Freedom of Speech DESCRIPTION:Jan 13th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nwith Raymond Arsenault\, John Hope Franklin Professor of Southern History emeritus at the University of South Florida\nPlease register by Monday\, January 6th.\n \nSpeaker Bio\nRaymond Arsenault is the John Hope Franklin Professor of Southern History emeritus at the University of South Florida. Educated at Princeton and Brandeis\, he is one of the nation’s leading civil rights historians and the author of several widely acclaimed and prize-winning books\, including Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice (2006)\, The Sound of Freedom: Marian Anderson\, the Lincoln Memorial\, and the Concert That Awakened America (2009)\, and Arthur Ashe\, A Life (2018). His most recent book\, published in January 2024 as a volume in Yale University Press’s new Black Lives series\, is John Lewis: In Search of the Beloved Community. The 2011 PBS American Experience documentary Freedom Riders\, based on his book\, won three Emmys and a George Peabody Award. He has also served as a consultant for numerous civil rights museums and documentary film projects\, including the 2022 PBS American Masters documentary Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands. Honored with lifetime achievement awards in writing by both the Florida Historical Society and the Florida Humanities Council\, he is also the recipient of numerous human rights and civil liberties awards\, several in recognition of his thirty years as a leader of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. He lives in St. Petersburg\, Florida. \nFORMAT\n  \n\nInstitute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\nRegistration deadline – Mon\, Jan 6th\n\n  \nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/john-lewis-good-trouble-and-freedom-of-speech/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FFSF-luncheon-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241118T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241118T130000 DTSTAMP:20241112T152354Z CREATED:20241104T193156Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241112T152354Z UID:831-1731929400-1731934800@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:A Village Approach: Fostering Literacy Through Community Engagement DESCRIPTION:Nov 18th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nwith Leah Galione\, Founder and Executive Director of PEAK Literacy\nPlease register by Monday\, November 11th.\n \nNote that this month’s luncheon will occur one week later than usual for observance of Veteran’s Day. \nSpeaker Bio\nLeah Galione is a proud UF alumnus and the Founder and Executive Director of PEAK Literacy\, a nonprofit providing free\, evidence-based reading support to underserved students in Alachua County. In the past five years\, she has recruited and trained more than 200 volunteers to teach over 300 kids how to read. Leah also contributes to various boards\, including Intersection Education\, Gainesville Thrives\, and the Alachua County Comprehensive Literacy Planning Committee. Recognized among Our Town Magazine’s Top Three Best Nonprofits in 2024\, Leah is a dedicated leader working to expand literacy access for Florida’s youth. \nFORMAT\n  \n\nInstitute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\nRegistration deadline – Mon\, Nov 11th\n\n  \nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/a-village-approach-fostering-literacy-through-community-engagement/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FFSF-luncheon.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241014T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241014T130000 DTSTAMP:20241007T214612Z CREATED:20240922T035617Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241007T214612Z UID:823-1728905400-1728910800@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:The Six Amendment Proposals to the Florida Constitution DESCRIPTION:Oct 14th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nwith Candy Birch\, League Of Women Voters Of Alachua County\nPlease register by Monday\, October 7th.\n \nAt this month’s luncheon\, the League Of Women Voters Of Alachua County Speakers Bureau will discuss the six Amendment Proposals to the Florida Constitution that will appear on the November 5 ballot. \nSpeaker Bios\nCandy Birch retired from Olathe South High School in Olathe KS in 2018 after serving 40+ years as a career educator and high school administrator. She and her husband Marty moved to Gainesville in early 2019. They joined the League of Women Voters of Alachua County right after registering to vote. Prior to moving to Gainesville\, Candy was a member of the Johnson County KS League of Women Voters. She is committed to the League and has vowed to help students and others know more about their government and the important role an informed voter plays in a democracy. Candy served in several board positions in Kansas\, including two terms as president. She attended and participated in the LWV National Convention in 2016\, in 2018 when Kansas received awards for a successful fight against voter suppression\, and in 2024. Her passion to educate has led her to advocate and speak on several League priorities including the environment\, voter registration\, the voting process\, diversity in the judiciary\, education issues\, as well as several local issues. As a current member of the local League\, she serves as the Speakers Bureau chair and is a member of the Voter Services and Health Care committees. She continues her advocacy and education about important issues and resources\, including the VOTE411.org service. \nAdditional speakers TBD \nFORMAT\n  \n\nInstitute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\nRegistration deadline – Mon\, Oct 7th\n\n  \nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/the-six-amendment-proposals-to-the-florida-constitution/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/FFSF-luncheon.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240909T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240909T130000 DTSTAMP:20240904T061218Z CREATED:20240813T040841Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240904T061218Z UID:805-1725881400-1725886800@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:YES for Local Public Utilities and YES on At Large Districts DESCRIPTION:Sept 9th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nwith Susan Bottcher and Robert “Hutch” Hutchinson\nPlease register by Monday\, Sept 2nd.\n\nSeptember’s luncheon will be split into two presentations. This November voters in Gainesville and Alachua County will see two local referenda on their ballots. One for Gainesville voters asks whether they want to amend the city charter to abolish the governor appointed GRU Authority Board. The other referenda asks all county voters whether they want to amend the county charter to return to the At Large Districts model of voting for county commissioners. This presentation will give FFSF attendees background on both issues\, the impacts and what would change if they pass. \nYES on At Large Districts (voted on countywide)\nThe intention of our presentation is to educate voters about how the county charter was changed in 2022 to the newly implemented Single Member Districts model of voting for county commissioners and why returning to the At Large Districts model of voting for co. comm. provide better representation. \nThis presentation should run about 15 minutes. \nLearn more about this initiative here \nYES on Local Public Utilities (voted on just in Gainesville)\nThis presentation is to revisit the decade-long fight we’ve had to protect our local public utility from being taken over by an un-elected\, unaccountable Authority board\, appointed by the governor. We will explain where GRU’s governance now stands\, why we advocate for amending the city charter that would dissolve the Authority board and return it to governance by the elected city commission. \nThis presentation should also run about 15 min. \nLearn more about this initiative here \nSpeaker Bios\nSusan Bottcher was raised in Ft. Lauderdale and moved to Gainesville in 1975 to attend the University of Florida. Susan became active in politics in 2004\, joining the Alachua County Democratic Executive Committee and served as chair of the ACDEC Campaign Planning Committee and as State Committeewoman 2008-2012. She worked in varying capacities on political campaigns for progressive candidates for city and county commission\, school board and state and congressional campaigns. In 2008\, she was elected as a delegate for then Senator Barack Obama to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver\, Co. \nIn 2009\, Susan joined the effort to defeat a local anti-transgender “bathroom ordinance” in Gainesville. This was her introduction to Equality Florida and the important work this organization does throughout the state. The following year she volunteered on the campaign that helped elect Gainesville’s first openly gay mayor. \nSince then she has served on the Gainesville Chapter of the EQFL Steering Committee that plans the annual Gala. She also joined the EQFL PAC 2009-2010\, but resigned to run for the Gainesville City Commission. \nShe was elected to the city commission and served one term until May 2014. At that time\, she joined the State Advisory Council for Ruth’s List of Florida and in late 2015 asked to serve on the RLF Executive Board. Susan is also a life member of the NAACP and a card carrying member of the ACLU. \nAs a straight ally\, Susan knows her support and advocacy helps to amplify the issues and voices of her family members\, friends and neighbors in the LGBTQ community. \nRobert “Hutch” Hutchinson \nFORMAT\n  \n\nInstitute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\nRegistration deadline – Mon\, Sept 2nd\n\n  \nREGISTRATION\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/let-the-voters-decide/ LOCATION:Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School\, 1201 SE 43rd St\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FFSF-luncheon.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240513T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240513T130000 DTSTAMP:20240506T211615Z CREATED:20240424T210848Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240506T211615Z UID:793-1715599800-1715605200@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Keeping Up With Technology Becomes Critical for Feeling in Control and Aging Optimally DESCRIPTION:May 13th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nwith Stephen Golant\nPlease register by Monday\, May 6th.\n \nKEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY BECOMES CRITICAL FOR FEELING IN CONTROL AND AGING OPTIMALLY \nFeeling in control of our lives and environment is critical to aging optimally. However\, in the last 8 or 9 years of older people’s lifespans\, this is more difficult because of assaults on our health and mobility. This lecture focuses on how our dwelling environments deserve new scrutiny because they can become effective “control centers\,” enabling vulnerable older people to cope with their declines and losses. The catalyst for the new role of dwellings in older people’s lives is the emergence of gerontechnological innovations relying on digital and sensor technologies. These offer a new category of dwelling connectivity solutions whereby goods\, care\, services\, social supports\, information\, and leisure activities can be delivered to their dwellings. However\, to take advantage of these innovative solutions\, keeping up with technological change is more critical than ever for older people and their families.  \nStephen M. Golant\, Ph.D.\, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida (Gainesville) and was earlier an associate professor at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on older adults’ housing\, mobility\, long-term care\, and technology needs. He is currently involved in various writing and speaking projects.\n\nDr. Golant is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and a Fulbright Senior Scholar award recipient. In 2012\, he received the Richard M. Kalish Award from the Gerontological Society of America for his insightful and innovative publications on aging and life development in the behavioral and social sciences. Print and Web-based media have often featured his research and ideas\, and he has appeared on numerous television and radio programs and blogs addressing the needs of older people.\n\nDr. Golant has written or edited more than 150 papers and books\, including Location and Environment of Elderly Populations (Wiley\, 1979); A Place to Grow Old: The Meaning of Environment in Old Age (Columbia University Press\, 1984); Housing America’s Elderly: Many Possibilities\, Few Choices (Sage Publications\, 1992); The Columbia Retirement Handbook (Columbia University Press\, 1994); Encyclopedia of Financial Gerontology (Greenwood Press\, 1996); The CASERA Report (Creating Affordable and Supportive Elder Renter Alternatives) (Margaret Lynn Duggar & Associates\, Inc.\, 1999); and The Assisted Living Residence: A Vision for the Future (The Johns Hopkins University Press\, 2008). His latest book\, Aging in the Right Place\, was published by Health Professions Press. \nHe is currently a regular contributor to Booming Encore\, a blog designed to support and help baby boomers live their best lives. https://boomingencore.com/ \nFORMAT\n  \n\nCone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Avenue\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\nRegistration deadline – Mon\, May 6th\n\n  \nRegistration\nRegistration is now closed \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/feeling-in-control-of-your-life-and-surroundings-key-to-aging-optimally/ LOCATION:Cone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Copy-of-2018-Buddy-Davis-Speech.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240408T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240408T130000 DTSTAMP:20240401T210910Z CREATED:20240326T203904Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240401T210910Z UID:785-1712575800-1712581200@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Brechner Center's 2024 Freedom of Information Award: Miami Herald Investigative Team DESCRIPTION:March 11th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nwith Miami Herald investigative journalists Sarah Blaskey\, Joey Flechas\, and Casey Frank\nPlease register by Monday\, April 1st.\n \nThree investigative journalists from The Miami Herald will discuss their award-winning reporting about Miami corruption at a public luncheon April 8 in Gainesville hosted by the Florida Free Speech Forum. The Miami Herald won the annual 2024 Brechner Freedom of Information Award for “Shakedown City\,” an investigation into government shenanigans within the city of Miami that spawned a series of investigations by the FBI\, Internal Revenue Service\, Securities and Exchange Commission and state ethics commission. The award is administered by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. \nThe journalists submitted more than 150 public records requests and battled almost daily with city attorneys when the requests were ignored. The Herald’s document-based reporting revealed that Mayor Francis Suarez secretly received $170\,000 from a developer\, and used his clout to secure 13 side jobs\, including for crypto-related ventures\, encouraging staff to convert paychecks to digital tokens. The Miami Herald also won a Brechner FOI Award in 2016 for an investigation into Florida’s child-welfare system\, and in 2007 for illegal case-sealing practices in the Broward court system. \nSpeakers will include:\nSarah Blaskey\, investigative reporter\nJoey Flechas\, City of Miami reporter\nCasey Frank\, senior investigations editor. \n\nFORMAT\n  \n\nCone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Avenue\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\nRegistration deadline – Mon\, April 1st\n\n  \nRegistration\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/brechner-centers-2024-freedom-of-information-award-miami-herald-investigative-team/ LOCATION:Cone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Copy-of-2018-Buddy-Davis-Speech.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240311T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240311T130000 DTSTAMP:20240304T221013Z CREATED:20240226T043428Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240304T221013Z UID:777-1710156600-1710162000@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Guaranteeing the Right to Vote in Alachua County DESCRIPTION:March 11th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nwith Aaron Klein\, Director of Communications and Outreach for the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office\nPlease register by Monday\, March 4th.\n \n\nBIO\nAaron Klein was born and raised in Tampa Mr. Klein is a UF graduate with a BA and MA in Political Science. Before coming back to Alachua County in 2021 he was a communications specialist in Palm Beach County. \n\nFORMAT\n \n\nCone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Avenue\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\nRegistration deadline – Mon\, March 4th\n\n \nRegistration\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/guaranteeing-the-right-to-vote-in-alachua-county/ LOCATION:Cone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Picture-Aaron-Klein.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240212T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240212T130000 DTSTAMP:20240205T220327Z CREATED:20240119T221424Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240205T220327Z UID:767-1707737400-1707742800@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:LGBTQ Dynamics in Society and the Role of DE&I DESCRIPTION:Feb 12th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nwith Gina Duncan\, Equality Florida’s Regional Development Leader for Central Florida\nPlease register by Monday\, Feb 5th.\n \n\nABSTRACT\nA discussion of LGBTQ rights and protections in society and in the workplace\, the impacts of recent anti-LGBTQ legislation\, and the pivotal role of DE&I initiatives in preserving an inclusive society. \nBIO\nGina Duncan was a corporate leader in the Mortgage Banking industry in Florida for over 30 years. She was with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage from 1997 to 2011\, and served as their Area Manager of Central Florida\, and then promoted to Regional Manager for East Florida\, overseeing 26 branches\, over 250 employees and a multimillion-dollar budget. Gina has also served in leadership roles with the Human Rights Campaign and the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce in Central Florida\, the PRIDE Chamber. Gina was the first elected transgender President of a major Chamber of Commerce in the United States. Gina Duncan served as the state Director of Equality Florida’s Transgender Inclusion Initiative\, TransAction Florida\, from 2014 to 2021. She oversaw a statewide movement comprised of a 1\,200+ person advocacy network and led by the TransAction Florida Advisory Council\, advocating for transgender rights and protections through public policy\, advocacy and educational efforts statewide. She now serves as Equality Florida’s Strategic Partnerships Manager\, providing information and resources to our Florida business community. \nGina was chosen as one of the 100 LGBT Movers and Shakers in Florida (2015)\, has received the Equality Florida Lifetime Achievement Award (2021)\, Orlando LGBT Center’s Trail Blazer Award (2017)\, the Diversity Champion’s Award by the Florida Diversity Council (2016)\, the Debbie Simmons Community Excellence Award at Come Out with Pride in 2018\, and the Pride Chamber’s prestigious Community Champion of the Year\, 2019. She has been featured on the cover of Orlando Weekly\, Watermark and Florida Trend magazines. Gina was presented the coveted Equality Florida Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021. \n\nFORMAT\n \n\nCone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Avenue\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\nRegistration deadline – Mon\, Feb 5th\n\n \nRegistration\nRegistration for this event is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/lgbtq-dynamics-in-society-and-the-role-of-dei/ LOCATION:Cone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Duncan-Headshot.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20240108T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20240108T130000 DTSTAMP:20240102T032113Z CREATED:20231211T191537Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240102T032113Z UID:760-1704713400-1704718800@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Innovations in Computing for the Social Good DESCRIPTION:Jan 8th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nPlease register by Monday\, Jan 1st.\n \n\nABSTRACT\nSociety does not have a shortage of problems. As such\, computing can be seen as an instrument to address many of society’s issues if only researchers could integrate technology with people\, culture\, policy and more. In this talk\, Dr. Gilbert will discuss how his Computing for Social Good research lab has developed innovation solutions to some of society’s most pressing problems. Dr. Gilbert will give demonstrations of some technologies that are being used in the real world and available for others to adopt. \nBIO\nDr. Juan E. Gilbert is the Andrew Banks Family Preeminence Endowed Professor and Chair of the Computer & Information Science & Engineering Department at the University of Florida where he leads the Computing for Social Good Lab. Dr. Gilbert has research projects in election security/usability/accessibility\, advanced learning technologies\, usability and accessibility\, Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI)\, Human-Centered AI/machine learning and Ethnocomputing (Culturally Relevant Computing). \nHe has published more than 250 articles\, given more than 250 talks and obtained more than $30 million dollars in research funding. He is a Fellow of the ACM\, IEEE\, the American Association of the Advancement of Science and a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. In 2012\, Dr. Gilbert received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science\, Mathematics\, and Engineering Mentoring from President Barack Obama. \nIn 2023\, Dr. Gilbert was named a laureate of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President Joe Biden for pioneering and championing universal design in elections technology to make voting accessible for everyone and increasing diversity in the computer science workforce. He also received the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2014 Mentor Award. He received the 2021 ACM SIGCHI Social Impact Award. Dr. Gilbert received the 2018 Computer Research Association’s A. Nico Habermann Award. Dr. Gilbert has testified before the Congress on the Bipartisan Electronic Voting Reform Act of 2008 and the U.S. House Committee on Administration for the “2020 Election Security – Perspectives from Voting System Vendors and Experts” \nDr. Gilbert received his BS in Systems Analysis from Miami University in Ohio and his MS and PhD degrees in computer science from the University of Cincinnati. \n\nFORMAT\n \n\nCone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Avenue\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\nRegistration deadline – Mon\, Jan 1st\n\n \nRegistration\nRegistration is now closed \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/innovations-in-computing-for-the-social-good/ LOCATION:Cone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2015-12-10_Juan_Gilbert_preeminence_portrait-6438-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20231211T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20231211T130000 DTSTAMP:20231210T134743Z CREATED:20231202T014422Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231210T134743Z UID:752-1702294200-1702299600@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Fast and Furious: Florida’s Relentless Assault on Free Speech DESCRIPTION:Nov 13th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nPlease register by Monday\, Nov 6th.\n \n\nSpeaker Bio\nBobby Block\, Executive Director\, First Amendment Foundation \nBobby Block has had a four-decade career in journalism\, including contributing to the Wall Street Journal’s coverage of 9/11\, which earned a Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News in 2002. \nHe co-authored the book “Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security\,” and has reported on various conflicts across the globe\, including Rwandan genocide in 1994\, and the executions of more than 8\,000 men and boys by Serbian forces in a Bosnian village in 1995. \n“Never has the work of the Foundation been more essential than it is now at a time when reporters and citizens across Florida are being stonewalled and denied their right to access government information\,” Block said in a statement. “Public records and Sunshine laws are being routinely disregarded across Florida with seemingly no fear of reprisals. This cannot be allowed to stand for the sake of our democracy.” \nIn addition to the Wall Street Journal\, Block has also reported for the Tribune Company\, Reuters and the Independent of London. He has also contributed to the New York Review of Books. \n\nFormat\n \n\nCone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Avenue\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\nRegistration deadline – Mon\, Nov 6th\n\n \nRegistration\nRegistration is now closed \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/fast-and-furious-floridas-relentless-assault-on-free-speech/ LOCATION:Cone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Bobby-Block.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20231113T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20231113T130000 DTSTAMP:20231106T225033Z CREATED:20231025T165049Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231106T225033Z UID:740-1699875000-1699880400@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:The "E" Word: Reframing and Understanding How Equity Impacts Everyone DESCRIPTION:Nov 13th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm\nPlease register by Monday\, Nov 6th.\n \n\nSpeaker Bio\nDr. Dakeyan Chá Dré Graham\, CEO and Founder of Re-Imagining Equity and Learning (R.E.A.L.)\, advocates for student\, educator\, and parent empowerment and opportunity as the Director of Educational Equity and Outreach for Alachua County Public Schools. He actively travels the nation delivering keynote speeches\, professional development seminars\, and workshops in the educational\, instructional\, musical\, and DEIA (Diversity\, Equity\, Inclusion\, and Access) spaces. He is also widely sought out as a music clinician\, having worked with band and orchestra students and ensembles across the southeastern United States. The 2019 Hillsborough County Teacher of the Year\, Dr. Graham was selected in July 2019 as the 2020 Florida Teacher of the Year\, representing 74 school districts and more than 195\,000 teachers. During the 2019-2020 school year\, Dr. Graham was on sabbatical from teaching and served as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education. In this role\, he toured the state delivering motivational speeches and workshops focused on empowering teachers to create the most impactful learning experience possible for their students. \nHe holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Music Education (University of Florida)\, a Master’s in Educational Leadership (Concordia University)\, a Doctorate of Philosophy in Music Education (University of South Florida)\, a Doctorate of Education in Learning Design and Performance Technology (Florida State University)\, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting (University of Florida). \nDr. Graham is blessed to share life with his wife\, Casey (also a former educator)\, and daughter\, Aaliyah. His passion is to fight for ALL students to have an equitable educational experience tailored to their unique and individual needs in order for them to purse the best version of themselves. He works to continue positively impacting the next generation of world changers. \n\nFormat\n \n\nCone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Avenue\n11:30 – Lunch\n12:00 – Presentation begins\nRegistration deadline – Mon\, Nov 6th\n\n \nRegistration\nRegistration is now closed \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/the-e-word-reframing-and-understanding-how-equity-impacts-everyone/ LOCATION:Cone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/D.-Graham-Headshot-Braids-DOE-Cropped.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20231009T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20231009T130000 DTSTAMP:20231002T205717Z CREATED:20230925T215353Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231002T205717Z UID:732-1696851000-1696856400@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:Communicating about climate change: Informing the public about the threats we face – and what to do about them. DESCRIPTION:Oct 9th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \n \n\nwith Nathan Crabbe\nFlorida is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change such as extreme weather and rising sea levels. But the way we communicate about climate change can increase divisions and make it more difficult to reach consensus on solutions. Nathan Crabbe\, former opinion editor for The Gainesville Sun\, discusses the challenges of informing people about the climate threats facing the state in his new role as editor of The Invading Sea website. \nSpeaker Bio\nNathan Crabbe is editor of The Invading Sea\, a website featuring news\, commentary and educational content about climate change and other environmental issues affecting Florida. The website is managed by Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Environmental Studies. \nNathan previously worked for The Gainesville Sun newspaper from 2005 to 2022. He served for most of that time as the paper’s opinion and engagement editor. He also covered the University of Florida and environmental beats as a reporter. \nBefore that\, he investigated wrongful convictions for the Innocence Institute of Point Park University in Pittsburgh\, Pennsylvania\, and covered the environmental and county beats as a reporter for the Napa Valley Register in Napa\, California. He lives in Gainesville with his wife and two children \n\nFormat\nNote this forum will be held at a new location (Cone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Avenue). Please aim to arrive at 11:30 for lunch. The talk itself is scheduled to begin at noon. \nPlease register by Monday\, Oct 2nd. \nRegistration\nRegistration is closed \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/communicating-about-climate-change-informing-the-public-about-the-threats-we-face-and-what-to-do-about-them/ LOCATION:Cone Park Branch Library\, 2801 E. University Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32641\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/fa8e9039-c6c8-4f30-a341-f97d77910b07-1011124559_fl_gai_crabbemug.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20230911T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20230911T130000 DTSTAMP:20230908T134627Z CREATED:20230830T144745Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230908T134627Z UID:724-1694431800-1694437200@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:September Luncheon with Janet Coats DESCRIPTION:Sept 11th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \n \n\nPresenter Bio\nJanet Coats\, Managing Director of the Consortium of Trust in Media and Technology\nMs. Coats has been at the forefront of the seismic shifts in journalism and information culture over the last 25 years. She’s led large multimedia news organizations\, done groundbreaking work in civic engagement and reader outreach\, and built her own consulting company focused on engagement and sustainability strategies for non-profit and entrepreneurial news organizations. She is presently the Managing Director of the Consortium on Trust in Media and Technology\, College of Journalism\, University of Florida \nCoats is the former Executive Director for Innovation and Strategy at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. In that role\, she has oversight of the school’s media literacy efforts through its News Co/Lab\, the News21 national student reporting program\, faculty teaching associates\, and grant acquisition for sponsored research.\nPrior to joining Arizona State\, Coats was founder and CEO of Coats2Coats Consulting in Sarasota\, Florida\, an independent consulting firm focused on helping clients create relevant content\, develop community engagement and outreach strategies\, and build business plans focused on both philanthropic and earned revenue. She worked with non-profit newsrooms\, both public media and entrepreneurial startups\, to develop content strategies\, engagement and transparency methodology and revenue diversification approaches.\nFrom 1994 – 2009\, Coats held leadership positions at several news organizations\, including Senior Vice President of News and Executive Editor for The News Center in Tampa\, Florida\, and Executive Editor of the Sarasota (Florida) Herald-Tribune. From 2003-2004\, she served as Dean of the Faculty of The Poynter Institute\, a professional training school for journalists and communications professionals.\nCoats served as a Pulitzer Prize juror five times\, including as chair of the Public Service and Investigative Reporting juries. She served on the board of the American Society of News Editors\, twice chairing the national convention. \n\nFormat\nOur forums are now held at the Aloft Hotel\, 3743 Hull Road (behind the Hilton UF Conference Center). Please aim to arrive at 11:30 for lunch. The talk itself is scheduled to begin at noon. \nPlease register by Monday\, Sept 4th. \nRegistration\nRegistration is now closed for this event. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/september-luncheon-with-janet-coats/ LOCATION:Aloft Hotel\, 3743 Hull Road\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32607 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Janet-Coats.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20230508T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20230508T130000 DTSTAMP:20230504T203312Z CREATED:20230423T035657Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230504T203312Z UID:716-1683545400-1683550800@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:How I Got Here and What I’ve Learned Along the Way DESCRIPTION:May 8th from 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm \n \n\nPresenter Bio\nKay Abbitt\, Alachua County School Board\nKay Abbitt is currently representing District 5 on the Alachua County School Board. She taught in Alachua County schools for 10 years. She started a company that provided federally funded free tutoring to students in Florida and North Carolina which successfully served thousands of students. With her daughter\, she co-founded Boulware Springs Charter in NE Gainesville. This school was recognized a National ESEA Distinguished school in 2019 for gains made by students in the lowest quartile. Boulware has been recognized by the Florida Dept of Education as having high performing charter status. After retiring in 2022\, Kay decided to pursue her school board seat to work with district schools. \n\nFormat\nThis year our meetings will resume being in person (with lunch). Our forums are now held at the Aloft Hotel\, 3743 Hull Road (behind the Hilton UF Conference Center). Please aim to arrive at 11:30 for lunch. The talk itself is scheduled to begin at noon. \nPlease register by Monday\, May 1st. \nRegistration\nRegistration is now closed. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/kay-abbitt-alachua-county-school-board/ LOCATION:Aloft Hotel\, 3743 Hull Road\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32607 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/kay-abbitt.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20230410T113000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20230410T130000 DTSTAMP:20230406T175732Z CREATED:20230330T130425Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230406T175732Z UID:710-1681126200-1681131600@www.floridafreespeechforum.org SUMMARY:The Winner of the Brechner Center's Freedom of Information Award for 2023 DESCRIPTION:April 10th at 11:30 – 1:00 pm \nSpeaker Bio:\nOur eighth forum talk of this year will take place Monday\, April 10th. The speaker(s) will be one or both of the winners of this year’s Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Award winner. \n \n\nFormat\nThis year our meetings will resume being in person (with lunch). Our forums are now held at the Aloft Hotel\, 3743 Hull Road (behind the Hilton UF Conference Center). Please aim to arrive at 11:30 for lunch. The talk itself is scheduled to begin at noon. \nPlease register by MONDAY\, April 3rd. \nRegistration\nRegistration for this event has ended. \nIf you’d like to be added to our email list\, please reach out via our contact form or join as a member to be automatically added to our email list. URL:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/event/the-winner-of-the-brechner-centers-freedom-of-information-award-for-2023/ LOCATION:Aloft Hotel\, 3743 Hull Road\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32607 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.floridafreespeechforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Brechner-Center-logo-square.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR