2023 Summit

Resources

• Watch the session recordings on YouTube
• Summit flyer (PDF)
• Afternoon session flyer: Religious Freedom in the Workplace (PDF)
• Evening session flyer (PDF)

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

DHHRM - Location information for participants

Logistics

• Date: Tuesday October 3, 2023
• Time: 10:00 am - 7:30 pm
• Venue: Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
• Parking available nearby (across the street)
• DART Station within 500 feet
• Registration fee: $25 includes parking, lunch and light dinner (with dietary options)
• CLE Qualified

Summary Agenda

10:00 Registration and packet pickup

10:30 Welcome to Summit and opening session

• Morning session with local business leaders and ERG participants.
• Religious freedom and expression in employee recruiting and retention Bringing your whole self to work
• Introduction by Dr. Jack Goodyear, Dean of Humanities at Dallas Baptist University
• Moderator: Father Greg McBrayer (American Airlines)
• Panelists: Steve Helms (Dell), Sumreen Ahmad (Accenture)

12:00 Lunch

Religious Freedom in the Workplace Opportunities, Challenges, and Finding Clarity After Groff (CLE credit) (Download Flyer)

• Moderator: Judge Brantley Starr, U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Texas
• Panelists: Janet Dhillon (former Chair of EEOC, former GC of JC Penney, Burlington, and US Airways); Jared Sine (CLO Match); Hiram Sasser (First Liberty); Amrith Aakre (Legal Director, the Sikh Coalition)

1:40 Afternoon Discussion - Religious Freedom as Freedom for All

• Steve Collis (founding faculty director of the Bech-Loughlin First Amendment Center & Law and Religion Clinic, Univ. of Texas School of Law); Faraz Harsini (founder and DEO of Allied Scholars for Animal Protection); Daraius Dubash

Breakout Sessions

2:45 The Respect for Marriage Act, Transgender Laws, and the Intersection of Religious Freedom and LGBTQ Interests.

• Moderator: Mark Romney (Romney Law Firm)
• Panelists: Shannon Minter (National Center for Lesbian Rights); Gene Schaerr (Schaerr Jaffe LLP); Tim Schultz (1st Amendment Partnership)

2:45 Religious Inclusivity in the Workplace from the Perspective of Employees

• Introduction by Father Greg McBrayer (American Airlines)
• Discussion led by Father McBrayer with Marriott School case study team Matt Young and Ben Williams

3:45 Break

4:00 Religious Freedom in the Military (CLE credit)

• Moderator: Richard Salgado (McDermott, Will & Emery)
• Panelists: Mike Berry (First Liberty); Elizabeth Tomlin (GC Archdiocese of military); Dr. Kamal S. Kalsi (US Army Physician and White House AANHPI Commissioner)

5:15 Reception with Heavy Hors d’oeuvres

6:00 The Impact of Religious Freedoms Across Diverse Faith Traditions (Download Flyer)

• Moderator: Dr. Robert Hunt (Director of Global Theological Education at SMU)
• Panelists: Dr. Randel Everett (21st Century Wilberforce Initiative); Shaykh Azhar Azeez (Islamic Relief of USA); Rabbi Andrew Paley (Temple Shalom); President Calvin Griffin (President of Denton Texas Stake, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints); Maha Iskandar (Chair, Interfaith Alliance of Irving)