The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Heinz Endowments are co-hosting a conference, June 21 and 22, Downtown. Community leaders, residents, educators, students, legal professionals, elected officials, artists and members of the media will hear directly from national and regional experts about the First Amendment’s vital role in ensuring thriving communities.
The First Amendment for the 21st Century: Current Threats and Community Responses conference is organized to explore the First Amendment guarantees covering freedom of religion, expression, the press, public assembly and government petition. Among those headlining the event will be April Ryan, White House correspondent and Washington, D.C. bureau chief for American Urban Radio Networks; and Mickey Edwards, Republican member of Congress representing Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District for 16 years, and now vice president of the Aspen Institute and lecturer at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.
The event is free but seating is limited to 400 and attendees are encouraged to register now at www.1apittsburgh.org/ to guarantee their place in what is expected to be a sold-out event. The event will be presented June 21 at the August Wilson Center, 980 Liberty Ave.; and on June 22, at the Creative and Performing Arts School, 111 9th St.