conferences – SIMCHA FISHER

I’ve been putting off featuring Rehumanize International for my pro-life spotlight, because I love them so much and wanted to do them justice.

However, I just got my hot little hands on a discount code for their upcoming conference, so today’s the day! The conference is at at Loyola in New Orleans, and it’s from Oct. 18-20. Details below.

If I were anywhere in the area, I would absolutely be there. You know I reject the whole “vote GOP or the baby gets it” mode of being pro-life, but I also get frustrated with “whole life” thinking that’s so open-ended, it doesn’t have time for cheesy stuff like protecting the unborn. Left and right, pro-lifers and pro-choicers both so often descend into dehumanizing someone, all for the sake of the cause.

REHUMANIZE INTERNATIONAL never does this. Rehumanize International is the antidote. All of their work is marked with a genuine concern for the life and dignity of all human persons.

Lately, I’m especially impressed by Rehumanize International’s dedication to featuring the voices of pro-life people of color, including a former abortion clinic worker who’ll be speaking at the conference. (They also have kickass swag.)

Use the code RUSH to get $20 off any ticket purchased. This code is only valid for this week. This is an amazing freaking deal, as you’ll see if you look at the tremendous line-up they’re offering. If you can’t make it, share the code! Here’s the details about the conference:

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The lineup of speakers is extraordinary, the wide-ranging depth of the presentations will enlighten and engage you, and the community of attendees will become fast friends. This year’s conference will include talks by abortion survivors and a death row survivor… as well as a session with a veteran for peace, a former abortion clinic worker who works for life, and a former state executioner who now works to end the death penalty. We feature the voices of grassroots advocates and experts on topics ranging from war and peacemaking to embryonic stem cell research and affirming life.

We at Rehumanize International embrace a philosophy called the Consistent Life Ethic, and we know that y’all would benefit immensely from the edifying talks that will engage and equip you for your work for human dignity.

You really don’t want to miss this phenomenal event!

Regular General Admission passes are so affordable: Adult tickets are $75, and Student tickets are only $50!

You can register now: www.rehumanizeintl.org/conference

BUT WAIT!!! — The Rehumanize team doesn’t want finances to be an obstacle to attendance — if you and your friends and followers want to come, but the cost is just not doable right now, send us an email (aimee@rehumanizeintl.org) and we’ll work out a scholarship, discount, or fee waiver option for you! We don’t want finances to get in the way of folks hearing these vital messages of our inherent human worth.

Here’s a rundown of what this year’s conference will include:

Friday, October 18

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM — 40 Days for Life Vigil outside local abortion clinic

5:30 PM – 9:00 PM — Create | Encounter art show

Saturday, October 19

8:00 AM — Registration opens

9:15 – 10:00 AM — Keynote 1: On Dehumanizing Language

Herb Geraghty, Rehumanize International

10:15 – 11:45 AM — Workshop 1: ISO Secular Abortion Recovery Resources

Kelsey Hazzard, Secular Pro-Life

Michaelene Fredenburg, Abortion Changes You

10:15 – 11:00 AM — Breakout Session 1

A: Where Did I Leave My Shield? (on suicide prevention)

Kara Wiggins

B: A Post-Abortive Sibling’s Testimony

Krista Corbello, Rehumanize International

C: Literary Device as Defense for the Indigenous

Jennifer Reeser

FORUM: Alternatives to Violence

Lisa Stiller, Consistent Life Network

11:15 – 12:00 PM — Breakout Session 2

D: Building a Whole Life Culture in Louisiana

Rep. Katrina Jackson (D) – LA state representative

E: Grassroots Organizing 101

Greta Zarro, World Beyond War

F: Accompanying Survivors of Sexual Violence

Aimee Murphy, Rehumanize International

FORUM: Preventing Burnout: Self-Care for Activists

Alex Lucas, Wolf Pack for Life

12:00 – 1:00 PM — LUNCH & service project

Lunch Sponsor TBD

1:00 – 2:00 PM — Keynote 2: Leaving Violent Institutions

Thad Crouch, Veterans for Peace

Jerry Givens, former VA executioner

Toni Turner, former abortion clinic worker

2:15 – 3:10 PM — Workshop 2: Equipping the Church to Uphold Life

NOLA Embrace Grace

2:15 – 3:00 PM — Breakout Session 3

G: Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress, Moral Injury, and the CLE

Rachel MacNair, Consistent Life Network

H: The Secular Case Against Abortion

Kelsey Hazzard, Secular Pro-Life

I: Rehumanizing Immigrants & Refugees

Martin Gutierrez, Catholic Charities of New Orleans

FORUM: Voting & Politics

Alex Seghers, Louisiana Right to Life

3:15 – 4:15 PM — Keynote 3: I Survived Abortion

Claire Culwell, abortion survivor

Josiah Presley, abortion survivor

4:15 – 4:40 PM — Networking break

4:45 – 5:30 PM — Keynote 4: I Survived Death Row

Death Row Exoneree, Witness to Innocence

5:45 – 8:00 PM — Dinner on your own

8:30 – 9:00 PM — Vigil for Victims of Ableism (for Disability Rights)

Sunday, October 20

8:30 AM – Registration opens

9:30 -10:30 AM — Keynote 5: Countering Ableism in Medicine

Sarah Terzo, Consistent Life Network & PLAGAL

Sophie Trist, Wolf Pack for Life

Jamie Duplechine, Ms. Wheelchair Louisiana USA 2016-17

John “Frank” Stephens, Former global messenger with Special Olympics

10:45 – 11:45 AM — Workshop 3: Working w/ Incarcerated People for Justice Reform

Miea Walker, Forward Justice

Shareef Cousin, Witness to Innocence

10:45 – 11:30 AM — Breakout Session 4

J: Restorative Justice After Abortion

Catherine Glenn Foster, Americans United for Life

Aimee Murphy, Rehumanize International

K: Choosing Life After Rape

Jennifer Christie, Love Louder

L: Ending Violence Against LGBT People

Alice Lee, LGBT advocate

FORUM: Disability Inclusion

Sophie Trist, Wolfpack for Life

11:30 AM – 12:50 PM — LUNCH on your own

11:45 AM – 12:45 PM — Rehumanize Baton Rouge/NOLA Meetup

1:00 – 2:00 PM — Keynote 6: Restorative Justice After Slavery

Ismail Smith-Wade-El

2:15 – 3:45 PM — Workshop 4: Rehumanizing Art

Maria Oswalt, Rehumanize International

2:15 – 3:00 PM — Breakout Session 5

M: Overlooked: Women and Incarceration

Miea Walker, Forward Justice

N: The Revolution: 100 Years of Pro-Life Feminism

Deanna Wallace

O: Guantanamo & History of US Torture

Marie Meza, Witness Against Torture

FORUM: Protests, Marches, and Nonviolent Actions

TJ Burgess, National Men for Life

3:15 – 4:00 PM — Breakout Session 6

P: Apocalypse Never: Why We Must Reject Nuclear Weapons

John Whitehead, Consistent Life Network

Q: Embryo Rights Beyond Abortion

Herb Geraghty, Rehumanize International

R: Assisted Suicide & Ableism

Diane Coleman, Not Dead Yet

FORUM: Women in the Movement

Madison Tuck & Sophie Trist, Wolf Pack for Life

We hope that you can see how valuable of an event this would be to you and your friends, and that y’all will join us in the Big Easy in a couple weeks — we promise that you will learn so much, you will be truly edified and strengthened in your activism to rehumanize the world! Please share this opportunity with your colleagues, volunteers, and anyone else who you think might be interested.

Use the code RUSH to get $20 off any ticket purchased. This code is only valid for this week.

Busy busy! Tomorrow at 1:30 eastern, I’ll be on America This Week (Sirius XM Catholic Channel) talking with Fr. Paddy Gilger, Fr. Eric Sundrup and America Senior Editor J.D. Long-Garcia about my July cover article, How the church can help (or hurt) women in abusive marriages.

What priests say to women in abusive relationships can be life-changing.

Many women in abusive marriages struggle to share their experiences with anyone. Women of faith turn to priests who often do not know how to advise them. What options are left for women in these situations? How can the church be more helpful?

In this week’s Behind the Story, Senior Editor J.D. Long-García speaks with Simcha Fisher, author of “How the church can help (or hurt) women in abusive marriages,” from our July 9th issue. They’ll be happy to address your questions during the conversation. Please comment below, send us a Direct Message or if you’d rather remain anonymous, please email behindthestory@americamedia.org.

No one wants to admit they are in an abusive marriage, but there are options available for those who are ready.

Thursday at 12:30 eastern, I’ll be on Facebook Live to discuss the topic again, and you can participate in this chat by commenting on this Facebook thread or emailing behindthestory@americamedia.org. You can click on the link to get a reminder for the live chat.

Finally, I’ll be at the Year of the Family Conference in Burlington, VT, on August 25. I’ll be giving the afternoon keynote address: The Family as Icon, and also an interactive breakout session: Supporting couples who use NFP: How to help, and what to avoid. The breakout session is intended for those directly involved in teaching and supporting the use of NFP. There are ten breakout sessions, and attendees may choose two. Register here ($30).

My kids have been busy, too. Here is what they did yesterday. My only contribution was to say, “No, you may not use caramel sauce and red food coloring for blood.”