Celebrating Democracy Together
Free Speech Fest is organized by local Third Act volunteers and staffed by generous volunteers who have a passion for journalism, zine making, our Bill of Rights, art, advocacy, books, history, and of course freedom of speech.
Our goals are to celebrate our heritage of free speech, inspire visitors to explore the various ways we use it in our democracy, and bring Americans of all ages together on our 250th anniversary.
Thank You to Local Groups and Volunteers
Key local groups and volunteers that will be hosting interactive activities and speaking to visitors about their areas of expertise include:
The CC Journalism Institute specializes in the importance of local news, which will be their focus at the event. We are thrilled to have Steven Hayward, journalist, author, podcaster, and documentary film co-director and Corey Hutchins, fellow journalist who also writes the weekly "Inside the News in Colorado" and maintains the Colorado News Mapping Project to help Coloradans find and learn about sources of local news, hosting a table and talking with us. They will be joined by two editors from CC's The Catalyst student newspaper.
Third Act is a nationwide community of Americans over sixty determined to change the world for the better, ensuring a safe and stable planet for generations to come. Free Speech Fest is part of the group's democracy initiative building a movement that harnesses the wisdom and power of elders while also supporting youth to create a better future.
UCCS Galleries of Contemporary Art (GOCA) at the Ent Center for the Arts, seeks to spark engaged dialogue about contemporary culture through art exhibitions, programs, and lectures. GOCA likes to say that they are a place where exhibitions are free, refreshments are plentiful and humor is welcome.
Concrete Couch works with kids and community groups to create public art, to build community, and to create environments and experiences that humanize our world.
Improv Colorado offers shows as well as workshops that are helpful for anyone who wants to improve their public speaking ability, listening skills, or just have fun learning how to improvise.
Pikes Peak Zine Fest co-founders Jennifer Eltringham, who is an online user experience designer, researcher, and former librarian, and Kelsey Choo, artist and self-publisher of comics, zines and other art, help the community get started with zines, small books, and printed art.
John Schoch, retired senior analyst and critical thinking instructor for the Department of Defense, built a high performance analytics team to help counter terrorism. Now he spends time in the community advocating for people to "fight climate change not each other" and will share what he has learned about free speech, misinformation, and talking with people who disagree.
Beth Garner, co-organizer, loves books and had the idea to bring people of all ages together for fun activities and to explore the many ways free speech contributes to our lives, our community, and our democracy. The result is Free Speech Fest!
Rick Lynch, co-organizer, won a PRNews Platinum Award for global communications using simple tools you probably have at home. He has also helped at-risk youth find a voice through murals, poetry, photography, and TV production.
Thank you to our many additional volunteers who will be helping with the event. We couldn't do it without you!