Conference Speakers

Samuel J. Abrams is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on questions of civic and political culture and American ideology. He is concurrently a professor of politics and social science at Sarah Lawrence College, and a faculty fellow with New York University’s Center for Advanced Social Science Research. Dr. Abrams has been widely published in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Real Clear, the Washington Post, American Interest, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, among others, and he is the author of several books on a variety of topics including public opinion, Congress, religion and society, and polarization. 

Aliyah Ansari is the Teen Health Strategist for the NYCLU. She work as an adolescent sexuality educator for the New  York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as well as several community based organizations. Through the NYCLU’s Education Policy Center, Aliyah empowers young  people to apply a civil liberties lens to health and sexual health education in order to advocate for their rights.

Noah Bopp is Founder and Head of School of the School for Ethics and Global Leadership, a semester school program that provides intellectually motivated high school juniors who represent the diversity of the United States with the best possible opportunity to shape themselves into ethical leaders who create positive change in our world. He has nearly two decades of teaching experience starting at St. George’s School in Newport, Rhode Island, where he taught history and philosophy, and chaired the school’s Community Service Council.

Senator Jabari Brisport is a life-long resident of Brooklyn. Born in Bed-Stuy and raised in Prospect Heights, Senator Brisport is the son of an undocumented immigrant and a proud Caribbean-American. He represents New York’s 25th State Senate district, which includes Clinton Hill, Navy Yard, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Ocean Hill, and parts of Fort Greene, Prospect Heights, and Brownsville. 

Reverend Kimberly Council is Deputy Brooklyn Borough President. Council is a Law Librarian, Assistant Pastor at Greater Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, former non-profit executive, and mom of two. She has dedicated her life to community service, led by her faith, and is currently running to be Brooklyn Borough President.

Dr. David A. Davidson is a member of the History and Social Science Department at The Dalton School. He holds a BA from Yale University, and an MA and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. He recently organized a schoolwide symposium on the state of American democracy, and has also organized programming on the historical and contemporary dimensions of free-speech discourse. 

Charles D. Fall is the New York State Assembly Assistant Majority Leader. He proudly represents New York’s 61st Assembly District covering the North Shore of Staten Island, Lower Manhattan and parts of  Brooklyn, and is the first Muslim and African American Assembly member elected from Staten Island. He comes from a working-class family of six. His parents immigrated to Staten Island from Guinea, West Africa, and displayed a commitment to improving the lives of those around them.

Olivia Eve Gross graduated from the University of Chicago, majoring in Fundamentals: Issues and Texts, where she studied Plato’s Gorgias to explore how people can "agreeably disagree." She also earned a Master's in International Relations, focusing on the commodification of norms. Olivia founded the first ever High School Law Review chapter when she was in high school. She is excited to build a powerful network and explore how constitutional law can continue to foster meaningful dialogue and understanding.

Alexandra (Alex) Lehman is the Co-Founder and Executive Director emeritus of Coalition Z, a national youth advocacy and civic engagement organization. She recently graduated from Brown University, where she concentrated in International & Public Affairs and Gender & Sexuality Studies. Alex has worked for the United Nations Foundation, the International Crisis Group, and Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL). Additionally, Alex recently completed a 7-year research project on the intersection of gender and genocide that took her to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Guatemala, Hungary, Indonesia, and Rwanda. She currently works for the U.S. House of Representatives and hopes to pursue a career in impact litigation. 

Blake McGill is an anchor producer for CNN News Central. She previously served in communications roles in the private sector focused on healthcare and tech policy, and on several political campaigns. In 2022, Blake organized the Un-Convention, a bipartisan policy summit, in collaboration with the Bipartisan Policy Center, Unite America, and The Michael Smerconish Program. Blake holds a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in Government, Economics, and Philosophy. Blake currently lives in Washington, D.C.

Askar Mirza is the 20-year-old Commissioner of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. Known for his youthful energy and leadership, Askar has taken on the role of commissioner at an age when most are still navigating their academic careers. Askar has become a voice for youth in local governance, advocating for issues that affect his generation while also fostering connections between young people and civic institutions. 

Dean Phillips is a father, businessman, civic leader, eternal optimist, and Representative for Minnesota's Third Congressional District in Congress. In Congress, Dean is focused on restoring Americans' faith in our  government. He's on a mission to inspire a new era of collaboration in Washington, pursue common ground for the common good, and end the corrupting influence of special interest money in our politics.