The Center for Freethought Equality is a left-of-center atheist advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. ¹

It advocates for freedom from religion and the civil rights of nonreligious people and keeps a scorecard of congressional legislation it deems important to the “atheist and humanist community.” It also runs a political action committee (PAC) that works to increase the number of atheists and “humanists” in public office, and keeps a list of all atheist and humanist elected officials. ²

Activities

Center for Freethought Equality allows supporters to become members for free. Members are kept informed about the group’s activities and the activities of the Freethought Equality Fund PAC, and given opportunities to offer their opinions on policy. ³ It also allows members to vote for candidates for its board of directors and attend its annual meeting. ⁴

The organization advocates for religious freedom and civil rights of nonreligious persons. It keeps a scorecard of congressional legislation it deems important to the “atheist and humanist community.” These include bills related to climate change and environmentalism, human rights, civil liberties, religious freedom, health care, and safety. ⁵ It also runs a political action committee (PAC) that works to increase the number of atheists and “humanists” in public office and keeps a list of all atheist and humanist elected officials. ^{6 7}

Declaration for American Democracy

Center for Freethought Equality is a member of the Declaration for American Democracy (DFAD), a coalition comprised of over 250 groups that support the proposed “Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act.” The Act, named after the late U.S. Representative John Lewis (D-GA), would federalize elections, strengthen the Federal Election Commission (FEC), and remove many conventional election integrity measures. It would require states to make permanent emergency measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, including, including early voting, mass vote by mail (not only for absentees), and lenient voter ID laws. It would additionally make election day a federal holiday, introduce automatic same-day voter registration, and establish “federal protections” to prevent state and local election officials from receiving “undue partisan influence and control.” ⁸

DFAD claims as a “guarantee” that The Freedom to Vote Act would ensure “fair” redistricting nationwide, and promises allegedly nonpartisan election oversight from the FEC. Furthermore, it would require super PACs, 501(c)(4) groups, and other organizations to disclose all donors, and would effectively shut down donor advised funds. It also aims to set up a fund to finance ongoing “innovations” in democracy and election infrastructure. The fund would be replenished by penalty fees paid by states who commit infractions against new election laws. Each state would get a disbursement from the fund to finance “eligible democracy and election-related investments.” ⁹

Funding

In 2021, Center for Freethought Equality reported revenue of $304,069, expenses of $335,611, and net assets of $83,049. ¹⁰

Leadership

As of 2023, Nadya Dutchin was the executive director of Center for Freethought Equality. She was previously the co-executive director of Power Shift Network, an environmentalist organization. ¹¹

As of 2023, Center for Freethought Equality’s board of directors included Judy Adkins, Harvard and MIT Humanist Chaplain and author Greg M. Epstein, founder of Humanist Learning Systems Jennifer Hancock, executive director of Recovering from Religion Gayle Jordan, officer of IL NOW Howard Katz, founder of the Robert G. Ingersoll Oratory Contest Steven Lowe, political consultant Karina Quintanilla, democratic chair of a Colorado district Renee L. Reif, and vice president of the Secular Humanist Society of New York John Wagner. ¹²

1. “About.” Cfequality.org. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.cfequality.org/about/cfe.
2. “About.” Cfequality.org. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.cfequality.org/about/cfe.
3. “Center for Freethought Equality.” Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.cfequality.org/.
4. “Membership.” Cfequality.org. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.cfequality.org/membership.
5. “Congressional Scorecards.” Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.cfequality.org/issues/congressionalscorecard.
6. “About.” Cfequality.org. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.cfequality.org/about/cfe.
7. “Humanist, Atheist, Agnostic and Nonreligious Elected Officials.” Cfequality.org. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.cfequality.org/secular-elected-officials.
8. “Declaration for American Democracy.” DFADCoalition.org. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://dfadcoalition.org/. Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20230204223830/https://dfadcoalition.org/.
9. “Declaration for American Democracy.” DFADCoalition.org. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://dfadcoalition.org/. Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20230204223830/https://dfadcoalition.org/.
10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Center for Emergent Diplomacy. 2021. Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
11. “Staff.” Cfequality.org. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.cfequality.org/staff.
12. “Board.” Cfequality.org. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.cfequality.org/board.