FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org
The New England First Amendment Coalition will present a panel discussion on the First Amendment and the free press from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on May 15 at the Leominster Public Library, 30 West Street, Leominster, Mass.
The program is free and open to the public. It is presented as part of the library’s focus on social justice during the month of February, and its year-long “Leominster Library University” slate of educational programs. Speakers include:
RICHARD GAGLIUSO | A member of NEFAC’s Board of Directors, Gagliuso has years of experience representing the media in issues like libel and privacy claims, efforts to gain access to public records and proceedings and the myriad legal issues that may arise during the newsgathering and reporting process.
JUSTIN SILVERMAN | Silverman is executive director of NEFAC and a Massachusetts-based attorney. A former journalist and publisher, he worked for several news organizations before attending law school in Boston and joining the coalition.
SUSAN SPENCER | Spencer covers regional Worcester County news as well as health, investigative and environmental issues for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. She has worked for the daily newspaper as a staff reporter for eight years plus an additional five years as a freelance correspondent.
NEFAC offers discussions on journalism and the First Amendment as part of its Featured Speaker Program, launched in January 2018 to help increase First Amendment education in high schools, college classrooms and community centers. NEFAC recently presented to students at the University of New Hampshire; high school students in Bridgeport, Conn., and at the annual New England Scholastic Press Association conference at Boston University, among other New England locations and audiences.
NEFAC was formed in 2006 to advance and protect the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment, including the principle of the public’s right to know. We’re a broad-based organization of people who believe in the power of an informed democratic society. Our members include lawyers, journalists, historians, academics and private citizens.
Our coalition is funded through contributions made by those who value the First Amendment and who strive to keep government accountable. Please make a donation here.
Major Supporters of NEFAC include the Barr Foundation, The Providence Journal Charitable Legacy Fund, The Boston Globe, WBUR and Boston University.