Backyard Skeptics

There’s plenty of parking in front of Luna Grill. If you are yearning for coffee or breakfast foods for our Sunday Brunch Discussion group, you can get some takeout and bring it to Luna Grill to enjoy! This location will give us a fully covered patio to be out of the rain or sun, or if it’s cold, we can move inside to a large table we can share.

COME JOIN US !

This meetup is held the 1st Sunday of every month.

It's a laid back meetup designed to provide a less formal atmosphere and an opportunity to discuss a wide range of topics. Enjoy a casual meal with your fellow free thinkers.

We are a group inclusive of different ideas and perspectives, but we do not tolerate trolls. If your purpose is to simply disrupt the group, you will be asked to leave.

Please update your RSVP if you're unable to make it.

Hope to see you there!

In this talk Samantha McGuire, Director of Grassroots & Advocacy at American Atheists, will be outlining how white Christian Nationalism threatens both democracy and the true principle of religious freedom by tracing the movement's evolution from Cold War-era propaganda through today's coordinated attacks like Project 2025, examining legislative trends both nationally and California, and providing strategies for protecting our rights and our communities.
McGuire has a diverse background in counseling, education, event planning, and volunteer management. As Director of Grassroots Organizing & Advocacy she works to expand the organization’s grassroots network, shapes state-level advocacy initiatives, and builds strong coalitions with allied organizations. In this role, she oversees volunteer organizers, community leaders, and field staff to mobilize supporters, influence policy, promote secular values, and foster thriving communities.

Sam became involved in secular organizing and activism following the 2012 Reason Rally, first becoming a founding member of the Southern Maryland Chapter of the Washington Area Secular Humanists (WASH) and later President of the regional organization. Sam has volunteered for the American Humanist Association, Camp Quest Chesapeake, and the Secular Coalition for America.

In 2016, she was the volunteer coordinator for over 200 volunteers for Reason Rally, as well as helping coordinate on-site logistics. She was elected to the Board of Directors and as President of the Reason Rally Coalition. Sam previously served as a volunteer regional director overseeing the local activism in the Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland areas for American Atheists, earning her the Atheist Activist of the Year award in 2019. She joined American Atheists’ staff that same year as National Field Director.

McGuire has a Bachelor’s of Science in Neuropsychology from the University of Massachusetts and a Master’s of Science in Counseling from Johns Hopkins. She is a National Certified Counselor and a Certified Humanist Celebrant.