Robyn Blumner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robyn Blumner
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Blumner in 2013
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Robyn Ellen Blumner
May 14, 1961 New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Cornell University (BA) New York University (JD) |
| Occupation | Journalist, author, president and CEO at Center for Inquiry |
| Known for | Center For Inquiry Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science American Civil Liberties Union |
Robyn Ellen Blumner was born on May 14, 1961. She is an American lawyer and expert in civil rights. Currently, she leads two important groups: the Center for Inquiry (CFI) and the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. Both groups focus on science education and promoting a non-religious view of the world. Before these roles, she worked for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). There, she helped protect people's basic rights. Later, she became a newspaper writer in Florida.
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Early Life and Education
Robyn Blumner was born in Queens, New York City, in 1961. Her parents were teachers. They were also active in their workers' unions and in politics. Her mother was a Democrat. Her father was an independent voter, meaning he didn't always vote for the same party. Robyn's grandmother had a law degree, but she couldn't work as a lawyer. This was because women were not allowed to get the training needed back then.
Robyn's parents were Jewish. Her father actively practiced his faith. Robyn started to question religion around age 11. She stopped attending Hebrew school and did not have a Bat Mitzvah. Still, she feels connected to her Jewish background. She believes that being Jewish is more about shared values than religious practice.
She grew up in Glen Cove, Long Island. She became interested in politics when she was young. She handed out flyers for Senator George McGovern in 1972. She also started a group for young Democrats at her school.
In 1982, Robyn earned a degree from Cornell University. She studied how workers and businesses get along. After that, she went to New York University School of Law. She finished her law degree in 1985. While studying, she worked for groups that help workers. She even became an assistant director for labor relations.
Around this time, Robyn started volunteering for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). She was very interested in their work on reproductive freedom. This made her decide that she wanted to work to protect people's rights.
Career Highlights
Protecting Civil Liberties
From 1987, Robyn was the leader of the ACLU in Utah. She often spoke out about important topics. These included the right to speak freely.
In 1989, she became the director of the ACLU in Florida. She worked on many issues. These included the right to make choices about one's body, the right to protest, and other First Amendment rights. She also fought against sexual discrimination. The ACLU honored her work with two awards in 2001 and 2010.
Journalism Work
From 1998 to 2014, Robyn wrote opinion pieces for the Tampa Bay Times newspaper. Her articles were published in many papers across the country. She was known as a columnist and editorial writer. In 2012, Robyn and her team were finalists for a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing. This was for their deep investigation into a state governor. They looked at how his lack of experience affected the state.
Robyn has also written for other publications. These include the Center for Inquiry and Time magazine. She shares her knowledge as a CEO and her experience in civil liberties. She has also written introductions for books by other authors.
From 2008 to 2009, she also wrote regularly for Huffington Post.
Science Education and Secularism
In 2004, Robyn received an award from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. It's called the "Emperor Has No Clothes Award." This award celebrates people who speak openly about the problems they see with religion.
In February 2014, Robyn became the leader of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (RDFRS). This group promotes science and reason.
In 2016, the RDFRS joined with the Center for Inquiry (CFI). Robyn then became the CEO and president of CFI. Some people thought this would make her one of the most powerful women in the world of organized atheism. Atheism means not believing in a god.
Robyn often speaks at conferences about science, secularism, and atheism. Secularism means separating religion from government and public life. These events include CSICon, Reason Rally, and Apostacon.
In 2016, as president of CFI, Robyn started a new project called Secular Rescue. This project helps people who don't believe in a god, especially those who face danger for their views. It offers emergency support, help to escape, and legal aid. Robyn spoke at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in 2017. She talked about the unfair treatment of atheists in Malaysia. She pushed for freedom of thought for everyone. By January 2018, Secular Rescue had helped 30 people. This included the writer Ahmedur Rashid Chowdhury.
Personal Life
Robyn Blumner describes herself as an atheist and a secularist. She also says she is a liberal. She is married and lives in Washington, DC.
