Brian's Birthday Gift

My husband, Brian Samuel Agler, died from colorectal cancer at age 31, on June 17, 2020. He never got to meet our son, Sam, who was born six weeks later. Each year, in honor of his birthday, I choose an organization that Brian would have loved to support, and fundraise in his honor. In other words: Brian's Birthday Gift.

 

To celebrate Brian's 33rd birthday on February 19, I'm raising money for an organization that my husband would have supported wholeheartedly: Texas Freedom Network. TFN is a grassroots organization dedicating to protecting public education (think - no textbook censorship), reproductive rights, individual liberties, and religious freedom in Texas. TFN acts as the state’s watchdog for monitoring far-right issues, organizations, money and leaders. The organization has been instrumental in defeating initiatives backed by the religious right in Texas, including private school vouchers and textbook censorship at the State Board of Education.

 

Brian spent many of his formative years growing up outside of Houston, and often found himself in the minority in terms of his politics (liberal!) and his religious background - which he'd describe as culturally Jewish. When Brian was a high school student, he entered the school talent show with a stand-up comedy routine - a bold act for any high schooler - and was promptly censored by school administrators. Why? Because he told a joke that mentioned - not offensively, even - religion.

 

Brian would be a huge fan of the TFN Education Fund. It supports research and civic education efforts promoting religious freedom, individual liberties and public education. For instance, in 2019, the fund published a report on the status of abstinence-only sex education in Texas schools, and made recommendations for updating curriculum. In 2020, TFN published a report on the state of climate change education in Texas schools.

 

If 305 people each donate $33, in honor of Brian's 33rd birthday, we will make our goal! Thank you for supporting Texas Freedom Network - in doing so, you're supporting the rights of students to learn about sex education, climate change, LGBTQ rights and so many other important issues. Brian would be so grateful.