Emerson Silvernail

Emerson participated in the Statesmanship and Religious Freedom Seminar in Washington, D.C. prior to his graduation from Calvin University in 2020. Serving as Student Body President of the Christian institution at the time, Silvernail joined a religiously and ethnically diverse cohort in exploring the important role of religious liberty in protecting human dignity and promoting flourishing communities. “Participating taught me that religious liberty is more than a Constitutionalist principle; it is a practice that requires individuals to take personal responsibility in honoring others’ belief systems and celebrating our shared natural rights.”

Emerson’s experiences in his RFI seminar echoed themes from his academic studies, particularly the historical treatment of Native Americans. “Touring the Holocaust Museum was a somber reminder of how a government can violate religious liberties in an attempt to obliterate a people and their culture” and Emerson found some starting similarities to his own research as an undergraduate.

Since his time at SaRF DC, Emerson has been working in the Michigan Legislature and preparing for law school with the goal of eventually working for Tribal governments. “The lessons I learned from my RFI seminar have continued to be relevant to my career and life. Statesmanship is a much-needed quality in public servants today, and without it, we cannot hope to bring renewal to our polarized political process and government-to-government relationships.”