UNC Alumni Free Speech Alliance reflects broader trend of campus alumni engagement
The UNC Alumni Free Speech Alliance is an independent, nonpartisan organization founded in 2021 to combat campus “unrest” related to free speech, according to its website. The alumni-led organization is known for hosting events on campus featuring guest speakers discussing free speech issues and partnering with similar groups, including the Student Free Speech Alliance at UNC-Chapel Hill.
UNC AFSA is one of 27 branches of the broader AFSA network. AFSA exists to preserve the pursuit of truth in American higher education, according to its website.
The organization is particularly involved in current campus free speech debates, Kendall Williams, a UNC alumna and board member of UNC AFSA, said. Williams said she thinks this is due to a broader rise in political polarization.