Sebastian Junger’s Reflection on Death and What Might Follow…

Sebastian Junger, author of the blockbuster, "The Perfect Storm," will discuss his latest book, "In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife."

This book is Mr. Junger’s powerful reflection on death — and what might follow — inspired by his near-fatal health emergency.  In the summer of 2020, Mr. Junger became crippled by abdominal pain and was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Once there, he began slipping away. As blackness encroached, he was visited by his dead father, inviting Mr. Junger to join him. “It’s okay,” his father said. “There’s nothing to be scared of. I’ll take care of you.” That was the last thing he remembered until he came to the next day when he was told he had suffered a ruptured aneurysm that he should not have survived.

This experience spurred Junger—a confirmed atheist—to undertake a scientific, philosophical, and deeply personal examination of mortality and what happens after we die. "In My Time of Dying" is part drama, part autobiography, and part scientific inquiry into the mystery of death. We’ll take audience questions.

Larry Elliott will embody Abe Lincoln as he provides Lincoln’s viewpoint of history as he lived it. He will not stray out of character even for questions unless specifically asked to do so. He will recite the Gettysburg Address in his presentation, and he will focus on the Civil War years more than the early years of Lincoln’s life, although he has the knowledge to speak on any period. Make sure the kids join us for this presentation!He will discuss the problems Lincoln encountered with the other branches of government and with his own cabinet. He will also mention his own personal life at that time, giving some insights not well known to us today. It will feel as though Lincoln himself is standing before us, speaking personally to each of us.

ABOUT LARRY ELLIOTT

Larry Elliott has portrayed Abraham Lincoln at over 1,500 schools during the past 22 years. Larry hails from Hodgenville, KY, where Lincoln was born. Larry’s Great-Great-Great Grandmother, Mary Brooks Larue, was the midwife who helped deliver Lincoln on February 12, 1809, in a 1-room dirt floor log cabin. Larry says that is his link to Lincoln!Larry’s similarities to Lincoln include the following: he’s 6’4″; he’s slim and homely; he has a wife named Mary; he has 4 sons; he’s a strong believer in the Bible; he firmly believes slavery was an evil sin.

Xi Van Fleet warns her fellow Americans of the parallels between the Progressive left’s Marxist ideology and the Cultural Revolution she lived through in China.Xi Van Fleet is the author of "Mao’s America: A Survivor’s Warning." In her book Xi recounts living through Mao’s Cultural Revolution and then moving to America, only to see the emergence of a Marxist ideology that echoes the one from which she fled.Xi sees the following parallels between the Marxist ideology being pushed by the progressive left and China’s Cultural Revolution:- use Marxist tactics of division, indoctrination, deception, coercion, cancelation, subversion and violence
- aim to destroy the foundation of the traditional culture to replace it with Marxist ideologies
- weaponize youth, using them as their means to an end
share the same goal of achieving absolute power at the expense of the people
- lead to the same ending: loss of freedom and totalitarian rule
We’ll discuss Xi’s experience under Mao and the similarities she sees in America today, and then we’ll take audience questions.

ABOUT XI VAN FLEET

Xi Van Fleet is the author of Mao’s America: A Survivor’s Warning. She was born in China, lived through the Cultural Revolution, and was sent to work in the countryside at age 16 for re-education. After Mao’s death she was able to go to college and eventually come to America for graduate study. She has lived in the United States since 1986. In 2021, she delivered a speech to the Loudoun County, Virginia, school board against Critical Race Theory. The speech went viral and ignited national conservative media attention. Since going public with her message, Xi has appeared on Fox News, TuckerCarlson.com, Newsmax and radio shows and podcasts across the country.

EmpowerU America Founder and Managing Board Member, Dan Regenold, discusses the background and significance of Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address," widely considered one of the greatest political speeches ever given. Dan's comments are followed by a voice artist's recitation of the speech.

Brandon Darby’s “Cartel Chronicles” series, which launched in 2014, made Breitbart News the first media outlet to tell stories from the border.Because the Mexican side of the border is largely controlled by cartels, Mexican journalists face great danger. If they write what the cartel bosses want, they’ll be fine. But if they write the truth, then their body will end up dangling headless and handless from an overpass. It is because of this danger that Mexicans who write for Breitbart’s “Cartel Chronicles” are the only journalists Breitbart allows to use pseudonyms.Brandon will share amazing stories from the “Cartel Chronicles,” including stories about cartel bosses who have whined that Breitbart ruined their lives because it outed their identities and locations.

ABOUT BRANDON DARBY

Brandon Darby joined Breitbart in 2010, focusing on human trafficking and cartel violence along our southern border. Numerous cartel bosses have been arrested due to the reporting of Breitbart Border / Cartel Chronicles.Responsible for the first reporting and photos depicting the crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border in 2014, Brandon Darby’s work gives voice to the voiceless. He and Ildefonso Ortiz co-founded Breitbart’s “Cartel Chronicles,” a citizen-journalist project that allows people living under cartel control to provide on-the-ground reporting using pseudonyms. The stories are printed in Spanish and English.

Ohio is drowning in local government. Thousands of townships, cities, boards, and commissions—each with their own offices, taxes, and lobbyists—are weighing us down. We’re told this makes government ‘closer to the people,’ but here’s the truth: too much local government just means more bureaucracy, more red tape, and less accountability.In this session, we’ll pull back the curtain on how Ohio’s tangled web of local government keeps us stuck in the middle of the Midwest—and how we can fix it.If we want to make Ohio the best state in the nation, we need to shrink the mess, cut the red tape, and put power back where it belongs—with the people, not the bureaucrats. Donovan O’Neil from Americans for Prosperity will join us for this fascinating discussion.

ABOUT DONOVAN O'NEIL

Donovan O’Neil is the State Director for Americans for Prosperity – Ohio, where he leads a team working to educate, activate, and mobilize individuals toward bold public policy reform. Prior to joining the Stand Together Community in 2016, he worked for Ohio Auditor of State Dave Yost, where he promoted local government innovation and advocated for cost saving initiatives in state and local government. He is a graduate of Youngstown State University.

Eric will join EmpowerU to discuss his time spent at the CIA. In his role as CIAs Directorate of Operations he served as a Case Officer, the agencies most prestigious role—managing cladestine operations in the war ones across Europe.Hear Eric’s story from Elder High School to the CIA. He will share stories with us about his time in the Air Force and CIA and also tell us about his upcoming run for Congress in 2026 against Congressman Greg Landsman.Don’t miss this chance to meet a Cincinnati hero!

ABOUT ERIC CONROY

Eric graduated from Elder High School. After high school Eric Conroy answered the call to serve—attending the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado and serving as an intelligence officer overseas. He also holds and MPA from Columbia University. In the Air Force, Eric rose to the rank of Captain, leading intelligence operations for elite Special Operations forces and shaping long-term strategic planning across multiple commands.During his time overseas, Eric built critical international alliances and briefed top U.S. leaders on national security issues. For over a decade, he led high-risk operations in some of the world’s most dangerous regions—missions that didn’t make headlines, but helped keep Americans safe.Eric’s missions have taken him far from home, but his heart never left Cincinnati. Now, he’s ready to take that mission to Congress—to fight for working families, and help keep our communities safe. Eric plans to run for Congress against Greg Landsman in 2026.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), under the leadership of CEO Michael Farris, assisted Mississippi legislators in drafting the Gestational Age Act, a law which limits abortions after 15 weeks.To challenge the law, Mississippi’s only abortion clinic at that time, Jackson Women’s Health organization, sued Mississippi’s State Health Officer, Mr. Thomas Dobbs.Michael Farris assisted Mississippi in its defense against this lawsuit.  The case ultimately went to the Supreme Court and led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.  The result was that the authority to regulate abortion was returned to the states.  Mr. Farris will discuss the Gestational Age Act, including the legal strategy behind it, the fight to defend it, and the outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision.

ABOUT MICHAEL FARRIS

Michael Farris is a Constitutional attorney who is well known for his work with homeschool advocacy and parental rights, having worked state-by-state to preserve the right to home school in all 50 states.Farris is the founding president of both the Home School Legal Defense Association and Patrick Henry College, a premier liberal arts college in Purcellville, Virginia. He is also co-founder of the Convention of States Project. Michael Farris has served as lead counsel in the United States Supreme Court, eight federal circuit courts, and the appellate courts of 13 states.Most recently Michael Farris served five years as the President, CEO, and General Counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, the world’s foremost defender of religious liberty. Under the leadership of Farris, ADF worked with Mississippi legislators to draft the Gestational Age Act which limits abortions after 15 weeks. ADF helped to defend this law in lower courts and served on Mississippi’s legal team at the Supreme Court, ultimately leading to the overturning of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

Curt Hartman has regularly taught EmpowerU students the importance of Ohio’s Sunshine laws, which allow citizens the right to public records and protect access to open meetings.  The ability of Citizens to request records from their Governments is fundamental to helping people understand what their elected officials are doing.Ohio Sunshine laws are currently under attack from Ohio’s Legislature, with many changes being made to the law which make it harder to request information. Curt will update us on changes in the Open Records and Open Meetings Act. and explain our rights in Ohio. Changes to the Sunshine Laws will make Ohio’s vast array of governments less transparent and less accessible than they have been in the past.

ABOUT CURT CHAPMAN

Curt Hartman is an attorney with Finney Law Firm in Cincinnati, OH, where he concentrates on commercial and constitutional litigation, as well as public interest litigation relating to the oversight at all levels of governmental operations.  He holds a J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School, an M.A. from Georgetown University, and a B.S. from United States Naval Academy.