Readers of Liberty & Law know that IJ stories are powerful because they are about real people who are motivated to fight government abuse—not simply to improve their own lives but also to secure freedom for others.

One of the stories we are privileged to tell is that of Elfie Gallun, a longtime friend and supporter of IJ. Driven by a deep yearning for freedom, Elfie risked her life to escape communist East Germany as a young girl. In her new life in America, Elfie never lost sight of how precious our liberties are—or the fact that we must be constantly on guard against attempts to erode them.

Elfie and her husband, Ned, founded the Elfie Gallun Fellowship in Freedom and the Constitution at IJ because of IJ’s essential role in the fight to defend the U.S. Constitution and the liberties it secures for all Americans. This summer IJ named Sam Gedge as our second Elfie Gallun Fellow. In addition to his litigation work, Sam will publish written materials and speak to a variety of audiences about the vital role the Constitution plays in protecting our most precious freedoms. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Sam has already launched cases battling civil forfeiture and overzealous licensing boards, which generated widespread coverage and conversation in media outlets from Wired and The Atlantic to the U.K.’s Daily Mail.

We were deeply saddened when Ned passed away last winter. We carry on to protect the liberties that he so valued, and to tell Elfie’s story of courage and determination, which inspires us in our ongoing fight for liberty.