Joyce Vance
Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Congregation Emanu El, 1500 Sunset Blvd., Houston, TX 77005
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The Progressive Forum is pleased to present former U.S. attorney and acclaimed MSNBC legal commentator, Joyce Vance. She will discuss her book, Giving Up is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping Democracy. She will greet fans and sign books at the end of the evening.
"In a time of fear and shadow, Giving Up Is Unforgivable offers a clear-eyed analysis of what we have at stake and why we can still prevail. Joyce Vance draws on historical and modern warriors for justice to illuminate a path forward, if only we are wise enough to take it. I'm in."—Stacey Abrams, former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives and New York Times bestselling author of Lead from the Outside
About Giving Up is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping Democracy
Joyce Vance has guided readers through unprecedented times on her chart-topping Substack, Civil Discourse. Now, she is putting her legal background and visionary insights to work to help readers avoid burnout and despair in the fight against authoritarianism. Touching on legal context, political history, and practical advice, Giving Up is Unforgivable is an empowering, and ultimately hopeful, call to action. With grit and compassion, this road map for the challenges ahead serves as an important reminder: We’re all in this together.
About Joyce Vance
Joyce Vance was a U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama during the Obama administration. She resigned on the eve of Donald Trump's first inauguration. Vance is a Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Law at the University of Alabama School of Law. She is a trusted legal analyst for NBC and MSNBC, and author of the popular Civil Discourse Substack. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband Bob, a retired judge, and a menagerie of children, chickens, cats, and dogs.
Generously sponsored by the Beverly M. Manne Trust.
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Theater doors open at 6:30 p.m. when ticket holders can take their seats.
Door search, no large bags. Please refrain from bringing backpacks and anything larger than a small clutch purse into the event. Large items will be asked to be returned to your vehicle. All items are subject to search at the door.
Program is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. at Congregation Emanu El, 1500 Sunset Blvd, Houston, TX, 77005, across from Rice University.
Please present your PDF ETicket on your mobile device or print your PDF ETicket and bring it with you to the venue for entry. Our greeters or box office can help you.
Free parking is available in the Congregation Emanu El campus garage. Enter on Sunset Blvd where uniformed officers will direct you.
Ticket holders may pick up one free book at the Blue Willow Bookshop tables. Books are only distributed with a ticket at the event. We are unable to provide books after the event or for no-show tickets.
The speaker will sign books following the program, around 9pm.
Ticket prices are $154, $74, and $49 plus fees. In case of a high-sale event, the $39 Gallery section will be open with a high quality, direct view of stage with large screen TV monitors.
Private patron reception with the speaker begins at 6:15 p.m. with cash bar and complimentary lite bites, dessert, and coffee buffet for $154 ticket holders and those who have donated $1,000 or more in the past year. Reception located in the Oshman Multi-Purpose Room to the right of the main entrance, if entering from the parking garage. The speaker leaves the reception at 6:45 p.m. after a half-hour. So that everyone in the speaker greeting line has a chance to chat with the speaker, there is no book signing, autographing, or photography with the speaker in the speaker greeting line. In the rest of the reception room, photography and videography are welcome.
Box office services (credit card only) are available at the door on event night. In case of a sellout, there is no waiting list. Prior to event night, there are no tickets sold at Congregation Emanu El or any other physical location.
For box office assistance or for any other issues, please call 832-509-0262 or email boxoffice@progressiveforumhouston.org.
Guests who need special access are eligible for any ticket price. Ushers will seat special access guests in the aisles in the rear nearest restrooms. All rows are close to the speaker podium in the intimate seating environment.
During the lecture program, we will ask the audience to silence their personal digital devices, asking for no photography or videography.
Feel free to contact The Progressive Forum by email at staff@progressiveforumhouston.org.