Activist and advocacy groups are at the foundation of preservation of the Second Amendment. Outside of rank-and-file gun owners and supporters, groups do heavy lifting with the support of their members and benefactors in an organized manner. The Second Amendment Institute is one such group that has been working to advance and protect the Second Amendment. On Friday, December 6, 2024, SAI held their annual board meeting and they’re excited about the ensuing year.

SAI was founded in 2016 and has been working its way into the advocacy world in meaningful ways. The group has been gaining momentum, perhaps with one of their most notable moves earlier this year. In June of 2024, SAI launched a lawsuit against the District of Columbia’s so-called “assault weapons” prohibition. Earlier, a 2022 lawsuit has SAI’s president Tyler Yzaguirre as a named plaintiff, and it challenged D.C.’s ban on carry while on the Metro.

The December 6th board meeting was held in Philadelphia and was presided over by chair of the board LTC Allen West, with president Yzaguirre present. A number of board members attended the meeting and the events that surrounded it. Board members who attended included LTC Allen West, a long-time supporter of SAI who joined the board in 2022, attorney George Lyon, Col. Rob Maness, host of Gun Freedom Radio Cheryl Todd, and Kerrie Ann Auclair.

Items of note that the board discussed included the filing of amicus briefs in lawsuits, reaching out to and speaking on college campuses to educate on Second Amendment related topics, plans to get involved in the confirmation process of the future attorney general, the filing of more federal lawsuits, the chronicling of SAI’s history via a documentary, and many other topics.

One of the line items included having SAI getting involved with other organizations by participating in their events, such as those hosted by the Second Amendment Foundation and Gun Owners of America.

A subsequent luncheon was held at National Mechanics Bar & Restaurant. Board members and friends of SAI came together to share in fellowship and to get to know each other better. Supporter of the Institute and perennial Second Amendment activist, Dick Heller joined the group at the restaurant to celebrate with its members.

“What's interesting about the Second Amendment Institute is Tyler Yzaguirre probably represents the forefront of activists to carry on the battle to maintain our Constitutional rights, focusing especially on the Second Amendment,” Heller said when asked about his support for the Institute. “I have to respect the guy for what he accomplished in college when he started, probably, oh, about 60 years before I did age-wise. So that's impressive.”

Proceeding the luncheon, SAI invited the group for a private tour of the American Revolution Museum, which is situated up the street from National Mechanics. Guests were guided through the museum and given a chronological rundown of the events leading up to and through the Revolution by their tour guide.

In the lobby of the museum after the tour, board member and chair LTC Allen West enthusiastically spoke about his involvement and the ensuing plans for 2025. “I was with Tyler when he very first started this about what, seven years ago, and spoke there at Heritage Foundation theater. And it's just an incredible thing that he has done,” West said.

West continued:

I think the most important thing is after this 2024 election, we can't be apathetic. We still have to look at the ways that we can continue to fight for our Second Amendment rights and engage these young people. One of the things we talked about, and of course – they named me the chairman – we've got to get on these college and university campuses and talk about safety and security and talk about the Second Amendment, especially when you see some of the things that have happened…the death of Laken Riley because of a criminal illegal immigrant in this country.

So I think we've got a great opportunity to bring this to our young people right now, and I think that's what we want to do with Sai. And the other big legislative push is national reciprocity. I find it appalling that in our nation's capital my constitutional rights are restricted.

Yzaguirre complemented what West said. “I think 2025, our big issues are going to be...in the beginning of the year with Pam Bondi getting confirmed. Because she was for the red flag laws originally, and we want to make sure that she's no longer for red flag laws. Maybe get a question to the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearing to question her about that,” Yzaguirre said. “National reciprocity is on our radar as well. You know, Trump promised in his campaign to get national reciprocity passed. So we want to monitor that as well.”

Some of the other items Yzaguirre said he was looking forward to included “doing [their] grassroots events and making sure that [they’re] engaging not only members of the 2A community, but members that are not part of the 2A community.” He said it’s important to embrace those who are new to the Second Amendment world and make everyone feel included. “Disseminating the lies of the radical gun control left and push[ing] the needle forward even further” for the Second Amendment is another one of SAI’s priorities.

To help achieve some of the group’s goals involves board member Lyon’s expertise. While Lyon is not SAI’s council, he does serve to advise the group, as well as has been responsible for the filing of litigation in the organization's name.

“We continue to support the Second Amendment with litigation and with education,” Lyon noted. “My area is more the litigation area and focused on the District of Columbia. We have a number of cases pending, three of which involve Tyler as a plaintiff, and there are other cases that we would be planning.”

Lyon said one of the areas they’re looking to explore in the future is D.C.’s prohibition on suppressors. He said that overturning the ban is “vital, especially from the standpoint of hearing protection as well as vindication of Second Amendment rights.” Lyon noted that “there's no reason why sound suppressors should be illegal in the District of Columbia,” especially when they’re legal in 43 or more states.

More topics Lyon feels are ripe for challenge via litigation include prohibitions on people carrying firearms in public places during demonstrations and bans on common weapons. “D.C. still prohibits [arms] such as automatic knives,” Lyon observed. “We saw the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rule that those knives are protected, and other state Supreme Courts have so ruled.” Ultimately speaking, Lyon wants to go after those kinds of infringements. “D.C. [will continue to give us] a plethora of potential lawsuits until they finally recognize that citizens have a right to protect themselves.”

Freshman board member Kerrie Ann Auclair flew in from Massachusetts to attend her first meeting. “This past weekend was a milestone for me as I attended my first board meeting with the Second Amendment Institute,” Auclair said of the experience. “It was an honor to meet and collaborate with such dedicated advocates who share a profound commitment to protecting and advancing our Second Amendment rights.”

Auclair affirmed that her involvement in advocacy is “deeply personal.” She said that “protecting the Second Amendment is more than just safeguarding rights; it’s about securing a legacy of safety, empowerment, and freedom for the next generation.”

Also coming in via air was board member Cheryl Todd. Todd spoke enthusiastically about future plans with the Institute and is deeply invested in rights preservation for future generations. 

The Second Amendment Institute is an important voice in protecting and defending our precious and unique American inheritance of personal liberties. As a director, who is also a wife, a mom, and a grandma, I am one of a number of board members who come from a wide spectrum of diverse backgrounds and life experiences to serve and guide the future of the SAI. We are excited about our 2025 goals, including collaborating with other pro-2A organizations to synergize our efforts and to connect more closely with college campuses to educate and empower the next generations.

Proceeding the group’s time at the Revolution Museum, they toured Independence Hall and had dinner at Revolution House. A farewell breakfast on Saturday morning concluded the official proceedings of the group’s meeting and informal touring of the city was further enjoyed by the remaining participants.

The 2024 annual meeting of the Second Amendment Institute seems like it was productive. Beyond being able to chart a course forward, the group was able to share in the enjoyment of each other’s company over the course of a few days. It’s going to be great to watch the organization follow through with their proposals in the upcoming year and we’ll be chronicling their progress as they move forward in the world of Second Amendment advocacy.