News & Commentary
In California, We the People Can Protect Our Values and Each Other
While California already has many great laws in place, there's much work to do for civil rights and civil liberties – especially now as the Trump Administration begins its attack on the most vulnerable among us.
By Becca Cramer-Mowder
#ACLUTimeMachine - Five Years Gone: It’s Time to #TalkAboutTrayvon
Knowing Trayvon Martin's story, and the history of the struggle against racial profiling, helps us to free ourselves from the myths of racism.
By Irene Rojas-Carroll
VICTORY! Richmond, CA Passes New Affordable Housing Law for Formerly Incarcerated People
Finding affordable housing is tough. Finding affordable housing when you’re returning home after serving time is nearly impossible. Last night, the Richmond City Council passed a historic law to protect the rights of people who are re-entering society and find themselves excluded from housing opportunities because of their criminal record.
By Nayna Gupta
Affordable Housing is a Civil Right
A coalition of community groups recently announced a groundbreaking partnership with Facebook and the cities of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park to address affordable housing, displacement, and economic opportunity in the region.
By Novella Coleman
Young Minds Should Be Filled With Knowledge, Not Chemicals. Pesticide Spraying Must be Regulated.
Almost 30 years ago, a study showed that people of color were more likely to live near incinerators. Since then, the dangerous conditions and exposure to environmental dangers have gotten worse. In California, CalEnviroScreen data recently demonstrated that race and environmental harms are directly correlated. Considering this, it’s alarming to think that a California agency that has the opportunity to minimize the harmful environmental exposure of pesticides to students of color, is instead suggesting weak protections.
By Abre' Conner
Standing on the Shoulders of My Ancestors: My Journey through the National Museum of African American History and Culture
On opening day of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in D.C., I crossed the threshold with a memory deeply embedded in my psyche.
By Candice Francis
Making Things a Little Fairer in California, One Bill at a Time
California now has some of the strongest protections against policing for profit in the country. Although we had several legislative successes this year, two important, ACLU-sponsored bills died in the Legislature.
By Natasha Minsker
California is One Signature Away From Reining in Policing for Profit
Throughout the nation, police officers are legally allowed to take and keep your cash and property - even if you are never charged or arrested for a crime. All it takes is officers claiming they think your belongings were obtained through illegal means.
By Mica Doctoroff, Kanya Bennett
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