From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
The
ACLU of Northern California,
ACLU of Southern California, and
ACLU of San Diego came together as the "ACLU of California" for Conference & Lobby Day 2012 in Sacramento on April 15th and 16th. In various meeting rooms throughout the Holiday Inn at Sacramento Capitol Plaza, the ACLU held workshops on topics ranging from reforming the criminal justice system to removing barriers on reproductive health, from ending the death penalty to educational equity, from immigrant rights in the U.S. to LGBT rights in schools, from interactions with police to post-911 civil liberties, from volunteer opportunities within the ACLU to becoming effective citizen lobbyists. The following day, attendees organized to lobby primarily-Democratic California state legislators on a handful of pending bills: SB1506, changing the simple possession of drugs from a felony to a misdemeanor; SB1338, expanding access to abortion by modifying the licenses of specific health professions to allow them to perform abortions; and AB1081, allowing local governments to opt out of the federal so-called "Secure Communities" or S-Comm anti-immigration program. (Full audio from six of the conference sessions is below, along with copies of printed materials made available to conference-goers.)
The conference opened on April 14th with a performance of “Cracked Clown”, a one man play by David Moss. “Cracked Clown” explores issues of race, addiction, abuse, family, self-discovery, self-destruction, and redemption. David Moss has been to jail over a dozen times for simple drug possession rather than being offered any sort of medical treatment for his addiction. Moss, who has been an actor for 25 years, currently works for the ACLU of Northern California as performer and advocate for alternatives to incarceration. His new piece, “Instruments of Change”, is on tour in California late-April through June 2012.
For more information on the ACLU's Conference & Lobby Day 2012, see
https://secure.aclu.org/site/SPageNavigator/CN_CLD2012.html or contact your local ACLU.
(audio 59:50)
Breakfast Plenary, including a greeting from Mickey Welsh, Board Chair, ACLU of Northern California; a welcome from Hector Villagra, Executive Director , ACLU of Southern California ; a presentation about the ACLU of California by Abdi Soltani, Executive Director, ACLU of Northern California ; and an overview of the day's agenda, by Homayra Yusufi, Policy Advocate, ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties.
(audio 1:21:24)
In 1969 the United States Supreme Court ruled, “It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional right to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” In this interactive breakout session, we will discuss common problems facing LGBTQ students and their allies when they express themselves through clothing, speech, or the formation of Gay-Straight Alliance clubs. We also will give a comprehensive overview of the rights guaranteed to LGBTQ students and allies in California public schools. Finally, we will discuss the ACLU’s latest campaigns on these issues, including our fight against zero-tolerance responses to harassment and discrimination in schools.
Presented by James Gilliam, Deputy Executive Director, ACLU of Southern California; Joey Hernandez, LGBTQ Student Rights Advocate, ACLU of Southern California; and Saskia Levy-Shean, Organizing Intern, ACLU of Northern California
(4-page PDF, in English y en Espanol)
(audio 1:19:04)
This workshop will provide an overview of what constitutes protected speech, the difference between public and private realms of assembly, and your rights to protest and demonstrate.
Presented by Linda Lye, Staff Attorney, ACLU of Northern California
(audio 1:17:10)
El 25 de abril de 2012, los EE.UU. Corte Suprema escuchará los argumentos sobre la SB 1070 de Arizona. En junio, el Tribunal emitirá su decisión con consecuencias importantes para los derechos de los inmigrantes y los ciudadanos en todo el país. Mientras tanto, las propias políticas del gobierno federal de hacer cumplir han establecido registros de deportaciones. Estamos Unidos es el estado por estado, la organización bilingüe y campaña de comunicación a participar electores latinos en los derechos de los inmigrantes y el trabajo de las libertades civiles. Esta iniciativa se ve facilitada por las empresas afiliadas de ACLU en California, Arizona y otros estados, así como las organizaciones asociadas. MiACLU es una plataforma permanente puesto en marcha a través de esta campaña. Ven a esta sesión para aprender más acerca de este nuevo proyecto.
On April 25th, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Arizona’s SB 1070. In June, the Court will issue its decision with great consequence for the rights of immigrants and citizens alike nationwide. Meanwhile, the federal government’s own enforcement policies have set records for deportations. Estamos Unidos is state-by-state, bilingual organizing and communications campaign to engage Latino constituents in immigrants’ rights and civil liberties work. This initiative is facilitated by the ACLU affiliates in California, Arizona and other states, as well as partnering organizations. MiACLU is a permanent platform launched through this campaign. Come to this session to learn more about this exciting new project.
http://miaclu.org txt "UNIDOS" to 74700 to sign up for mobile phone alerts
Presented by Daisy Vieyra, Consultant, Estamos Unidos Tour; and Daniel Galindo, Organizer, ACLU of Northern California
(2-page PDF, in English y en Espanol)
(audio 1:32:31)
Learn practical tips on dealing with the police while walking down the street, driving, or simply being stopped for questioning. What you do or say all matters and being smart about how you stand up for your rights can mean the difference between being permitted to go on your way or being arrested. It also means that unless you know what your rights are, you could inadvertently incriminate yourself. This workshop will also cover important points for individuals without access to state issued identification cards and be a combination of the content included in the Spanish Know Your Rights workshop, Tus Derechos, and our English Your Rights & the Police workshop.
Presented by Daniel Galindo, Organizer, ACLU of Northern California
(audio 1:21:47)
Over the past 10 years, we have seen our civil rights and liberties eroded by fear-mongering elected officials, intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and even our own local community members. Join us to hear from expert advocates at the ACLU of Southern California, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (SF Bay Area), and the Sikh Coalition on the status of civil liberties today in the national, state and local context. We will discuss the impact of these civil liberties violations on members of the Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities, and how community members and allies can support ongoing efforts to rebuild our civil liberties protections.
Moderated by Laila Fahimuddin, Organizer, ACLU of Northern California; with panelists Zahra Billoo, Executive Director, CAIR San Francisco Bay Area Chapter; Simran Kaur, Advocacy Manager, The Sikh Coalition; and Jennie Pasquarella, Staff Attorney, ACLU of Southern California
(10-page PDF, in English)
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