10 Reasons to Celebrate
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2015 was an amazing year for civil liberties. On Dec. 13, we're going to celebrate in Oakland—and here are 10 reasons why YOU should join us. Because the Bill of Rights belongs to us all.
1. Victory for immigrant drivers
From Jan. 2 through Feb. 20 of 2015, the CA DMV announced that over 110,000 undocumented Californians had earned driver's licenses under AB 60, the state's historic Safe and Responsible Driver Act.
2. Voting Rights Restored for Over 60,000 Californians
California Secretary of State Padilla reinstated voting rights for people resentenced after realignment. Now Californians are eligible to vote if they are on post-supervision programs for people sentenced for low-level, non-violent felonies.
3. California now has the strongest racial & identity profiling law in the country
Working with a coalition of community and faith based groups, we sponsored and passed AB 953, the Racial and Identity Profiling Act.
4. #MySchoolMyRights – www.myschoolmyrights.com
Students have rights at schools, but a staggering 1 in 5 high school students doesn't graduate. This ACLU of California campaign empowers students to know and stand up for their rights to put an end to school push out.
5. Fresno organizers won comprehensive sex-ed
For years, students in Fresno have been fighting to get comprehensive sex ed curriculum in their schools.
6. No more warrantless digital surveillance
Now California law enforcement must get a warrant before they can seize the data or location of your communications, demand location records from your cell phone provider, or use a StingRay to gather info about your smart phone.
7. No more illegal fees and fines to contest traffic tickets
Rich or poor, everyone must have equal access to the court system, but low-income people are effectively denied access when they can't pay fines in advance of a trial. Several California counties have been withholding the right to contest a ticket unless all fines are paid, and that's just unfair.
8. Facebook commits to changing its "real name" policy
People shouldn't have to give up their identity to use social media, but that's what Facebook's "real name" policy required. This was harmful, especially for transgender or queer youth who found safe spaces online.
Facebook to change to controversial 'real name' policy - https://t.co/sfAsQIUCYY #Facebook #RealNamePolicy #LGBT pic.twitter.com/8dqkwmxbhL
— Focus (@FocusIMC) November 2, 2015
9. Native American student wins right to wear eagle feather at graduation
A high school senior at Clovis High School was able to display his eagle feather at his graduation ceremony in June, in order to express and honor his Native American heritage, his family, his academic achievement in graduating high school, and for religious and spiritual reasons.
10. Blue Ribbon Commission on marijuana policy
After two years of research, the Blue Ribbon Commission, a panel of leading legal, academic, law enforcement and policy experts, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union of California, released its final recommendations to help the state prepare for the possibility of recreational marijuana legalization for adult use. There are extreme racial disparities in marijuana arrests in California and across the nation that disproportionately impact communities of color.
Join us at Bill of Rights Day – Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015
These are just some of the reasons why the ACLU works every day to defend and expand the protections and liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Join us on Sunday, Dec. 13 at our Bill of Rights Day Celebration at Impact Hub Oakland, 2323 Broadway, Oakland, CA from 1–4 p.m. General admission tickets $10-25 sliding scale.
