At Liberty is a weekly podcast that explores the most pressing civil rights and civil liberties questions of our time. Catch new episodes on Thursday at 9am ET.
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September 21, 2023
American Poverty Is Our Problem To Fix
“The United States, the richest country on earth, has more poverty than any other advanced democracy. Why?” That’s the question that underscores Pulitzer Prize-winning sociologist Matthew Desmond’s new book, “Poverty, by America.” America is a country that purports equality as one of its highest values. Economic opportunity and the long...
American Poverty Is Our Problem To Fix![A man smokes inside a tent on skid row Friday, March 20, 2020, in Los Angeles.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/09/unhoused-america-blog-600x600.jpg)
“The United States, the richest country on earth, has more poverty than any other advanced democracy. Why?” That’s the question that underscores Pulitzer Prize-winning sociologist Matthew Desmond’s new book, “Poverty, by America.” America is a...
September 14, 2023
This Student Fought a School Fine for Four Years
We’re continuing to feature major stories impacting students as the back-to-school season is underway. Today, we confront one troubling question: Why are students being fined by police in schools? Across the nation, students are being disciplined through tickets with shocking frequency, burdening them with hefty fines and subjecting them to...
This Student Fought a School Fine for Four Years![In this Dec. 17, 2012 photo, Officer Rick Moore of the Oakland school district police patrols Oakland Technical High School in Oakland, Calif.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/09/school-resource-officer-blog-600x600.jpg)
September 14, 2023
This Student Fought a School Fine for Four Years
This Student Fought a School Fine for Four YearsWe’re continuing to feature major stories impacting students as the back-to-school season is underway. Today, we confront one troubling question: Why are students being fined by police in schools? Across the nation, students are being...
September 7, 2023
Why Is Texas Eliminating School Libraries?
Back-to-school season is upon us and here at the ACLU we’ve been following the nationwide campaign to censor education, be that the censorship of important historical and social context in curriculums, or the recent rise in book bans. All of these efforts threaten students' right to learn. As we chart...
Why Is Texas Eliminating School Libraries?![Library protest.A person walks past empty shelves at the library in Stony Stratford, near Milton Keynes, after residents have spent the week withdrawing their maximum allowance of books to stop the council's plans to close it as part of budget cuts.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/09/empty-library-blog-600x600.jpg)
September 7, 2023
Why Is Texas Eliminating School Libraries?
Why Is Texas Eliminating School Libraries?Back-to-school season is upon us and here at the ACLU we’ve been following the nationwide campaign to censor education, be that the censorship of important historical and social context in curriculums, or the recent rise...
July 27, 2023
No One Should Die In Custody
Across America, 68 percent of incarcerated people with a medical condition go without care in local jails. Put simply, incarcerated people are often denied life sustaining and life-saving health care treatment. To make matters worse, carceral facilities are increasingly used as a response to “treat” those with mental and physical...
No One Should Die In Custody![](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/07/prison-healthcare-access-600x600.jpg)
Across America, 68 percent of incarcerated people with a medical condition go without care in local jails. Put simply, incarcerated people are often denied life sustaining and life-saving health care treatment. To make matters worse,...
July 20, 2023
The Decade-Long Fight for Pregnant Workers
On Tuesday, June 27, more than a decade after its first introduction in a congressional committee, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act went into effect, changing the landscape of work for all pregnant people. Before this law, many pregnant workers had to decide between protecting their jobs and protecting their health....
The Decade-Long Fight for Pregnant Workers![Pregnant person sits at a desk with one hand resting on their stomach and the other on a keyboard.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/07/PWFA-Featured-600x600.jpg)
On Tuesday, June 27, more than a decade after its first introduction in a congressional committee, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act went into effect, changing the landscape of work for all pregnant people. Before this...
July 13, 2023
10 Years of #BlackLivesMatter: Progress and Backlash
Ten years ago this July, Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza, and Patrisse Cullors tweeted #BlackLivesMatter in the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death. The hashtag helped galvanize a movement calling out the racism that has deeply affected the lives and deaths of Black people in America since its founding. The Black Lives...
10 Years of #BlackLivesMatter: Progress and Backlash![An individual with a sweatshirt featuring faces of the many victims of police violence.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/06/social-image-600x600.jpg)
July 13, 2023
10 Years of #BlackLivesMatter: Progress and Backlash
10 Years of #BlackLivesMatter: Progress and BacklashTen years ago this July, Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza, and Patrisse Cullors tweeted #BlackLivesMatter in the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death. The hashtag helped galvanize a movement calling out the racism that has deeply affected...
July 6, 2023
Supreme Court Term in Review: Reconciling Our Losses and Wins
Another Supreme Court term has come to a close. This year, the court delivered major decisions on voting rights, free speech, Indigenous sovereignty, and racial justice, among other issues. The ACLU was involved in cases throughout the term and in many ways, our wins exceeded our expectations. However, in the...
Supreme Court Term in Review: Reconciling Our Losses and Wins![](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/07/David-cole-scotus-recap-600x600.jpg)
July 6, 2023
Supreme Court Term in Review: Reconciling Our Losses and Wins
Supreme Court Term in Review: Reconciling Our Losses and WinsAnother Supreme Court term has come to a close. This year, the court delivered major decisions on voting rights, free speech, Indigenous sovereignty, and racial justice, among other issues. The ACLU was involved in cases...
June 29, 2023
Special Edition: The Supreme Court Overturns Affirmative Action
On Thursday, June 29, in the cases of Students for Fair Admissions. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, the Supreme Court — in a 6 to 3 decision — overturned affirmative action in higher education, restricting universities’ ability to...
Special Edition: The Supreme Court Overturns Affirmative Action![](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/06/Episode-pic-600x600.jpg)
June 29, 2023
Special Edition: The Supreme Court Overturns Affirmative Action
Special Edition: The Supreme Court Overturns Affirmative ActionOn Thursday, June 29, in the cases of Students for Fair Admissions. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, the Supreme Court — in a...
June 22, 2023
A Year Without Roe: Your Stories
Nearly one year ago, on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court released its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case concerning abortion access in the state of Mississippi. Instead of following decades of precedent set by decisions in other cases involving abortion access that had thus far...
A Year Without Roe: Your Stories![Protest sign that reads "abortion is essential healthcare"](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/06/YearWithoutRoe_PodPage-600x600.jpg)
Nearly one year ago, on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court released its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case concerning abortion access in the state of Mississippi. Instead of following decades...
June 15, 2023
These Queer Lawmakers Will Not Be Silenced
This year has brought a new level of anti-democratic behavior, particularly in state houses and legislatures. In March, Rep. Mauree Turner from Oklahoma was censured for offering a protester the use of an office in the aftermath of an arrest. In April, two Tennessee state representatives, Reps. Justin Jones and...
These Queer Lawmakers Will Not Be Silenced![](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/06/trans-rights-square-600x600.jpg)
This year has brought a new level of anti-democratic behavior, particularly in state houses and legislatures. In March, Rep. Mauree Turner from Oklahoma was censured for offering a protester the use of an office in...