Speaking Freely With the ACLU-PA

In October, ACLU-PA released a new report called Cold Reality: Uncovering the Cruelty and Chaos of ICE Practices in Pennsylvania. The report is an analysis of documents obtained from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, and what they show about the harm that ICE enforcement actions do to families and communities. Here to talk about it are Vanessa Stine, senior staff attorney for immigrants' rights at the ACLU of PA; Laura Perkins, human rights organizer with Casa San Jose in Pittsburgh; and Professor Caitlin Barry of Villanova University School of Law and the director of the law school's Farmworker Legal Aid Clinic. Read the report at this link: https://www.aclupa.org/en/publications/cold-reality-uncovering-cruelty-and-chaos-ice-operations-pennsylvania

Both the U.S. and Pennsylvania constitutions guarantee the right to an attorney for someone facing criminal charges, regardless of a person's ability to pay. But for decades, Pennsylvania has been woefully inadequate in ensuring that people living in poverty receive effective representation. So in June, the ACLU of Pennsylvania, with volunteer attorneys from several law firms, sued the governor and the leaders of the General Assembly because the executive and legislative branches have failed their constitutional duties. In this episode, we hear from Veronica Miller, senior policy counsel for criminal legal reform, and Ari Shapell, fellowship attorney, both at the ACLU of PA. Veronica and Ari are co-counsel in the case, Warren v. Commonwealth. In this conversation, they explain how Pennsylvania's indigent defense system has failed and what we hope to achieve with this litigation. Learn more about this case at this link: https://www.aclupa.org/defenders

Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States. And based on his first turn as president and his rhetoric in the campaign, we know that he and his cronies are a clear and present danger to our most basic freedoms and to democracy itself. So what does that mean for the ACLU, as an organization dedicated to defend people's civil liberties? And what does it mean for the ACLU of Pennsylvania, as an organization that is largely working at the state and local level? To talk through what's ahead in challenging the incoming Trump administration, we hear from Mike Lee, executive director of the ACLU-PA, and Vic Walczak, ACLU-PA's legal director. Support the work of the ACLU of PA at www.aclupa.org/join.

In 2024, ACLU-PA and our partners have taken a different approach with our legal strategy than in past election cycles. This year, we've implemented a proactive strategy to make sure that voters who want to cast a ballot can do so without unnecessary hurdles. Vic Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, joins the pod to talk about it. By the time you listen to this, it's possible that there will be new rulings in the cases discussed in this episode. To get the latest updates, go to www.aclupa.org/litigation and click the dropdown box to choose “voting rights.”

In the run up to this year's election, we here at the ACLU knew that candidates would be talking about the two issues of immigration and public safety. Knowing that was coming, the ACLU has been engaged all year in a research project called Battleground Blueprint. We've deployed multiple rounds of surveys in multiple states, including Pennsylvania, to get a better look at voters' attitudes on these two issues. On this episode, we'll hear from three people who have been actively involved in this project - Ellen Flenniken, deputy director of the ACLU's Justice Division, Anu Joshi, national campaigns director on immigration for the ACLU, and Jeff Liszt, a partner at Impact Research, the pollster that conducted the survey in Pennsylvania. More information about the Pennsylvania results is available here: https://www.aclupa.org/solutions And information about the nationwide project is here: https://www.aclu.org/battleground-polling

More than 20 years ago, Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to prohibit people who are living with a criminal record from voting. But misinformation about those rights persists here in Pennsylvania. In this episode, we hear from ACLU-PA executive director Mike Lee and Saleem Holbrook, executive director of Abolitionist Law Center and a member of ACLU-PA's board of directors. Mike and Saleem talk about who can and can't vote in PA based on their involvement with the criminal legal system and why it matters. Learn more about voting with a criminal conviction here: https://www.aclupa.org/en/know-your-rights/voting-criminal-conviction And learn more about the Abolitionist Law Center at their website: https://abolitionistlawcenter.org/

The Pennsylvania General Assembly recently wrapped up its work on the new state budget. Elizabeth Randol, ACLU-PA's legislative director, talks about all that has happened in this session around civil liberties. Liz dives into ACLU-PA's priority issues, including voting rights, free speech, and decarceration, and also talks about emerging issues that came to the fore in this session. For more information about ACLU-PA's legislative work, including our scorecard of how legislators voted, visit www.aclupa.org/legislation.

The impact that counties have on how we vote, where we vote, and even whether our vote is counted is enormous. On this episode, we hear from Beth Gilbert of Action Together NEPA and In This Together NEPA, where she is the voting and elections manager, and Marian Schneider, senior policy counsel for voting rights at the ACLU of Pennsylvania. Beth and Marian describe the ways in which counties impact how elections are run and also some of the current issues with county administration of elections in Pennsylvania. Visit www.actiontogethernepa.org, www.inthistogethernepa.org, and aclupa.org/letpeoplevote to learn more.

Historically, America's public schools have been spaces where debates and resistance to civil liberties have played out. From racial integration to political protests, protecting the rights of students has been central to the story of constitutional rights. The times we're in now are no different. In this episode, we hear from three advocates who have been helping people organize to support inclusive education in their schools - Alex Domingos of ACLU-PA, Ashli Giles-Perkins of the Education Law Center, and Ronna Dewey of Red Wine and Blue PA. The organizations are part of a new coalition called Pennsylvanians for Welcoming and Inclusive Schools, or PAWInS. Ashli, Ronna, and Alex talk about why the coalition came together and what you can do if you feel moved to advocate for inclusive education at your school district. Learn more about PAWInS at www.pawins.org.

In episode 83, we're introducing our new executive director, Mike Lee. Mike joined ACLU-PA in January after serving for six years in the administration of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. In this conversation, Mike talks about what brought him to this moment leading the ACLU of Pennsylvania, his vision for the organization, and our priorities for 2024.

In February, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced that he would continue the moratorium on executions started by his predecessor, Tom Wolf. Shapiro also went a step further than Wolf, calling on the legislature to repeal the death penalty in its entirety. Marc Bookman is the executive director of the Atlantic Center for Capital Representation, a former attorney in the homicide unit of the Defender Association of Philadelphia, and the author of A Descending Spiral: Exposing the Death Penalty in 12 Essays. In this conversation, Marc explains just how dysfunctional capital punishment is in Pennsylvania and why, despite two decades since the last execution, the death penalty is very real in the commonwealth. Resources: Atlantic Center for Capital Representation: https://www.atlanticcenter.org/ A Descending Spiral: Exposing the Death Penalty in 12 Essays: https://thenewpress.com/books/descending-spiral

Libraries are a critical institution for supporting the freedom to read and freedom of thought. In the United States, libraries have been terribly underfunded for years, and now they're being targeted by extremist activists for fulfilling their fundamental mission - to promote access to ideas. Library Freedom Project is challenging that and working to maintain the library's place in our democratic society. In this episode, we hear from Alison Macrina, director of Library Freedom Project, which works to protect “information democracy.” Resources Library Freedom Project: https://libraryfreedom.org/

Pennsylvania's 2023 primary election is right around the corner, on May 16, and with the delivery of mail and absentee ballots, voting is already underway. So the time is right to hear from Marian Schneider, ACLU-PA's senior policy counsel for voting rights, and Khalif Ali, formerly of Common Cause PA and now with the New Pennsylvania Project. Marian and Khalif talk about the state of democracy, what challenges we're facing in protecting the vote, and what opportunities may arise with changes in power at the state capitol. Resources Know your voting rights: www.aclupa.org/vote Nonpartisan election protection hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) Common Cause PA: www.commoncause.org/pennsylvania New Pennsylvania Project: www.newpaproject.org

It's 4/20! What was once a day of counter-cultural actions has gone mainstream. But we recognize it, nonetheless, especially since there are still big issues to tackle in cannabis policy, including the fact that upwards of 20,000 people are arrested per year for marijuana possession in Pennsylvania, disproportionately Black Pennsylvanians. In this episode, we hear from Brian Brown, a cartoonist based in Philadelphia and the creator of the comic strip Legalization Nation, which is a syndicated documentary comic that delves into news stories related to cannabis. In our conversation, Brian talks about his own history as a consumer, including being arrested as a teen; why being a registered medical marijuana patient in Pennsylvania has radicalized him; and how his cartoons make these policy debates accessible for readers. Brian has written and illustrated several books, including the New York Times best seller Andre the Giant: Life and Legend and Cannabis: The Illegalization of Weed in America, which tells the history of marijuana prohibition. Find Brian's work online at boxbrown.com and on Twitter and Instagram with the handle [at]boxbrown.

The police tactic of stop-and-frisk is back in the news and has become a campaign issue in the 2023 elections in Philadelphia. Some candidates for mayor and for city council have suggested that escalating its use against pedestrians in the city should be on the table as a public safety measure. For 12 years, the ACLU of Pennsylvania and co-counsel from the law firm Kairys Rudovsky Messing Feinberg and Linn have been enforcing a settlement in a 2010 lawsuit against the city over the aggressive, illegal, and unconstitutional use of stop-and-frisk by Philadelphia police. In this episode, we hear from the Rev. Mark Tyler of POWER, Yahaira Galarza, a community ambassador for ACLU-PA, and Mary Catherine Roper, former deputy legal director of the ACLU of PA. Mary Catherine is now an attorney with the law firm Langer Grogan and Diver and is co-counsel in the lawsuit Bailey v. City of Philadelphia, the case that challenged the city police department's use of stop-and-frisk. Resources POWER: https://powerinterfaith.org/ Stop-and-frisk: A clear failure of public safety policy, by Mary Catherine Roper and Frederick Bates: https://www.aclupa.org/en/news/stop-and-frisk-clear-failure-public-safety-policy Bailey et al. v. City of Philadelphia: https://www.aclupa.org/en/cases/bailey-et-al-v-city-philadelphia-et-al

People serving extreme prison sentences or who may be out of prison but find their lives complicated and harmed by a past conviction can seek relief through clemency, the process in which a sentence is commuted or a conviction is pardoned. It's a long process that involves approval from both the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons and the governor. In this episode, we learn more about why people seek clemency, what they have to do to get it, and how the intersection of the immigration and criminal legal systems can have a devastating impact on immigrants and their families. To explain this, we hear from Maria Goellner of FAMM, David Bennion of Free Migration Project, and Jesenia Calderon, whose father Denis was deported to Peru in 2009 after an aggravated assault conviction in Philadelphia. On August 2 and 3, the Board of Pardons will hold a series of public hearings on multiple cases, including Denis Calderon. A webcast of the board's hearings will be available at this link: https://www.bop.pa.gov/Board-Information/Pages/Board-Meeting-Dates.aspx Learn more about FAMM's work in Pennsylvania, including on clemency: https://famm.org/our-work/states-where-we-are-working/pennsylvania/ For more information about the case of Denis Calderon and his cousin Julio Maldonado, visit Free Migration Project's website: https://freemigrationproject.org/justice-for-denis-2/

When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its own precedents and ruled that access to abortion is not a right guaranteed by the Constitution, five justices did something that the Supreme Court has rarely done - rolled back an existing guarantee of liberty. In this emergency episode of Speaking Freely, we hear from ACLU-PA Deputy Legal Director Sara Rose and Senior Policy Advocate Julie Zaebst. Sara and Julie have been part of our team that has been responding to the Dobbs decision. In this conversation, we specifically discuss the impacts of the court's ruling in Pennsylvania - on patients and providers, on the political landscape, and in the courts. Tell your state senator to vote "no" on Senate Bill 956: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/pa-abortion-amendment Become an Abortion Care Champion with ACLU-PA: https://action.aclu.org/webform/pa-abortion-care-champ

Episode 74 is part two of our discussion about cash bail. In this episode, we hear from Alex Domingos of ACLU-PA and the Dauphin County Bail Fund and Michelle Batt of the Lancaster Bail Fund. Alex and Michelle explain what a bail fund is and what role it plays in the work to end pretrial detention. As an activist in Lancaster County, Michelle also explains the impact that ACLU-PA's lawsuit against the county over its cash bail practices has had and how grassroots advocates have been arguing for the same reforms for over a year. Dauphin County Bail Fund: https://dauphincountybailfund.org/ Lancaster Bail Fund: https://lancasterbailfund.org/ "ACLU's lawsuit affirms need for bail reform now" by Michelle Batt: https://lancasteronline.com/opinion/columnists/aclu-s-lawsuit-affirms-need-for-bail-reform-now-column/article_58d1f32a-cd33-11ec-9f4b-fb1bd2a8e075.html

There are many public policies that have fed mass incarceration in Pennsylvania and in this country, from extreme sentencing to overpolicing to duplicate offenses that criminalize a single act. One of those policy choices is the commonwealth's overuse of cash bail. On any given day, there are more than 30,000 people in Pennsylvania's county jails. A majority of them have been accused but not convicted of a crime. And many of them are only in jail because they've been ordered to post cash bail but don't have the money to pay it. On this episode, we hear from ACLU-PA's Jessica Li, our criminal justice investigator, and Nyssa Taylor, ACLU-PA's criminal justice strategic litigation and policy counsel. Jess talks about the findings and recommendations of our report Broken Rules: How Pennsylvania Courts Use Cash Bail to Incarcerate People Before Trial, and Nyssa tells us more about why we sued several magisterial district judges in Lancaster County for their cash bail practices. Read the report: https://aclupa.org/en/broken_rules_report Learn more about ACLU-PA's lawsuit against Lancaster County: https://aclupa.org/lancaster-bail

Happy 4/20 to all who celebrate! Since February, committees in the state Senate have held several hearings on ending prohibition and legalizing recreational cannabis, as bipartisan support for the idea slowly builds in the state legislature. So what does legalization look like? On this episode, we hear from Alison Holcomb, political director of the ACLU of Washington and campaign director of New Approach Washington, the 2012 effort to win voters' approval of a ballot initiative to legalize recreational cannabis. In this conversation, Alison explains the benefits of ending prohibition, how Washington's cannabis policies can be improved, and popular myths that have been proven wrong by the state's eight-year experience with cannabis retail sales. Learn more about the ACLU of Washington at aclu-wa.org, on Facebook [at]acluwa, and on Twitter [at]ACLU_WA.

Students around the state returned to full-time, in-person this school year, and their return revealed yet again the need for supports that help them succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. Unfortunately, in this environment, some schools continue to rely on police to handle routine discipline. In this episode, ACLU-PA Community Advocate Ghadah Makoshi explains the programming that benefits students and prevents conflicts from occurring in the first place, the policy choices that schools are making, and who is most likely to be impacted by police presence in schools. Ghadah also discusses a new ACLU-PA report, which she co-authored, that reveals that students in Allegheny County public schools are more likely to be arrested in school than their peers around the state, that Black students and students with disabilities are arrested disproportionately in the county's public schools, and that many districts are not reporting their arrest data to state and federal agencies, as required by law. The report is available at this link: https://aclupa.org/en/publications/student-arrests-allegheny-county-schools-need-transparency-and-accountability Ghadah's blog post "Students Need More Support and Compassion, not Increased Punishment" is available here: https://aclupa.org/en/news/students-need-more-support-and-compassion-not-increased-punishment

In theory, a probation sentence in the criminal legal system should be an alternative to incarceration. The problem? In practice, it feeds mass incarceration, with restrictive rules that set people up for failure. In this episode, we hear from Dolly Prabhu, staff attorney for Abolitionist Law Center, and Kate Parker and Byron Cotter from the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Dolly, Kate, and Byron explain how probation functions, why it's flawed, and what kind of reform is needed of Pennsylvania's probation system. (Hint: It's not in the legislation currently being debated at the PA General Assembly.) Learn more about Senate Bill 913 at this link: https://aclupa.org/en/legislation/sb-913-probation Contact your state rep and tell them to vote NO on SB 913 at this link: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/pa-oppose-sb913

2021 proved that the ACLU is as relevant as ever. The fights go on. In this episode, we hear from ACLU-PA Executive Director Reggie Shuford, who talks about the year that was and the year ahead in 2022. Reggie explains the issues we're prioritizing, the ongoing threats to democracy, and our commitment to living our values as an organization.

Like other lawmakers in a handful of states, Pennsylvania Senate Republicans have initiated a sham review of the 2020 general election. On a party-line vote, a committee of the state Senate voted to subpoena the personally identifying information of all nine million registered voters in Pennsylvania. The subpoena demands voters' names, addresses, dates of birth, driver's license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers. ACLU-PA has joined a lawsuit challenging the subpoena as co-counsel for eight individuals and three advocacy organizations - Make The Road Pennsylvania, Common Cause PA, and the League of Women Voters of PA. Oral arguments in the case will be held on December 15 before the Commonwealth Court in Harrisburg. In this episode, we hear from Diana Robinson, civic engagement director for Make The Road PA, and Marian Schneider, consulting attorney on elections and voting rights for ACLU-PA. Marian and Diana discuss why the Senate's sham review is an unnecessary distraction from real issues, why it threatens both voting rights and the right to privacy, and how supporters of democracy can support and protect the franchise. Learn more about this case at aclupa.org/Dush. Learn more about the work of Make The Road PA at maketheroadpa.org, on Facebook, and on Twitter [at]MakeTheRoadPA.

The fight around abortion access has once again made it to the U.S. Supreme Court. And around the country, abortion liberation activists are unpacking what a ruling overturning Roe v. Wade or rolling back access could mean for the landscape of abortion health care. On this episode of Speaking Freely, we are joined by Elicia Gonzales, executive director of the Abortion Liberation Fund of PA, formerly known as the Women's Medical Fund, and Lizbeth Rodriguez, community engagement coordinator for the Philadelphia Women's Centers. They discuss how restrictions are currently impacting their work, the need for funding and community support, how abortion restrictions are rooted in white supremacy, and how their organizations are adapting and preparing so that they can continue to fight for abortion liberation across Pennsylvania. This episode was hosted by Cambriae Lee, ACLU-PA marketing and brand manager, and Julie Zaebst, ACLU-PA senior policy advocate. To support the Abortion Liberation Fund of PA and the Women's Centers, visit their websites. Abortion Liberation Fund of PA: https://www.womensmedicalfund.org The Women's Centers: https://www.thewomenscenters.com/take-action

In August, staff at Central York High School were issued a long list of materials that could not be used in classroom instruction, per a ban by the district's board. What all of the resources had in common was that they were by or about people of color. After the situation became public in a story by the York Dispatch, students and staff at Central York fought back, staging multiple protests and bringing local and national media attention to the school's censorship. On September 20, the school board rescinded the ban, although the board stated that it will further review the materials later this fall. In this episode, we talk with three students and two teachers who were in the middle of the pushback against the ban. The list of banned materials is available at this link: https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2021/09/14/books-and-other-resources-banned-central-york-school-board/8333108002/

For a decade, the ACLU-PA has been part of the team monitoring how the Philadelphia police use stops and frisks of pedestrians on city streets. The monitoring process stems from the settlement of a 2010 lawsuit brought against the city by ten Black and Latinx men who were illegally stopped on account of their race. While there's been progress in the ten years since the settlement, thousands of people are illegally stopped without legal justification every year, and racial disparities in who gets stopped remain. On August 1, the Philadelphia police implemented a new pilot program, under court order, in the city's 14th police district, which covers parts of Northwest Philly. In this program, police do not stop and detain people who are committing any of one of a long list of minor offenses. They simply ask them to stop the activity and move along. In this episode, we hear from Mary Catherine Roper, deputy legal director of the ACLU-PA, and Frederick Bates, a community ambassador for ACLU-PA who is helping to get the word out to residents about the new program. Ultimately, the goal is for this program to go citywide. To learn more, visit aclupa.org/stopandfrisk.

For approximately two decades, Berks County in eastern Pennsylvania has had a working agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold people in detention on ICE's behalf. Under the leadership of presidents from both major political parties, the facility has held parents and children as young as newborns. Several years ago, a coalition of faith leaders, immigration activists, and civil rights advocates came together to create a coalition that calls for an end to Berks County's agreement with ICE and demands an end to family detention altogether. In this episode, we hear from three leaders of the Shutdown Berks Coalition - Jasmine Rivera, the Reverend Linda Theophilus, and Armando Jimenez. Jasmine, Pastor Linda, and Armando explain what life is like for people held at Berks, what the coalition has been doing to advance this cause, and why the work goes on even though the facility is empty today. Take action by signing the coalition's petition to end family detention and all immigration detention: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/biden-end-immigrant-family-detention-separation-end-all-immigrant-detention-deportations?source=direct_link&fbclid=IwAR0cAkxSJRuQljSjAk8I_SrcSHNMG4_LlCl6KqRS1OvSKTf2dN8A9aXERrs Follow Shut Down Berks on Twitter [at]shutdownberks and on Facebook [at]shutdownberkscoalition.

Eighteen years ago, after receiving a courtesy ride from a Philadelphia police officer, Nizah Morris, a Black trans woman, was found hit over the head. She died shortly after. After years of asking for police transparency and answers, Nizah's murder is still unsolved, and evidence from her case remains unavailable to the public. On this episode, we are joined by PGN reporter Timothy Cwiek who has covered the case for almost two decades and has fought tirelessly for police transparency. Additionally, Reporter's Committee Legal Initiative Attorney Paula Knudsen Burke brings legal insight to Pennsylvania laws around transparency. And ACLU-PA Trans Justice Coordinator Naiymah Sanchez explains issues that trans women face today. Follow Tim's reporting on Nizah Morris here: https://epgn.com/?s=Nizah+morris. Learn more about our trans justice work: https://www.transformationpa.org/.

With the state budget deadline looming on June 30, this month is the busy season - or the silly season - at the PA General Assembly. Lawmakers are debating reproductive rights, voting rights, and the continued expansion of the criminal legal system. Here to discuss it all is ACLU-PA's legislative director, Elizabeth Randol. See how your state lawmakers are voting on civil liberties on our legislative scorecard: https://aclupalegislativescorecard.org/#/ Read the updated edition of our report More Law Less Justice at this link: https://aclupa.org/en/publications/more-law-less-justice-2021

As more states legalize cannabis, including New York and New Jersey, Pennsylvania is at risk of being left behind, continuing to enforce an outdated, archaic prohibition regime that mixes up more than 20,000 people in the criminal legal system every year. In this episode, Yoko Miyashita explains the economic implications of legalization, including the need for greater racial equity in the industry, and why she traveled all the way from Seattle to be in Harrisburg on 4/20. Plus, hear from ACLU-PA's Alex Domingos and state Representative Brian Sims. Learn more about Leafly at https://www.leafly.com/. 2021 Leafly Jobs Report: https://www.leafly.com/news/industry/cannabis-jobs-report

Deborah Archer is a professor at New York University School of Law, where she is the co-faculty director of the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law. She's also the new president of the ACLU, the eighth in the organization's history and the first Black person to serve in the role. In this conversation, Professor Archer discusses her vision for the ACLU, how her life experience as a Black woman and the daughter of immigrants inspires her work, and what and who keeps her going when things are really hard. Follow Professor Archer on Twitter [at]DeborahNArcher. "Meet Deborah Archer" https://www.aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/meet-deborah-archer-aclu-national-board-president/ Learn more about the ACLU's Systemic Equality initiative: https://www.aclu.org/news/topic/systemic-equality-addressing-americas-legacy-of-racism-and-systemic-discrimination/

On April 28, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in B.L. v. Mahanoy Area School District. In 2017, a Mahanoy student was kicked off the junior varsity cheerleading team after she posted a "snap" on Snapchat that said "fuck school fuck softball fuck cheer fuck everything" while hanging out with a friend at a convenience store on a Saturday. Represented by the ACLU of PA, the student challenged the school's punishment and won four ensuing court decisions. In this episode, we hear from the student, Brandi Levy, along with ACLU-PA Legal Director Vic Walczak and Mary Beth Tinker, one of the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court's landmark case Tinker v. Des Moines. They talk about what's at stake in this case and why students should have the constitutionally protected right to express themselves. Oral arguments will be livestreamed on April 28 at 10am at this link: https://www.c-span.org/video/?510036-1/mahanoy-area-schools-district-v-bl-oral-argument Learn more about this case here: https://www.aclupa.org/en/cases/bl-v-mahanoy-area-school-district "Punished for a Snapchat: Why School Shouldn't Police Students' Speech Outside of School" https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/punished-for-a-snapchat-why-schools-shouldnt-police-students-speech-outside-of-school/

It's 4/20! And arrests for marijuana possession continue apace in Pennsylvania. Chris Goldstein of NORML joins the podcast and reviews the latest arrest data, celebrates progress on ending prohibition around the country, and talks about what the legalization movement can do differently. Chris on Twitter: [at]freedomisgreen Chris's writing for NORML: https://norml.org/blog/author/chrisgoldstein/ "A cynical stoner looks back on 4/20" Published April 23, 2018 https://www.inquirer.com/philly/business/cannabis/a-cynical-stoner-looks-back-on-420-20180423.html

Women from the ACLU of Pennsylvania discuss women's rights and the inclusion of BIPOC women and trans women in the movement for women's rights. This conversation was recorded as a Facebook Live on March 22, 2021, in celebration of Women's History Month. For more information about the ACLU of Pennsylvania, visit https://aclupa.org.

In normal times, women who are incarcerated face a unique set of challenges that are different from men's. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded those challenges. Ivy Johnson, Adrian Perry, and Dr. Jill McCorkel are members of the Incarcerated Women's Working Group, a coalition of 40 public interest organizations in Philadelphia advocating for women who are in jails and prisons. In this episode, they describe some of the challenges that women inside are facing in the Philadelphia jails and in the state Department of Corrections and talk about why decarceration is needed now more than ever. "The Other Public Health Crisis in Prisons and Jails" by Dr. Jill McCorkel: https://www.penncapital-star.com/covid-19/mental-health-the-other-public-health-crisis-in-pa-s-prisons-and-jails-opinion/ "Supporting Women in the Criminal Legal System Through Access to Diversion Programs," a new report by Community Legal Services of Philadelphia: https://clsphila.org/criminal-records/report-women-diversionary-programs/

A proposal before the Pennsylvania General Assembly would completely upend how voters elect judges and justices to our state appeals courts. House Bill 38 is a proposed state constitutional amendment that would create geographical judicial districts, with each judge and justice on the state Superior, Commonwealth, and Supreme Courts representing those districts, ending our current practice of statewide judicial elections. Opponents, including ACLU-PA, call it judicial gerrymandering, in anticipation that the legislature would draw the districts to benefit their party, as they do with legislative districts. Kadida Kenner is the director of campaigns for Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center. In this episode, she explains why judicial gerrymandering is so problematic and what you can do about it. Learn more at www.judicialindependencepa.org. You can send an email to your state representative in opposition to House Bill 38 at this link: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/pa-stop-judicial-gerrymandering

The civil liberties impact of the three crises of 2020 - the COVID-19 pandemic, the racial reckoning captured in the Black Lives Matter movement, and the election - cannot be overstated. In this episode, ACLU-PA Executive Director Reggie Shuford explains how the organization managed, survived, and thrived and takes a look ahead to 2021. ACLU-PA and Drexel University Kline School of Law letter to the United Nations on abuse by Philadelphia police: www.aclupa.org/UNletter ACLU-PA's COVID-19 work: www.aclupa.org/covid-19 ACLU-PA statement on the Philadelphia police murder of Walter Wallace, Jr.: https://aclupa.org/en/press-releases/aclu-pa-statement-philadelphia-police-killing-walter-wallace-jr Send a message to Philadelphia city officials to divest in law enforcement and invest in people: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/pa-end-police-violence-in-philly

40 people incarcerated in the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections have died from COVID-19. 29 of them have died since October 15. As of December 7, there are 2,000 active cases among the DOC population. Robert Saleem Holbrook of Abolitionist Law Center joins the podcast to discuss the urgency of this moment and the failure of Governor Wolf's response. He also talks about how the state victim advocate and the Pennsylvania attorney general have contributed to mass incarceration, why people sentenced to death-by-incarceration should have the chance to come home, and how "a movement" gave him that chance. Learn more about ALC at www.abolitionistlawcenter.org and follow them on social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

As part of the ACLU's Centennial celebration, the writers Ayelet Waldman and Michael Chabon published the book Fight of the Century: Writers Reflect on 100 Years of Landmark ACLU Cases. The book features 40 writers with each writing a chapter about a different ACLU case. Beyond a simple rehash of the cases, the writers explore their own connections to the issues in the cases and how decades-old cases are still relevant in 2020. Ayelet and Michael took part in a book talk as part of the ACLU Centennial Pittsburgh celebration, and this episode features that conversation. ACLU-PA has teamed up with White Whale bookstore in Pittsburgh to sell signed copies of the book, with an online purchase option for people who don't live in Pittsburgh. Learn more at this link: https://whitewhalebookstore.com/readytoship/fight-of-the-century

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court hears arguments in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a challenge to the city's enforcement of its nondiscrimination ordinance in its contracts with foster care agencies. The city was sued by Catholic Social Services, which argues that it has a First Amendment right to discriminate against same-sex couples while fulfilling a government contract. In this episode, we hear from Mary Catherine Roper, deputy legal director of the ACLU of PA, about the legal issues in this case and from Samantha Hutcherson Bannon and Greg Yorgey-Girdey of Philadelphia Family Pride, who talk about their families and why it's so important for them to be part of this case. More information about this case: aclupa.org/fulton ---- After Philadelphia police murdered Walter Wallace, Jr., on October 26, ACLU-PA called on city council and Mayor Kenney to divest from the city police department and invest in community support programs. Take action and send that message to city council and the mayor: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/pa-end-police-violence-in-philly

ACLU-PA's election protection work has been at full speed for months. In this episode, Sara Mullen, advocacy and policy director; Vic Walczak, legal director; and Elizabeth Randol, legislative director, talk about what election protection means, what our team has been doing, and what it means for you as a voter. Trouble with voting? Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE. 866-687-8683. Visit our Know Your Rights page at aclupa.org/vote. Learn more about volunteer opportunities for election protection at aclupa.org/volunteer. And learn more about the cases we're involved in at aclupa.org/cases.

Marian Schneider served as deputy secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of State under Governor Wolf and has worked as a voting rights attorney for 15 years. In this episode, Marian answers some of the most common questions we hear about voting. Know your rights when voting by visiting our website, aclupa.org/vote. And if you have trouble voting, call or text 866-OUR-VOTE. 866-687-8683

Election season is here, and Alexa Grant of Common Cause PA and Donnell Drinks of ACLU-PA fill us in on some of the things you need to know before you vote. Know your rights: aclupa.org/vote Register, check your registration, find your polling place: votesPA.com Common Cause PA online: commoncause.org/pennsylvania Volunteer to be a voting ambassador: aclupa.org/votingvolunteers

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that discrimination in the workplace against LGBQ&T people is a form of sex discrimination. What does the ruling mean for people in Pennsylvania? And what is the additional work that needs to be done to be sure that prohibitions on discrimination are comprehensive? For this episode, we hear from Naiymah Sanchez, transgender justice coordinator for the ACLU of PA, and Mary Catherine Roper, deputy legal director of ACLU-PA. They talk about their reactions to the ruling and what it means; plus, Naiymah talks about her appreciation for Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvania's Secretary of Health and the state's only trans statewide official, and Mary Catherine previews another LGBQ&T case that will be before the Supreme Court in its next session.

State government can have profound impacts on Pennsylvanians' lives, for better and for worse. On this episode, ACLU-PA Legislative Director Elizabeth Randol talks about her work lobbying the state Legislature on civil liberties, how probation reform turned into probation deform, and legislators' responses to the crisis in policing. She also gives grades for how the General Assembly has handled a wide range of issues. Learn more about ACLU-PA's legislative work at aclupa.org/legislation.

In the last 20 years, the presence of police officers in schools has increased dramatically, to the detriment of the lives and futures of students. The harm of police in schools has particular impact on students of color, with disabilities, and of limited income. In this episode, we hear from Harold Jordan, senior policy advocate for ACLU-PA, who has spent decades advocating for students' civil rights. Visit our website www.endzerotolerance.org. And read this opinion piece from Ghadah Makoshi, community advocate for ACLU-PA: https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/police-reforms-school-resource-officers-20200626.html

What does it mean to divest in police? Paige Fernandez, policing policy advisor for national ACLU, joins the podcast to talk about how we change the police by shrinking their size, scope, and power and why reform didn't work. Defunding the police will actually make us safer By Paige Fernandez, ACLU https://www.aclu.org/news/criminal-law-reform/defunding-the-police-will-actually-make-us-safer/ Curtailing the enforcers of white supremacy By Reggie Shuford, ACLU-PA https://www.aclupa.org/en/news/curtailing-enforcers-white-supremacy Tell Congress to stop funding local police departments and to stop providing them with military equipment: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/congress-end-police-militarization-and-over-policing-our-communities-now?ms=wwwactionpage&initms=wwwactionpage&ms_aff=NAT&initms_aff=NAT&ms_chan=web&initms_chan=web

The Philadelphia Bail Fund works to put itself out of business by ending the use of cash bail and pretrial punishment. Malik Neal, co-founder and director of the Philadelphia Bail Fund, explains the organization's work, how it supports people who are detained pretrial and their families, and the lessons he's learned about the criminal legal system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about the Philadelphia Bail Fund at www.phillybailfund.org.

The ACLU is celebrating its 100th birthday in 2020. To continue the celebration, we hear in this episode from Vic Walczak, ACLU-PA's legal director, about some of the cases that have cemented our legacy as the leading defender of civil liberties in the commonwealth.

Content warning: This episode includes the use of a racial slur in the context of discussing the history of race baiting by advocates for marijuana prohibition. Happy 4/20! In this episode, we hear from Patrick Nightingale, criminal defense attorney, former prosecutor, and executive director of Pittsburgh NORML. Patrick discusses the state of reform efforts, how well Pennsylvania's medical marijuana is working for patients, and why he uses the term "cannabis" instead of "marijuana." After the discussion, Patrick received a response to his Right To Know request and learned that Pittsburgh police issued approximately 200 citations under the city's decriminalization ordinance in 2019. Possession arrest data for 2019 is not available, but in 2018, city police arrested 849 people for misdemeanor marijuana possession. See www.tinyurl.com/PghDecrim. The new ACLU report A Tale of Two Countries is available at this link: www.aclu.org/marijuanadata Here is the legislation referenced in this episode. House Bill 1480, reform DUI law: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2019&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1480 HB 927, lowers the grading of marijuana possession: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2019&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=0927 Senate Bill 233, lowers the grading of marijuana possession: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2019&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0233 HB 2050, legalization of marijuana for adult use: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2019&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=2050