Hi John,  

I’m Nancy Cruz, an organizing strategist based in sunny San Diego. Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with People Power volunteers from coast to coast and welcome new members into our People Power Slack communities, ICE Out and Democracy Defenders.

What’s stayed with me most is hearing why people are showing up.

People are angry about ICE’s abuse of power. They’re alarmed by attacks on our civil rights and threats to our democracy. But they’re not sitting on the sidelines. They’re organizing with their neighbors, learning new skills, building community, and getting ready to fight back.

That’s People Power: turning concern into action, and action into power.

Across the country, volunteers are stepping up to lead, organize, and defend their communities. And as we head into a critical fall, we’re creating more ways for you to do the same. Here’s what People Power is making happen.

Automatic license plate reader companies like Flock Safety are expanding surveillance systems across communities nationwide. These cameras can track, log, and share information about people’s movements, raising serious concerns about privacy and government surveillance.

But communities are organizing back.

Join ACLU People Power’s Get the Flock Out Action Call on September 29 at 8 PM ET to learn more about how automatic license plate readers are being used and what communities can do to fight back.

The call will feature privacy and surveillance expert Chad Marlow, who will unpack the technology and explain how ALPRs can be weaponized by law enforcement—from targeting people seeking reproductive care to pursuing immigrants without warrants.

We’ll also hear from activists who have organized locally to win privacy protections for their communities.

“The good news is people are finally onto Flock. You have towns throughout the entire country…who are actually cancelling their Flock contracts because they figured out, they are getting more—and in fact a whole lot more—than they signed up for.” -  Chad Marlow

This month, ACLU People Power launched our brand-new Youth Broadcasting Channel on ACLU National’s Instagram- a new up-close and personal way for us to engage with our young activists across social media. 

Since booting up the channel, over 1.2 thousand young activists have joined us, with passions ranging from election protection to LGBTQ rights and more. Activists from Amber Singletary to Julia Fox have already gotten to chime in and talk all things activism with our youth organizing audience, and we’re excited for many more live events and conversations to come! 

People Power looks different in every community, but the goal is the same: build local power, develop new leaders, and turn our shared values into action. From protecting access to the ballot in Georgia to keeping ICE out of Colorado communities, here’s what volunteers are making possible across the country.

The ACLU of Colorado launched its No ICE in Businesses and Schools campaign this August with community canvasses in Denver and Lafayette. Volunteers visited more than 60 businesses, inviting employees and employers to upcoming Know Your Rights trainings designed for Colorado communities. By building knowledge, sharing resources, and preparing together, businesses and schools can become powerful points of resistance and accountability.

Activists visit more than 60 businesses, inviting employees and employers to KYR trainings.

Georgia was on a roll this month. As activists gear up for major LEAD and Power & Purpose trainings, ACLU of Georgia’s activist teams are also making progress across the state. In Columbus, community mobilization helped push the Board to add an early voting location, including one at Columbus State’s campus, while at the State BOE meeting, LEADs and volunteers defeated a ballot secrecy rule that could have paved the way for hand-marked paper ballots. Activists are building momentum across Georgia to protect access to the ballot box heading into November.

Activists attend the State BOE meeting.

North Carolina is growing, organizing, and building momentum. ACLU of NC’s partnerships across the state are bringing new collaborative events to life, including the first in-person Election Safeguarding Know Your Rights training in Wilmington on August 29th, with more than 30 people already signed up. An ACLU of NC Charlotte training co-hosted with Carolina Migrant Network and a Power & Purpose training in Concord are up next, creating even more opportunities for volunteers to build skills, connect with their communities, and take action.

“We always talk with our friends about how sad the state of our country is. It’s wonderful to be able to bring our people together to hear about how we can actually fight back in even a small way” - Sarah, KYR Host

Pennsylvania is ready to work! More than 50 advocates joined an August Power & Purpose training to build the skills and knowledge needed to take action ahead of November, leaving energized and ready for what’s next. Now, teams are preparing for ACLU of Pennsylvania’s September 17th statewide Get Out the Vote kickoff, where volunteers will jump into phonebanking, textbanking, literature drops, and poll monitoring as we build momentum for election season.

Activists attend an August Power & Purpose Training.

The Dream and Promise act would create a pathway to citizenship for people who came to the country as children or “Dreamers” and people who have had Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Join activists on Wednesday, 9/2 at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT for a phone bank to pass this crucial piece of legislation! 

Join ACLU People Power’s September Action Call on 9/29 at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT to learn how to “Get the Flock Out” of your community! The call will feature privacy and surveillance expert Chad Marlow, who will explain how ALPRs are being weaponized and abused by law enforcement. Sign up now and take action!

Sign up now to join a community of activists working to protect and expand voting rights, inspire civic engagement, and strengthen our democratic processes. When you join, we will train you, connect you with leaders in your state, and prepare you to take action. 

Want to stay connected between newsletters? Visit our new People Power website at aclu.org/peoplepower for real-time updates, upcoming actions, and organizing resources. 

We’re so glad you’re here. Let’s keep showing up for each other—and keep building the power we need to win.

In Solidarity,

Nancy Cruz

Staff Organizer, ACLU National