Friend – One outcome from the 2022 midterm elections is clear: organizing is a powerful way to move people to participate in democracy and fight for civil liberties. Whether we are working to increase voter turnout among young voters, mobilizing people to take action on behalf of momentous legislation, or building the skills of community leaders powering grassroots movements, organizing in California has an impact. In California, your advocacy led to the passage of historic legislation to allow people to challenge racially biased and unfair convictions and sentences and to create a process for renaming places in the state that use an offensive, racist term that has been used to refer to Indigenous women. These are victories that, like many other victories in California, will become roadmaps for other states to advance civil liberties. While next year may bring gridlock in Congress and a Supreme Court that is committed to upending long-held civil rights and liberties, one thing remains true: California will continue to be a national leader in creating smart and effective models for justice and equity. Join us Thursday, December 8, 5:30 p.m. for our annual Bill of Rights Day celebration, where we will hear from leaders in California's movements for reproductive justice and civil rights. Everybody who attends will receive an ACLU NorCal T-Shirt!
This year's Chief Justice Earl Warren Award recipient is Janette Robinson Flint, co-founder and long-time executive director of Black Women for Wellness, and the Lola Hanzel Courageous Advocacy Award recognizes former ACLU NorCal Board Member and Monterey County Chapter leader Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts. Janette Robinson Flint has been an innovative leader in the reproductive justice movement for decades. Under her leadership, Black Women for Wellness advances the health and well-being of Black women and girls through health education and empowerment and has successfully advocated for abortion access, quality sex education, and the removal of caps on welfare for low-income families. Now more than ever, these progressive policies are vitally important models to protect abortion access and advance reproductive justice nationally. Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts served the ACLU NorCal Monterey County Chapter and the ACLU of Northern California board for over three decades. He has been a thoughtful and poetic voice to help the organization not just grow in size, but also grow in wisdom, compassion, and community. In Monterey County, he supported the equal advancement of youth entering college and advocated for alternatives to incarceration and preventing local law enforcement cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Local efforts like these are the lifeblood of progressive change across our state. These two California leaders show us how commitment to grassroots organizing can build movements locally and statewide that become the blueprints for change across the country. Join us for an important evening of reflection as we look forward to the year ahead and the opportunities it will bring. I hope to see you there! Ashley Morris |
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