Rights This Way is a podcast from the New York Civil Liberties Union (the ACLU of New York State) focused on the civil rights and liberties issues that impact New Yorkers most. Through interviews and lively conversations with experts inside and outside the NYCLU, we discuss the legal and policy implications of some of the most important issues facing our state.
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Rights This Way is a podcast from the New York Civil Liberties Union (the ACLU of New York State) focused on the civil rights and liberties issues that impact New Yorkers most. Through interviews and lively conversations with experts inside and outside the NYCLU, we discuss the legal and policy implications of some of the most important issues facing our state.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
President Trump is waging war on free speech and academic freedom. And too often, colleges and universities have waved the white flag. Over and over, places of higher education have given in to the Trump administration’s outrageous demands and allowed the federal government to have an unprecedented say in what gets taught and what people can say on college campuses. New York City’s Columbia University is at the center of Trump’s attempts to destroy America’s colleges.
Few have had a better seat to watch this assault on our cherished freedoms than Professor Katherine Franke. Franke is a former tenured law professor at Columbia who was put under investigation by the university in 2024 in the midst of the school’s crackdown on pro-Palestine speech. Then in January, she entered into an agreement with Columbia to leave the school after 25 years as a distinguished professor.
Few people have spoken out with more passion, clarity, and insight about the ongoing siege on academic freedom. On this episode, we speak with Professor Franke about her experience at Columbia, the climate of censorship, fear, and repression at Columbia and schools across the country, and efforts to fight back against Trump’s attacks.
Please download, rate, review, and subscribe to rights this way. It will help more people find this podcast.
Guest: Katherine Franke https://www.instagram.com/profkfranke/
Resources:
Follow Professor Katherine Franke: https://www.instagram.com/profkfranke/
Inside Columbia’s Crackdown on Pro-Palestine Free Speech: https://www.nyclu.org/podcast/inside-columbias-crackdown-on-pro-palestinian-free-speech
Mahmoud Khalil in His Own Words: https://www.nyclu.org/podcast/mahmoud-khalil-in-his-own-words
What are the Stakes of Mahmoud Khalil’s Case: https://www.nyclu.org/podcast/what-are-the-stakes-of-mahmoud-khalils-case
NYCLU Letter: Columbia Should Not Capitulate to Trump: https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/letter-columbia-should-not-capitulate-to-trump
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A legion of far-right activists is determined to purge school libraries of books they don't like. A huge percentage of the books they want to get rid of are about race or racism, feature people of color, or include LGBTQ characters. This is a nationwide movement, and New York is not immune. Several New York school districts are facing calls to ban books.
On this episode, we talk to New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron. One of Kalynn’s books, “Cinderella is Dead”, has been targeted by several book ban campaigns. She talks with us about why she wrote the story and why she thinks it’s important for students of all backgrounds to have a diverse set of books to choose from.
Then we chat with an NYCLU expert about book bans in New York and legislation that’s on Gov. Hochul’s desk that would help combat them.
Guests:
Kalynn Bayron, New York Times and Indie bestselling author
Emma Hulse, Education Counsel, NYCLU
Resources:
Check out Kalynn’s books: https://bookshop.org/shop/bloomsburyusa
Tell Gov. Hochul to sign Freedom to Read: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/fight-freedom-read
More from Emma: https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/ny-schools-are-banning-books-heres-what-you-can-do-about-it
More on Freedom to Read: https://www.nyclu.org/uploads/2024/05/Freedom-to-Read-Act-Legislative-Support-Memo-2526_04.14.25.pdf
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.
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SCOTUS Undermined Trans Rights: How Do We Protect Them in NY
In its recent decision in the case, United States v. Skrmetti, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming medical care does not violate the Constitution and can remain in effect. The decision is a devastating loss for trans rights and risks emboldening other states to advance similar bans.
The decision comes as the Trump administration and its allies in hostile state governments have made clear they aim to exclude transgender people from public life and eliminate access to abortion across the country.
On this episode, we talk with Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer who argued against the Tennessee law in the Skrmetti case. He’ll explain the flawed logic behind the conservative majority’s decision, what it means and what its nationwide implications are.
Then we chat with two NYCLU experts who will explain what the decision means for New Yorkers and what Gov. Hochul can do to shore up access to gender-affirming and abortion care in our state.
Please download, rate, review and subscribe to rights this way. It will help more people find this podcast.
Guests:
Chase Strangio, Co-Director of the ACLU’s LGBT & HIV Project
Allie Bohm, NYCLU senior policy counsel
Jenna Lauter, NYCLU policy counsel
Resources:
Tell Gov. Hochul to sign the bills we discuss on this episode:
https://action.aclu.org/send-message/protect-gender-affirming-care
ACLU response to Skrmetti decision:
NYCLU response:
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.
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On this episode, we hear from Mahmoud Khalil. Mahmoud is a lawful permanent resident who was kidnapped by the Trump administration and held in detention because of his advocacy for Palestinian Rights.
After more than 100 days in detention, Mahmoud is finally where he belongs: at home with his family in New York City. In this episode – which is a collaboration between Rights This Way and the ACLU’s podcast, At Liberty – At Liberty host W. Kamau Bell speaks with Mahmoud about his newly reacquired freedom, fatherhood, his wife Noor and what he wants everyone to remember from his experience taking on the Trump administration.
The NYCLU and ACLU are part of the legal team representing Mahmoud against Trump's unprecedented assault on his free speech.
Please download, rate, review, and subscribe to Rights This Way. It will help more people find this podcast.
The NYCLU and ACLU are part of Mahmoud’s legal team that includes the ACLU of New Jersey, the ACLU of Louisiana, Dratel & Lewis, the Center for Constitutional Rights, CLEAR, Van Der Hout LLP, and Washington Square Legal Services.
Resources:
https://www.nyclu.org/podcast/what-are-the-stakes-of-mahmoud-khalils-case
https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/after-more-than-100-days-mahmoud-khalil-is-finally-home
https://www.aclu.org/podcast/one-on-one-with-mahmoud-khalil
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.
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We might not realize it, but we are swimming in a sea of what this episode’s guest calls Copaganda. The way media outlets decide what stories to cover, which experts to quote, and even what supposedly objective words to use in news stories, profoundly impact how we view the world we live in.
In his book, Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News, our guest Alec Karakatsanis breaks down what Copaganda is, why media outlets and powerful figures deploy it, and how it shapes our understanding of crime rates, what types of crimes matter, and what the solutions are for achieving public safety.
Please download, rate, review, and subscribe to Rights This Way. It will help more people find this podcast.
Resources:
Copaganda: https://thenewpress.org/books/copaganda/
Follow Alec’s organization Civil Rights Coprs: https://civilrightscorps.org/
Commentary: Hero-worship of Police is Failing Us https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/hero-worship-police-failing-us
Podcast: Why Can’t We Stop Backtracking on Bail Reform? https://www.nyclu.org/podcast/s2-ep-1-why-cant-we-stop-backtracking-on-bail-reform
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.
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Some of us might think that the fight for trans people’s right to play sports is new. But a recent book, “The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports” delves into the history of this debate that has lasted the better part of a century at least.
Now the Trump administration is threatening states with funding cuts and other sanctions if they allow trans people to play sports on teams that align with their gender identity. It’s just one element of Trump’s full-scale war on trans people’s existence. But as we’ll hear, these types of campaigns have a deep-rooted history with ties to the Nazis.
In an interview that we recorded before Trump took office, we talk with the book’s author, Michael Waters about this history and what it tells us about our current efforts to secure trans people’s rights in athletics and beyond.
Please download, rate, review, and subscribe to Rights This Way. It will help more people find this podcast.
Resources:
The Other Olympians: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374609818/theotherolympians/
NYCLU Roller Rebels case: https://www.nyclu.org/resources/campaigns-actions/campaigns/stand-trans-athletes-nassau-county
Trump’s attack on trans athletes: https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/inside-trumps-full-force-approach-to-ban-trans-athletes-and-dei-in-schools/2025/04
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Trump administration has made clear that if you dare to disagree with the president, you will be punished.
That was the message when ICE agents illegally arrested and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful permanent resident and recent graduate student at Columbia University, in retaliation for his advocacy for Palestinian human rights. He was separated from his wife, an American citizen, who is nine months pregnant, and shipped from New York to New Jersey and then to Louisiana.
Mr. Khalil has never been accused, charged, or convicted of any crime. He was ripped from his home, detained and threatened with deportation in retaliation for his political beliefs. His case represents a clear attempt by Trump to silence dissent, chill speech, take over our universities, and attack our freedom.
And he is not alone. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked hundreds of visas of students and visitors for similar reasons.
On this episode, we’ll talk about the details and the stakes of Mr. Khalil’s case – in which the NYCLU is co-counsel. Then in a separate segment, we’ll get into the paper-thin legal theory the Trump administration is wielding to justify detaining and trying to deport Mr. Khalil.
Mr. Khalil’s legal team includes the New York Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU, the ACLU of New Jersey, the City University of New York’s CLEAR clinic, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Alina Das of Washington Square Legal Services, Van Der Hout LLP and Amy Greer of Dratel + Lewis.
Image credit: Gaby Díaz-Vendrell / Columbia Daily Spectator
Guests:
Donna Lieberman: NYCLU Executive Director
Bobby Hodgson: NYCLU Assistant Legal Director
Alina Das: professor, immigrant rights attorney, and co-director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic at New York University School of Law. Co-counsel on Mr. Khalil’s civil rights case.
Resources:
More on Mr. Khalil’s case: https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/mahmoud-khalils-case-is-a-canary-in-a-coal-mine
More on the NY for All Act: https://www.nyclu.org/resources/campaigns-actions/campaigns/new-york-all-act
Tell Gov. Hochul to sign the New York Health Information Privacy Act: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/tell-gov-hochul-safeguard-abortion-access
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
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It happens like clockwork. A person suffering from serious mental health problems is accused of a heinous and tragic crime committed against a stranger. Then the calls come from law enforcement, politicians, and right-wing tabloids to lock more people up. Rinse and repeat. This all happens despite the fact that people living with mental health challenges are 11 times more likely to be the victims of crime and violence than to commit an act of violence.
It is undeniably true that the status quo for how we address issues like homelessness and serious mental health challenges is untenable. But the response must not be to simply lock more people away. That doesn’t make us safer, and it doesn’t solve the root problems that lead to these devastating events.
Everyone deserves to have safe and stable housing, and we should all be able to get the health care we need when we need it. But for this to happen, we need meaningful, comprehensive, and paradigm-shifting new investments in affordable housing and our mental health care system.
If we don’t see these types of commitments from our state leaders soon, we are headed for incredibly dark days, especially with President Trump in office who promised to disappear homeless people into ill-defined “tent cities.”
On this episode, we talk about why our current approach to dealing with homelessness and serious mental health issues doesn’t work and what needs to be done to truly fix these problems with Harvey Rosenthal, Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance for Rights and Recovery and Beth Haroules, NYCLU Senior Staff Attorney.
Resources:
Follow The Alliance for Rights and Recovery: https://rightsandrecovery.org/
The Status Quo on Homelessness and Mental Health Care is Untenable: https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/the-status-quo-on-homelessness-and-mental-health-care-is-untenable
NYCLU Kings County case: https://www.nyclu.org/court-cases/mental-hygiene-legal-services-v-nyc-hhc-challenging-squalid-conditions-abuse-brooklyns-kings
The Dangers of Kendra’s Law: https://www.nyclu.org/resources/policy/one-pagers/dangers-kendras-law
Daniel’s Law: https://www.danielslawny.org/
Links to definitions of key terms mentioned in the podcast:
Intensive and Sustained Engagement Team (INSET) program: https://greatermentalhealth.org/inset/
Safe Option Support Teams: https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/rfp/2023/sos/index.html
Clubhouses: https://clubhouse-intl.org/what-we-do/what-clubhouses-do/
Crisis Respite Centers: https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/crisis-emergency-services-respite-centers.page
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The Trump Administration has stoked widespread fear in immigrant communities across New York and around the country. Through immigration raids, and a non-stop barrage of anti-immigrant policies, Trump’s plans to tear families apart and launch the largest mass deportations in U.S. history are well underway.
There’s no sugarcoating how bad the current situation is. But we should also understand that there’s a lot New York lawmakers can do to protect our immigrant neighbors. On this episode, we discuss what policies need to be put in place at the state level to help safeguard communities from Trump’s deportation dragnet. And we dig into why Trump’s mass deportations will ultimately hurt all New Yorkers.
We also get a sense of how people in immigrant communities are feeling by talking to an immigrant New Yorker about her experience.
Please download, share, rate, and review Rights This Way. It will help more people find this podcast.
Guests:
Zachary Ahmad: NYCLU Senior Policy Counsel
Irma Solis: NYCLU Suffolk Regional Office Director
Mrs. Melendez: volunteer for the NYCLU's education equity program in Suffolk County, Long Island
Resources:
Our previous episode "The Case for Open Borders" with author and journalist John Washington: https://www.nyclu.org/podcast/the-case-for-open-borders
New York for All: https://www.nyclu.org/resources/campaigns-actions/campaigns/new-york-all-act
Dignity Not Detention: https://nydignitynotdetention.org/
How New York Can Defend Against Trump’s Mass Deportations: https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/how-new-york-can-defend-against-trumps-mass-deportations
Get involved and volunteer with us: https://www.nyclu.org/get-involved/volunteer
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
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It seems like ancient history, but it actually wasn’t that long ago when – during the first Trump administration – large protests featured signs that read “no kids in cages” and “no body is illegal.” It is hard to remember that less than a decade ago, Democrats running in their party’s presidential primary were competing over who was more pro-immigrant.
Times have changed. President Trump has begun his effort to carry out the largest mass deportation of immigrants in U.S. history. Families and whole communities are stricken with fear.
Meanwhile, the calls to “close the border” or at the very least “tighten” it are coming from all sides of the political playing field. But is there another way forward? What if for our economy and our country to thrive we need open borders, not hyper-militarized ones?
Journalist and author John Washington makes exactly this argument in his recent book, “The Case for Open Borders.” In an interview that took place before Trump took office, we speak with John about why he believes open borders would strengthen our country and better align the United States with its stated ideals of liberty and freedom. Much of what John argues for goes beyond the NYCLU’s policy prevue and we’re not asking everyone to agree with everything he says. But his perspective offers a stark contrast to the vast majority of what we hear about immigration every day, and we think it’s a valuable viewpoint to hear.
Please download, rate, review, and subscribe to Rights This Way. It will help more people find this podcast.
"The Case for Open Borders" by John Washington: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2199-the-case-for-open-borders
Listen to our previous episode with NYC Comptroller Brad Lander on new migrants: https://www.nyclu.org/podcast/why-new-migrants-are-good-for-nyc-with-comptroller-brad-lander
Take action: tell lawmakers to protect immigrant New Yorkers from mass deportation: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/protect-immigrant-new-yorkers-trumps-mass-deportation
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
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Watch the video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwHV7aTjToU&t=923s
SUFFS is a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical set in the early 1900s that chronicles the suffragists’ fight to secure women’s right to vote. More than a century later, the production’s Broadway run is happening at a moment when abortion rights, and women’s rights more broadly, are under attack across the country.
On this episode, we sit down with SUFFS’ writer, composer, and star Shaina Taub, and ensemble cast member Jenna Bainbridge to talk about creating politically-engaged art. We also discuss what lessons we can draw from the suffragists’ experience that will help us in our current moment. Finally, we talk about the connection between SUFFS and the push here in New York to safeguard the right to abortion by voting for Prop 1 this election.
Please rate, review and subscribe to Rights This Way. It will help more people find this podcast.
Learn more about and get tickets to SUFFS: https://suffsmusical.com/
Join the Prop 1 campaign: https://nyequalrights.org/
Our campaign page: https://www.nyclu.org/resources/campaigns-actions/campaigns/new-york-needs-equal-rights-amendment
Our commentary piece on Prop 1: https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/why-new-yorkers-should-vote-yes-on-proposition-1
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit https://www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit https://www.nyclu.org/ideas/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
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Across the country, politicians are restricting people’s rights and freedoms, including the right to abortion and the right for all of us to be who we are.
Since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, twenty-one states have either banned or restricted abortion care. There’s also a full-blown assault on LGBTQ rights, with hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced — and many passed — in state legislatures across the country just this year.
Some might think we’re safe from these attacks here in New York, but the truth is there are dangerous loopholes in our state constitution that leave us vulnerable to the whims of politicians.
That’s why the NYCLU is part of a ballot initiative committee formed to pass Proposal 1 this November. Prop 1 – or the New York Equal Rights Amendment as it was previously known – will protect our rights and reproductive freedoms — including the right to abortion. But New York voters have to pass it first.
In this episode, we get into why Prop 1 is so important with New Yorkers for Equal Rights Campaign Director Sasha Ahuja and NYCLU Executive Director, Donna Lieberman. We also delve into the grassroots campaign designed to make sure it succeeds in November.
Please rate, review and subscribe to Rights This Way. It will help more people find this podcast.
Join the Prop 1 campaign: https://nyequalrights.org/
Our campaign page: https://www.nyclu.org/resources/campaigns-actions/campaigns/new-york-needs-equal-rights-amendment
Our latest commentary piece on Prop 1: https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/why-new-yorkers-should-vote-yes-on-proposition-1
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit https://www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit https://www.nyclu.org/ideas/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
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This February in Long Island, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman issued an executive order banning transgender girls and women from participating in girls’ and women’s sports at county-run facilities. The NYCLU sued to block this policy, arguing that it violates New York’s Human Rights Law and Civil Rights Law, which explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. Justice prevailed and, in May, the Nassau County Supreme Court ruled in the NYCLU and Roller Rebels’ favor, striking down the executive order.
Then, shortly after we recorded this podcast, the Nassau County Legislature introduced legislation designed to resurrect Blakeman’s ban. The bill is slated to be voted on later in June. The NYCLU’s Nassau field office is mobilizing with other advocates to stop the bill in its tracks including organizing rallies and getting people to testify against the bill. But if it passes, the NYCLU will file another lawsuit to strike it down.
Blakeman claims Nassau’s trans ban will protect cisgender women and girls. But on this episode, we’ll explore why the order is actually a harmful, transphobic policy designed to shut trans people out of public spaces. We’ll hear from two NYCLU lawyers who brought the case, and from the president of the Long Island Roller Rebels, a team in the Nassau County Recreational Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby League. The Roller Rebels are the plaintiffs in our case. Their league, which welcomes trans women, was barred from using Nassau County’s facilities under the executive order.
Guests:
Gabriella Larios: Staff Attorney at the New York Civil Liberties Union
Bobby Hodgson: NYCLU Assistant Legal Director
Curly Fry: President of the Long Island Roller Rebels
Please download, rate, review and subscribe to Rights This Way. It will help more people find this podcast.
Our campaign page for the Roller Rebels’ case: https://www.nyclu.org/resources/campaigns-actions/campaigns/stand-trans-athletes-nassau-county
Meet the Roller Rebels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRdu_h7Ww8Q&t=2s
Read about our case: https://www.nyclu.org/court-cases/roller-rebels-v-blakeman
Tell lawmakers to vote against the anti trans bill in the Nassau County Legislature: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/stop-anti-trans-hate-nassau
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit https://www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit https://www.nyclu.org/ideas/podcasts
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
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The NYCLU recently filed a lawsuit challenging the misleadingly-named Sexual Assault Reform Act, or SARA. SARA is a New York law that prevents certain people required to register on the state’s sex offender registry from knowingly being within 1,000 feet of a school at any time and for any reason. It’s also been interpreted to prevent people subject to SARA restrictions from living within this 1,000-foot radius.
SARA is billed as a way to protect New Yorkers from people who could harm children. But research shows these types of geographical restrictions don’t increase public safety. And authorities have applied SARA to people who have never harmed children, and even people who have never committed a sexual offense.
In dense urban areas like New York City, where you’re almost always within 1,000 feet of a school, SARA restrictions force thousands of New Yorkers into homelessness and to the fringes of society, effectively banishing them.
We speak with Daniel Lambright, the NYCLU’s Special Counsel for Criminal Justice Litigation, M.G., one of the plaintiffs in our lawsuit, and Dr. Emily Horowitz, a sociologist who has spent nearly two decades researching and writing about sexual offense policies.
Please download, rate, review, and subscribe to Rights This Way. It will help more people find this podcast.
Our press release announcing the case: https://www.nyclu.org/press-release/nyclu-challenges-law-banishing-people-convicted-of-sex-offenses
NYCLU's exclusive SARA story: https://nysfocus.com/2024/05/28/nyclu-sex-offender-registry-housing-homeless
Case materials: https://www.nyclu.org/court-cases/m-g-v-towns
NYCLU blog "Why We Must Rethink the Way We Treat People Convicted of Sex Offenses": https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/why-we-must-rethink-way-we-treat-people-convicted-sex-offenses
Research on the ineffectiveness of residency restrictions: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0011128712441694
About Dr. Emily Horowitz: https://www.sfc.edu/academics/faculty-directory/emily-horowitz
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit https://www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit nyclu.org/en/rightsthisway
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
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Fifty years ago, New York first opened its doors to people from across the U.S. who needed abortion care. Now, following the Supreme Court's decision to gut Roe, numerous states have banned or severely restricted abortion care. In the face of this attack on basic reproductive rights, New York must once again be a leader in expanding care for its residents and anyone who needs it.
Even though abortion is legal in New York, people still face steep barriers trying to access abortion across the state. We talk about how to close those gaps and how to strengthen New York’s position as a leader when it comes to abortion rights with Allie Bohm, senior policy counsel for the NYCLU and Chelsea Williams-Diggs, Executive Director of the New York Abortion Access Fund.
Since we recorded this episode, the state legislature passed a version of one of the bills we discussed, the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Program. This is a historic step to make abortion rights a reality for everyone in our state. The program creates a sustainable state funding mechanism for abortion providers and abortion funds, bringing us closer to a world where New Yorkers can freely make decisions about their futures and bodies. But the version of the bill passed by the legislature does not include funding for things like hotel stays or other travel costs for patients seeking an abortion. And it also doesn’t include money for capital improvements for abortion providers. So, there’s still more work to do.
Please rate, review, and subscribe to Rights This Way. It will help more people find this podcast.
Join the campaign to pass the New York Equal Rights Amendment: https://nyequalrights.org/
Find out more and get involved with the New York Abortion Access Fund: https://www.nyaaf.org/
Tell legislators to support the bills mentioned in this podcast: https://nyclu.org/act
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit https://www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit nyclu.org/en/rightsthisway.
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
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Universities should be havens for robust debate, discussion, and learning – not sites of censorship where administrators, donors, and politicians squash political discourse they don't approve of. But Columbia University recently violated New York law to single out and suspend two student groups for participating in a peaceful student demonstration and temporary art installation in support of Palestinian rights.
That's why the NYCLU and Palestine Legal sued Columbia.
These student groups – Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace – were peacefully speaking out on a critical global conflict, only to have Columbia ignore its own longstanding, existing rules and abruptly suspend the organizations. The protest was sponsored by a coalition of over 20 groups, yet none of the other groups involved faced disciplinary action.
That's retaliatory, it's targeted, and it flies in the face of the free speech principles that institutes of higher learning should be defending. We talk about this case with two NYCLU lawyers who brought the lawsuit. We also hear from two students who are plaintiffs in the case, Maryam Alwan, an organizer with Columbia’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine and Cameron Jones, an organizer with Columbia’s chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace.
Since we recorded this episode several New York colleges and universities – including Columbia – have started pro-Palestine protest encampments. In some cases, students have also occupied campus buildings. The NYCLU continues to monitor these developments and has spoken out about the police crackdowns against them. This episode, however, is specifically focused on our lawsuit challenging Columbia’s decision last year to unlawfully suspend Jewish Voice for Peace and Students for Justice in Palestine.
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The NYCLU’s case against Columbia: https://www.nyclu.org/court-cases/columbia-students-justice-palestine-jewish-voice-peace-v-columbia-university
NYCLU’s commentary on the police crackdown on pro-Palestinian student protesters https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/pro-palestinian-campus-protests-shouldnt-be-snuffed-out-by-police
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit https://www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit nyclu.org/en/rightsthisway.
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
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About 180,000 migrants have come to New York City since April of 2022, and about 65,000 are currently in the city's care. Nearly every day there is a news story or a quote from a New York politician about how this recent arrival of migrants is a drain on New York’s finances. But a recent report from New York City Comptroller Brad Lander complicates that narrative. He joins us to explain why migrants are an economic boon to our city, and what he thinks we should do to get them the resources they need to thrive.
This is a companion episode to one we did last season about recent migrants to New York and on U.S. foreign policy with NYCLU executive Director Donna Lieberman and Daniel Denvir who hosts the Dig podcast.
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Facts Not Fear Report from the NYC Comptroller’s office:
https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/facts-not-fear-how-welcoming-immigrants-benefits-new-york-city/
Companion Rights This Way episode on new migrants:
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit https://www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit nyclu.org/en/rightsthisway.
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The 2024 elections will be some of the most critical in our lifetimes and, as election season approaches, a wave of efforts to diminish the political power of communities of color is surging. This isn't just happening in red states, it's taking place right here in New York.
That’s why the NYCLU and our partners sued the Nassau County Legislature in Long Island for its redistricting plan, which violates the landmark New York Voting Rights Act by diluting the voting strength and political influence of Black, Latinx, and Asian residents. Though residents of color make up over one-third of Nassau County's eligible voters, the current map – which the Legislature drew behind closed doors – only creates four districts out of 19 where Black, Latinx, and Asian residents are a majority of eligible voters.
We delve into this lawsuit with two NYCLU lawyers who brought it. And we’ll also take a closer look at how the New York Voting Rights Act will help us fight against this attack on democracy.
Guests: Perry Grossman is the Director of the NYCLU’s Voting Rights Project. Terry Ding is an NYCLU staff attorney.
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More on our Nassau voting rights case:
More on the New York Voting Rights Act:
https://www.nyclu.org/en/publications/john-r-lewis-voting-rights-act-new-york
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit https://www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit nyclu.org/en/rightsthisway.
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
New York has a proud legacy of offering refuge to newcomers hoping to make life better for themselves and their families. That hope is something we all share, and the promise of refuge has made our state what it is.
Rental prices soared to record levels in New York City in 2023. Right now, a family would have to earn at least $140,000 a year just to be able to afford the city’s median rent of $3,500. And this story goes well beyond New York City. Across the state, New Yorkers are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. 20 percent of New York State residents spend more than half of their income on rent, and in some ways, they’re the lucky ones. Tens of thousands of New Yorkers are unhoused, with no clear path to obtaining permanent homes.
Despite this dire situation, state leaders have not done nearly enough to tackle the problem.
Nearly everyone agrees that New York is facing a severe housing crisis. But the question is what we should do about it. To help answer that question, we’re joined by three housing experts who will help us dig into this urgent and seemingly intractable issue. Julian Morales is the NYCLU’s Senior Housing Strategist. Cea Weaver is a Campaign Coordinator for the Housing Justice for All coalition, and John Washington is an organizer and political educator with the People’s Action Network.
Please rate, review, and subscribe to Rights This Way. It will help more people find this podcast.
Tune in our previous Season 1 episode on housing: https://www.nyclu.org/en/publications/ep-8-how-fix-ny-housing-crisis
NYCLU blog on good cause eviction: https://www.nyclu.org/en/news/one-way-fight-against-unfair-landlords
Link to our settlement in our case to help more Black and Brown New Yorkers facing foreclosure stay in their homes: https://www.nyclu.org/en/press-releases/new-settlement-enhances-legal-protections-homeowners-facing-foreclosure-across-nys
About our guests and their organizations:
Cea Weaver, Housing Justice For All: https://housingjusticeforall.org/
John Washington, People's Action Network: https://peoplesaction.org/
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit https://www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit nyclu.org/en/rightsthisway.
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
New York has a proud legacy of offering refuge to newcomers hoping to make life better for themselves and their families. That hope is something we all share, and the promise of refuge has made our state what it is.
New York is also known for being a place where big things get done. That’s why it’s so disappointing when our leaders scapegoat and engage in fearmongering over the many migrants arriving in New York over the last year-plus, mostly in New York City.
This political finger-pointing and the doomsday predictions uttered by politicians have helped lead to many New Yorkers seeing new migrants in a negative light.
How can we change that narrative and how can we show that new migrants actually offer a tremendous opportunity for our state? And what are some of the less-discussed factors leading migrants to come to New York?
First, we talk about some of the reasons, tied to US foreign policy, that have led thousands of migrants to leave their homes and take the treacherous journey to the United States with author Daniel Denvir, host of the popular podcast, The Dig. Then we discuss what’s been happening in New York and what needs to take place here with NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman.
Thank you so much for tuning in Season 2 of Rights This Way. We will be back soon, so please subscribe and follow us @NYCLU to know when the new season drops!
Resources:
Take Action to support migrants: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/support-newly-arrived-migrants
Daniel’s podcast: https://www.patreon.com/thedig
The report mentioned in the episode about where new migrants are coming from: https://greatcities.uic.edu/2023/10/20/the-current-migrant-crisis-how-u-s-policy-toward-latin-america-has-fueled-historic-numbers-of-asylum-seekers/
Donna’s blog on migrant arrivals: https://www.nyclu.org/en/news/ny-can-meet-our-migrant-moment-you-wouldnt-know-it-political-narrative
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit https://www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit nyclu.org/en/rightsthisway.
Follow NYCLU on Twitter and Instagram.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.