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NextGen Meeting: Find your voice. Create change.
The goal of this program is to provide students with a place to meet other young advocates, connect with community leaders, and learn new skills and information that will allow them to be better advocates in their schools and communities.
The purpose of this first meeting is for students to get to know each other and meet community organizing leaders in OKC. Students will also have a chance to brainstorm ideas on how to approach pressing issues in their communities.
Soltani, CAIR-Oklahoma Named Angie Debo Award Winners
ACLU Oklahoma executive director Ryan Kiesel said Adam Soltani and CAIR-OK were chosen to receive the Angie Debo Award because of their efforts to protect the rights of Oklahoma’s Muslim community and to ensure the religious liberty rights of all Oklahomans.
The award is named in honor of the writer, historian, and civil rights advocate Angie Debo, who relentlessly pursued justice in cooperation with the ACLU of Oklahoma during the late 1960's and 1970's. It is the highest awa
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ACLU, Legal Aid Services File Federal Lawsuit To Overturn OKC Anti-Panhandling Ordinance
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Anti-panhandling Ordinance Rebranded After Complaints, Pushback
By Scott CarterEDITORS NOTE: On Nov. 19, 2015, the ACLU of Oklahoma filed an open records request with the city of Oklahoma City, seeking emails and other documents pertaining to the development and passage of an anti-panhandling ordinance written by Ward 6 councilwoman Meg Salyer. On Dec. 4, Assistant Municipal Counselor Richard Smith replied, asking that ACLU Oklahoma further "refine" its request. "I believe we could expedite the process, if you are willing to be more specific as to the type of record you are seeking," Smith wrote. ACLU Oklahoma agreed to extra time for the request. In late January, Oklahoma City officials released 756 pages of documents relating to the ordinance. ACLU of Oklahoma requested copies of 425 pages. Of those 425 documents, about 80 pages were the basis for this story. Many of them can be found in links embedded throughout this story. All 80 pages are available here.
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Asset Forfeiture Bill Important For Reform Effort, ACLU OK Says
Under the bill, a citizen can recover his or her attorney’s fees if they successfully contest a forfeiture action. The bill cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously on Tuesday.
The bill now goes to the full Oklahoma Senate for consideration.
Kiesel said the committee vote shows that Oklahomans remain concerned about the civil asset forfeiture system. “It is unfortunate that efforts at wholesale reform have stalled for the moment, but we remain hopeful that the voices of large numbers of Oklahomans demanding even more reforms will eventually be heard and will one day become law,” he said.
Kiesel praised the work of legislators on both sides of the aisle for bringing this important issue to the forefront.
“Because of the work done by lawmakers such as Senators Kyle Loveless and David Holt and Representative Cory Williams, Oklahomans are more aware of the flaws in the system. Their ability to transcend normal partisan divides is a testament to their leadership and to t
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