News & Commentary
Ending Indefinite Solitary Confinement for the Vast Majority of People with Death Sentences in Oklahoma
By Travis Handler
Latest Event
Art as Activism: Annual Meeting and Angie Debo Award
The ACLU of Oklahoma Board of Directors and staff invite you to join us at our Annual Membership Meeting and Angie Debo Award Ceremony on Saturday, May 2, 1 – 3 p.m. at the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center.
The American Civil Liberties Union understands that creative industries have the unparalleled ability to ignite conversation, fuel action, and inspire people to stand up for what matters. Artists are moving people and igniting change in profound and lasting ways – they are fighting for freedom and the recognition of shared humanity.
We invite you to join us on May 2, 2026, as we feature an ensemble of trailblazing Oklahoma artists speaking on Art as Activism. Panelists will include Denise Duong, Tony Thunder, and Carlos Barboza. The moderator for the panel is renown screenwriter, novelist, film producer, and arts advocate, Melissa Scaramucci.
Annual Meeting attendees will each receive one limited-edition print from artwork contributions the panelists have made to the ACLU of Oklahoma.
We will also present this year's Angie Debo Award and give an update on the state of civil liberties and civil rights in Oklahoma.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required as seating is limited. We look forward to seeing you there!
This event is made possible by Paycom, whose generosity helps bring our community together.
ACLU of Oklahoma Welcomes a New Era in Leadership
As many of you know, after more than eight years at the helm, former Executive Director Ryan Kiesel stepped down from leading the ACLU of Oklahoma. Ryan’s time at the affiliate is marked by an impressive list of victories and advances on a wide range of political and legal issues. In short, he left big shoes to fill. And after an extensive search, the ACLU of Oklahoma Board of Directors found just the right person to fill them.
At the Polls, Episode 8: Know Your Rights on Election Day
It’s time for the main event: Election Day. Are you ready to vote? Election Day is finally here, and we at the ACLU are here to ensure you Know Your Rights when you head to the polls. Listen to this week’s episode of At the Polls to get the rundown to make sure you’re ready to cast your ballot.
What State Question 805 Has Already Won
Taylor Pendergrass, Director of Advocacy, ACLU of Colorado
Okla
Criminal Justice Reform is in Our Hands: We Have A Chance for Change With SQ 805
On November 3, Oklahomans will have their final opportunity to lend their vote to meaningful criminal justice reform this cycle by voting Yes on State Question 805. As is often the case for criminal justice reform in Oklahoma, opposition to this modest reform has been rife with misinformation, and rooted in the idea that somehow a state who has managed to incarcerate people at the highest rates in the world to the detriment of our public safety is doing justice.
By
The Dangers of Expanding What Can Be Patented In the Age of COVID-19
Sandra Park, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU Women's Rights Project
As the COVID-
Moving Forward: Muslims Belong Here
Manar Waheed, Senior Legislative and Advocacy Counsel, ACLU
Four years ag
Transgender Voting Guide: Information for Poll Workers
Poll workers have a reposnsibility when it comes to protecting the voting rights of our transgender community.
At the Polls, Episode 7: Why Do We Take Voting Rights Away in America?
Across the country, over 5 million people who are of voting age cannot vote because of felony disenfranchisement laws, including one in five Black Americans. These laws are a relic of the Jim Crow era, and were intentionally designed to suppress the vote — particularly the Black vote — by limiting the impact of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.
Stay Informed
Sign up to be the first to hear about how to take action.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy statement.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy statement.