Effective October 1, 2013, the ACLU of Eastern Missouri became the ACLU of Missouri, and the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri became the ACLU of Kansas. In the face of growing challenges to civil liberties in Kansas and Missouri, this development will increase the ACLU's effectiveness and impact.
This realignment of the geographical scope of each affiliate will be good for the defense and strengthening of liberty in both states. For Missouri it will mean that the statewide affiliate will speak with a stronger voice on legislative and policy issues in Jefferson City, an increasingly important aspect of our work. For Kansas it will mean that the ACLU can increase its visibility in Topeka and use its resources to make a difference in areas of the state, such as southwestern Kansas, where there are significant civil liberties needs.
In keeping with this change, the ACLU of Missouri will be locating staff in Kansas City, Mo., and the ACLU of Kansas will be opening an office in Lawrence. The two affiliates will share an office in Kansas City, both for reasons of economy and to support collaborative affiliate efforts on both sides of the state border in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area.
In the past few years both affiliates have led efforts to defend the rights of women, voters, immigrants, LGBT persons, and prisoners, to stand up for freedom of speech and to fight government overreach and illegal surveillance. Today, to respond to the mounting attacks on civil liberties in our states, we need to be even smarter and more strategic. We are convinced that establishing statewide affiliates In Kansas and Missouri will increase our effectiveness and our impact.