We’ve made progress in 2018 defending the rights of all Missourians. We didn’t back down from those battles then, and we won’t in 2019.

For our new year’s resolutions, we’ve asked ourselves, “How can we view our work as a personal commitment to elevate ACLU of Missouri’s success?” Here are a few of our answers.

For 2019, we make these promises to each other and our members.

Next year we will…

…encourage everyone to think big.

“It isn’t enough to set small goals because they’re easy to knock out. Goals should be audacious. Goals should be visionary. Goals should be work. Big problems (like the school-to-prison pipeline, mass incarceration, voter advocacy) require multi-faceted, big-picture problem solving. We’re here for this.”

-        Alicia Hernández, Community Organizer

… embrace disagreements as opportunities for conversation.  

“Too much of the national discourse is an ‘us against them’ mindset. We champion a lot of issues, many that span a partisan divide. We know we’re going to have disagreements. Instead of approaching them with an adversarial attitude, we’re going to view each as a chance to have a conversation (and maybe even open some doors in the process).

-        Sara Baker, Legislative and Policy Director

…curate a news feed that keeps us in the know and the now.

“We regularly share updates from ACLU of Missouri, as well as breaking news from National. In 2019, we want to share more stories with you of joy and unity that show what can be accomplished through a commitment to civil liberties and racial justice.”

-        Daniela Velázquez, Director of Communications

…move toward action.

“It’s very easy to feel bogged down by the sheer volume of work to be done. But we can’t let ourselves feel so overwhelmed that we become paralyzed. Focusing on positive changes and dedicating ourselves to taking action will keep justice moving forward.”ow what can be accomplished through a commitment to civil liberties and racial justice.”

-        Tony Rothert, Legal Director 

…connect donors to our work more deeply.

"The ACLU’s work happens because regular people make the audacious decision to contribute. I want to find new ways to help our donors understand that even though they may not be not physically with us, they are a big part of this work EVERY SINGLE DAY."   

-        Nicole Rainey, Development Director

…communicate the people behind our messages.

"For every court case we have, there’s a client we’ve gotten to know personally. Our casework isn’t a to-do list – each one represents a person who’s been marginalized or a law that sought to reinforce discrimination. We celebrate the courtroom wins, but we also commit to the lives that have been changed by the experience."

-        Lindsey Vehlewald, Development and Communications Associate

...care deeply for the community around us, just we care for ourselves.

"We're all here at the ACLU for personal reasons and issues that matter to us. But we can't let our personal journeys make us lose sight of our communities and the needs of the whole. In the same way, we can't internalize so much of our work that we sacrifice ourselves in the process."

-        Jay-Marie Hill, Transgender Education and Advocacy Program Coordinator


Our commitment to good policy and protecting the rights of ALL Missourians will never waver. We will still fight for racial justice, privacy rights, criminal justice reforms, and equal protections for our LGBTQ neighbors, just as we’ve done before.

As we all look ahead to 2019, we urge you to ask yourself the same question, “What can I do to make a personal commitment to justice in Missouri?”

The small act of becoming a member or volunteer is an action step in support of our work. It’s as simple as a few clicks. 

Members and volunteers make our work possible (and we accomplished so much in 2018). Become a card-carrying member of the ACLU or a volunteer with us as your New Year’s resolution and let’s see what we can do TOGETHER in 2019.