News & Commentary

The following statement was issued by American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri Executive Director Luz María Henríquez in response to Governor Parson signing H.B. 1878:

26 states poised to ban or further restrict access to abortion, including Missouri who is among 13 states with a trigger ban, leaving 36 million women and people who can become pregnant without access to safe abortion options.

I’m tired, angry and frustrated. Each time I testify, I ask our elected officials to show how any of these issues represent real problems in need of solutions. They never can. And at the same time, they fail see the smart, vivacious, generous, kind and empathetic child before them.

Civil rights groups are suing Missouri state and local officials over a state election provision that disenfranchises voters with limited English proficiency or with disabilities who require assistance in casting a ballot.

As we celebrate Juneteenth, let’s remember exactly what we are celebrating, and why.

While Juneteenth marks one of the most influential milestones of American history, we still have a long way to go in the fight for racial justice and equality. Juneteenth provides a reason to celebrate but also to support black-owned businesses and black-led organizations.  

My daughter is like any other teenager. She loves singing in choir, plays video games, and hangs out with her friends. We go to the gun range together, and she can shoot as straight as an arrow. She wants to be a DNA specialist like she sees on CSI.

Resilience means toughness and the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. This definition echoes across the transgender community, particularly over the last few years, as there has been a deluge of anti-transgender legislation coming from the Missouri General Assembly.

In 2022, Missouri lawmakers filed 2,104 bills, more than almost every other state in the nation. At the end of session, they sent less than 50 to the governor's desk.