Thinking Freely

In a heartfelt telling of love, family and the impact of immigration, this latest episode of Reading Freely follows a story from Baltimore to El Salvador, and back again.

Tune in as ACLU of Maryland staffer, Lorena Magdalana Diaz, takes us on journey through time between her two homes, and how that's impacted her approach to life, critical immigration work, and what it means to have connection beyond borders.

Read the written version: aclu-md.org

Listen to the Spanish version:

If you are disabled and are reading this: We see you. We affirm you. We love you. The world would be boring as heck without people like you in it. This episode of Reading Freely is all about Disability Pride Month and celebrating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) anniversary, signed into law in 1990.

Listen as ACLU of Maryland staffer, Nicole McCann, takes us through why we must center disability accessibility and inclusion in everything we do. And provides great resources for anyone looking to strengthen their understanding of disability accessibility.

Check out the written version: aclu-md.org/en/news/waving-my-disability-pride-flag-all-around

For more information: sinsinvalid.org/blog/10-principles-of-disability-justice

mdod.maryland.gov/mdtap/Pages/social.aspx

En junio, miembros del personal de la ACLU de Maryland asistieron a eventos del Orgullo en todo el estado, desde el condado de Charles, Annapolis y Baltimore. El Orgullo, sin importar dónde esté, sigue creciendo cada año. Los miembros de nuestro personal salieron de estos eventos con diferentes pensamientos del Orgullo LGBTQ+. En este episodio, escucha las cosas únicas e inspiradoras que los miembros del personal dijeron y recuerda que el Orgullo se trata de aceptación, reconocimiento, pertenencia y respeto por la vida de cada persona. Así se valora su humanidad.

Lea la versión escrita aquí: https://www.aclu-md.org/es/news/lets-reflect-lgbtq-pride

In June, ACLU of Maryland staff members attended Pride events throughout the state – from Charles County, Annapolis and Baltimore. Pride, no matter where it is, continues to grow each year. Our staff members came out of these events with different reflections about LGBTQ+ Pride. In this episode, hear some of the unique and inspiring quotes from some of them and remember that Pride is about acceptance, acknowledgement, belonging and respecting people’s lives so that their humanity is valued.

Read the written version here: aclu-md.org/en/news/lets-reflect-lgbtq-pride

As a father, advocate, economist, and strategist, Corey Stottlemyer uses his skills and experience of more than 20 years to advocate for racial justice and equity at the federal, state, and local levels. As the new Board President of the ACLU of Marylanders Board of Directors, Corey feels that while we as an organization have achieved significant advances for the rights of people, there is still work to be done to uplift the humanity of all Marylanders who we show up for every day.

Listen directly to Corey’s mission for the organization and learn some interesting facts about him and his work in this latest episode of Thinking Freely. And join us in welcoming our new board president.

A full transcript of this episode is available at:

Check out this teaser video:

And learn more from this blog on Corey:

Can we ever learn from history or are we forever doomed to repeat it? On this episode, listen to producer, Nehemiah Bester, as he shares his experience working on the documentary film, The Riot Report on PBS, while comparing and contrasting his personal accounts of rebellion, most notably during the Racial Reckoning of 2020, as a student, activist, and journalist.

What's a riot? And what's a rebellion? The Riot Report itself, was the written conclusion of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Kerner Commission of 1967 on what was needed to remedy the massively tense relations among Black people and police that spawned countless riots and uprisings of the 1960s. It's decades later, but what lessons from this investigation can we learn from to prevent future turmoil? And when can we answer President Johnson's century old question? “What happened? Why did it happen? What can be done to prevent it from happening again, and again?”

Read the written version of this episode at: aclu-md.org/en/news/riot-vs-rebellion

Watch the film: pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/riot-report/

Este año, el Día de los Presidentes, celebramos un Día de Acción centrado en los derechos de los niños en Annapolis para aprobar algunas buenas decisiones para que nuestros funcionarios electos rindan cuentas de sus palabras. Alrededor de 200 activistas, estudiantes y líderes comunitarios marcharon hacia la Asamblea General para hacer oír sus voces durante el Día de Acción de 2024: Justicia para los niños y los residentes de Maryland encarcelados.

En este episodio, escuchará cómo estas voces colectivas, parte de un increíble conjunto de defensores, se unieron para hablar directamente con sus funcionarios electos, hacer preguntas importantes y hacer demandas en apoyo de los derechos de los niños y los residentes de Maryland encarcelados.

Lea el blog escrito de este episodio en: aclu-md.org/es/news/un-dia-de-lobby-memorable

Obtenga más información en: aclu-md.org

This year on President’s Day, we held a children’s rights focused Day of Action in Annapolis to pass some good bills and hold our elected officials accountable to their words. Around 200 activists, students, and community leaders marched into the General Assembly to make their voices heard during the 2024 Day of Action: Justice for Children and Incarcerated Marylanders.

On this episode, you’ll hear how these collective voices – part of an amazing set of advocates – joined together to talk directly with their elected officials, ask the important questions and make demands in support of the rights of children and incarcerated Marylanders.

Read the written blog of this episode at: aclu-md.org/en/news/lobby-day-remember

Learn more at: aclu-md.org

Life in prison was the verdict for teenagers Ransom Watkins, Andrew Stewart and Alfred Chestnut in 1983 when they were wrongfully intimidated and interrogated by police and sentenced for a crime they did not commit. The three were eventually exonerated, but were effectively robbed of 36 years of life, in addition to the ever-present trauma that comes with incarceration. A devastating reminder of the issues within our legal justice system, and why children's rights must be protected.

Defending the rights of children shouldn't be optional, and yet every day in Maryland, children entangled in the legal justice system were questioned without a parent, guardian, or attorney present. Which is why in 2022, the ACLU of Maryland and our partners successfully passed the Child Interrogation Protection Act which requires an attorney be consulted before a child is interrogated by law enforcement.

On this episode you'll hear from Ransom Watkins of the Exonerated Harlem Park Three about his life, legacy, and how the man in him still struggles with the brutality the child in him has endured.

A full transcript of this episode is available at: aclu-md.org/en/publications/no-one-was-protecting-us-ransom-watkins-exonerated-harlem-park-3

Learn more about defending children's rights at: aclu-md.org/en/issues/civil-rights/childrens-rights

El acuerdo 287(g) con ICE en el condado de Frederick debe finalizar. En julio, la ACLU de Maryland se unió a la ACLU nacional para presentar una queja administrativa federal pidiendo al Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de los EE. UU. que investigue al alguacil del condado de Frederick, Charles Jenkins, para poner fin al peligroso acuerdo que promueve el odio contra los inmigrantes y la deportación.

En este episodio de Thinking Freely, escuchará a Sergio España, el Director de Compromiso y Movilización de la ACLU de Maryland en una entrevista exclusiva con María Cáceres, la Directora de Asuntos Comunitarios de El Zol 107.9 para discutir el problema y los detalles de la denuncia.

This episode is in Spanish.

Echa un vistazo a El Zol en: www.audacy.com/elzolradio

Una transcripción completa de este episodio está disponible en: https://www.aclu-md.org/es/publications/pensar-libremente-aclu-presenta-una-queja-federal-contra-el-alguacil-del-condado-de