In episode 143, we sit down with Monica Hopkins, executive director of the ACLU of the District of Columbia, to unpack what happened when Donald Trump deployed the National Guard into D.C. and what that moment revealed about the city’s lack of power. Monica explains how D.C.’s unique status without statehood leaves its residents without full representation, vulnerable to federal overreach, and stripped of protections every other state enjoys. We also explore the broader fight for democracy, autonomy, and accountability in the nation’s capital - and why achieving statehood is about more than politics; it’s about fundamental civil rights.

Monica took the helm of the D.C. affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU-DC) in 2014. Prior to joining the ACLU-DC Monica served as the executive director of the ACLU of Idaho from 2008–2014 during which time she oversaw sweeping statewide victories, particularly in the areas of criminal justice reform, LGBTQIA equality, immigrants’ rights and upholding the First Amendment.

Under Monica’s leadership, the ACLU-DC has grown its capacity and reach allowing the organization to become a resource for all District residents. As executive director, Monica oversees programmatic and advocacy efforts to defend and advance the ACLU-DC’s work on civil rights and civil liberties for the over 700,000 residents of the District of Columbia.

Monica is a graduate of Boise State University. She is also a 2012–2013 Rockwood Institute LGBT Advocacy Fellow and currently serves on the board of the National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens.

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