Campaigns & Initiatives
Learn more about and support the ACLU's work to defend civil liberties and civil rights in every corner of the country.
Featured
Campaign
Oct 2025
Free Speech
Banned Books Week 2025
Find an event or learn more about your First Amendment freedoms.
Campaign
May 2025
LGBTQ Rights
Freedom To Be: Joy, Family, & Transgender Rights
The Freedom To Be Monument is a powerful, living testament to trans resilience, community, and joy. Explore the monument, witness these powerful stories, and join us in the fight to defend trans freedom.
This installation took over the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on May 17 as a bold act of resistance to transphobia, trans erasure, and anti-trans legislation. It stands as a declaration that trans people deserve the freedom to be—loved, safe, and in control of our own health care decisions.
Inspired by the legacy of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, this installation combats erasure and ensures that trans voices, stories, and existence are seen and honored. It directly challenges those who seek to strip away trans rights, boldly affirming that trans lives are here to stay.
Spelling out the words “Freedom To Be,” the monument consists of 250 panels—each 6 feet by 6 feet—created by hundreds of trans folks and allies across the country. Every panel is a response to the question: What does freedom to be mean to me? Over the past year, in partnership with the ACLU, trans storytellers and allies have poured their hopes, fears, and dreams into this collective work of art.
Campaign
May 2025
Civil Liberties
Firewall For Freedom: States Must Safeguard Our Rights
States will be the frontlines of our freedom — communities expect state and local official to protect us from Trump’s assault on our rights.
All Campaigns & Initiatives
Campaign
Jan 2025
Civil Liberties
+7 Issues
The Trump Memos
President Trump’s second term agenda and The Heritage Foundation’s extreme Project 2025 are blatantly enmeshed. Read our memos on how to fight back!
Explore campaign
Campaign
Jan 2025
Civil Liberties
+7 Issues
The Trump Memos
President Trump’s second term agenda and The Heritage Foundation’s extreme Project 2025 are blatantly enmeshed. Read our memos on how to fight back!
Campaign
Dec 2024
Racial Justice
Protecting Indigenous Students' Right to Wear Tribal Regalia
Graduation is a time of celebration and community. After centuries of attempted genocide and erasure of Indigenous culture and tradition, the ability to celebrate commencement in a culturally appropriate way is deeply important for Indigenous students. Tribal regalia worn at commencement are a symbol of resistance, resilience, and reclamation by students of their right to an education that honors their culture and heritage. But for some Indigenous students, graduation can be fraught with uncertainty or controversy over their ability to wear tribal regalia during commencement ceremonies. Some schools still prohibit Indigenous students from wearing items at graduation, claiming that it would violate the school’s dress code and speculating, without any basis, that it would disrupt the ceremony.
Explore campaign
Campaign
Dec 2024
Racial Justice
Protecting Indigenous Students' Right to Wear Tribal Regalia
Graduation is a time of celebration and community. After centuries of attempted genocide and erasure of Indigenous culture and tradition, the ability to celebrate commencement in a culturally appropriate way is deeply important for Indigenous students. Tribal regalia worn at commencement are a symbol of resistance, resilience, and reclamation by students of their right to an education that honors their culture and heritage. But for some Indigenous students, graduation can be fraught with uncertainty or controversy over their ability to wear tribal regalia during commencement ceremonies. Some schools still prohibit Indigenous students from wearing items at graduation, claiming that it would violate the school’s dress code and speculating, without any basis, that it would disrupt the ceremony.
Campaign
Oct 2024
Civil Liberties
The ACLU Voter Education Fund
Launched in March 2024, the ACLU Voter Education Fund is a federal political action committee to inform and educate voters about what's at stake during the 2024 election cycle and beyond.
Explore campaign
Campaign
Oct 2024
Civil Liberties
The ACLU Voter Education Fund
Launched in March 2024, the ACLU Voter Education Fund is a federal political action committee to inform and educate voters about what's at stake during the 2024 election cycle and beyond.
Campaign
Sep 2024
Capital Punishment
+5 Issues
Systemic Equality: Equal Access, Better Futures
Since our nation’s founding, discriminatory policies and laws have created an unequal system in which Black communities have had their civil rights and liberties denied and have been systematically locked out of opportunities in education, housing, employment and more.
Through our Systemic Equality agenda, the ACLU will use nationwide litigation, advocacy, and public education to advance laws and policies rooted in racial equity and end discriminatory policies, laws, and practices that have an outsized impact on Black communities.
The ACLU will also continue to evolve our own culture, systems, and processes to drive progress toward our internal racial justice commitments, including by committing sustained recruitment and hiring efforts to recruit more diverse talent pools, developing initiatives to promote and retain Black leadership, engaging Black-owned and Black-led businesses, and more.
When we have full and equal access to education, jobs, housing, voting rights, and more, better futures are possible.
Explore campaign
Campaign
Sep 2024
Capital Punishment
+5 Issues
Systemic Equality: Equal Access, Better Futures
Since our nation’s founding, discriminatory policies and laws have created an unequal system in which Black communities have had their civil rights and liberties denied and have been systematically locked out of opportunities in education, housing, employment and more.
Through our Systemic Equality agenda, the ACLU will use nationwide litigation, advocacy, and public education to advance laws and policies rooted in racial equity and end discriminatory policies, laws, and practices that have an outsized impact on Black communities.
The ACLU will also continue to evolve our own culture, systems, and processes to drive progress toward our internal racial justice commitments, including by committing sustained recruitment and hiring efforts to recruit more diverse talent pools, developing initiatives to promote and retain Black leadership, engaging Black-owned and Black-led businesses, and more.
When we have full and equal access to education, jobs, housing, voting rights, and more, better futures are possible.
Campaign
Aug 2024
Free Speech
LGBTQ Rights
Defend Your Right to Learn: Join In The Fight Against Classroom Censorship
In 2023, more than 100 classroom censorship bills aimed at restricting students and teachers from discussing race, gender, or sexual orientation were introduced in states across the country. Thirty-two bills became law. The year prior, the country saw the highest number of attempted book bans in 20 years with more than 1,000 demands to censor library books and resources, many of which targeted titles by or about Black and LGBTQ people.
The ACLU has challenged classroom censorship laws and book bans across the country. Today, we’re expanding on that work by pushing back against attempts to restrict diversity, equity and inclusion programs. We won’t stand for the erasure of marginalized communities in our schools.
Explore campaign
Campaign
Aug 2024
Free Speech
LGBTQ Rights
Defend Your Right to Learn: Join In The Fight Against Classroom Censorship
In 2023, more than 100 classroom censorship bills aimed at restricting students and teachers from discussing race, gender, or sexual orientation were introduced in states across the country. Thirty-two bills became law. The year prior, the country saw the highest number of attempted book bans in 20 years with more than 1,000 demands to censor library books and resources, many of which targeted titles by or about Black and LGBTQ people.
The ACLU has challenged classroom censorship laws and book bans across the country. Today, we’re expanding on that work by pushing back against attempts to restrict diversity, equity and inclusion programs. We won’t stand for the erasure of marginalized communities in our schools.