Stories from the ACLU of Washington

The ACLU of Washington has filed a lawsuit against Skagit Regional Health, a public hospital and clinics, for failure to comply with Washington’s Reproductive Privacy Act (RPA).

Breanne Schuster went to college planning to be a doctor. But a pre-med class on the Evolution of Physiology at the University of Wisconsin helped change her mind.  “We got into disparities in health care based on race and income. I realized that’s what I wanted to do – policy work,” she recalled.

Three years ago, when she was finishing her internship as an ACLU-WA Intake and Referral Counselor, Kelly Anderson already knew she wanted to come back. Then a U.W. Social Work major, she liked listening to and talking with individuals, and helping them work through their legal problems.

On top of a full course load and student leadership roles at Seattle University Law School, Claire McNamara has joined the team at the ACLU of Washington. As a legal extern this term, Claire will assist staff attorneys with research, trial preparation and writing memoranda covering a wide range of issues – including public records law, mental health, and criminal justice.

This op-ed first appeared in the Opinion section of the Seattle Times.  As medical marijuana heads back to Olympia, legislators are bracing for a rerun of last session’s drama of makeshift dispensary operators and self-appointed patient advocates decrying any effort to rein in abuses of the law.

Recent public outcry for police accountability and reform has been sparked by an epidemic of police violence targeted disproportionately at people of color. Advocacy groups, the public, and the president alike have touted body worn cameras as a potential cure for police misconduct.  If officers wear cameras, runs the thinking, we would have a clear visual record of what actually happened and who was at fault in disputed encounters with civilians.

Regardless of whether you have been pregnant or not, chances are you can recite the long list of things to avoid in pregnancy: alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, deli meats, unpasteurized cheese, and the list go on.

Diana McDougle’s route to the ACLU was full of surprising twists and turns. Fully intending to continue to graduate school, Diana completed her undergraduate studies in International Studies and Arts and Literature while working full-time as a flight attendant.

Megan Rubio loves experiencing new things, and thought that the ACLU would be the perfect place to be after completing an internship with the International Rescue Committee. A self-described helper, she is especially passionate about what the American Civil Liberties Union has to offer—from immersion in a broad spectrum of issues to involvement in a community of people with experiences and opinions to share. She loves what she does as a Legal Intake Counselor, and enjoys being able to pick up on new and interesting bits of information while directing people to resources.

Korica Simon’s interest in civil rights developed out of a constitutional law course she took while still a business major attending university in Alabama. She took this newfound interest with her to work at a women’s resource center -- where her interest developed into a passion, prompting her to change from business to political science.