At Liberty is a weekly podcast that explores the most pressing civil rights and civil liberties questions of our time. Catch new episodes on Thursday at 9am ET.
episodes
April 18, 2024
SCOTUS Will Decide If Homelessness Can be Punished
On April 22, the Supreme Court will hear the case of Johnson v. Grants Pass, the most significant court case about the rights of people experiencing homelessness in decades. At its core, Grants Pass will decide whether cities are allowed to punish people for things like sleeping outside with a...
SCOTUS Will Decide If Homelessness Can be Punished April 18, 2024
SCOTUS Will Decide If Homelessness Can be Punished
SCOTUS Will Decide If Homelessness Can be PunishedOn April 22, the Supreme Court will hear the case of Johnson v. Grants Pass, the most significant court case about the rights of people experiencing homelessness in decades. At its core, Grants Pass will...
April 11, 2024
Live from Brooklyn Public Library: The Power of Poetry and Magical Thinking
From the ACLU, this is At Liberty. I'm Kendall Ciesemier, your host. A month ago, we visited one of our favorite spots, the library. You know, at the ACLU, we love a good library. So much so that we even spent a recent Saturday night at the Brooklyn Public Library,...
Live from Brooklyn Public Library: The Power of Poetry and Magical Thinking April 11, 2024
Live from Brooklyn Public Library: The Power of Poetry and Magical Thinking
Live from Brooklyn Public Library: The Power of Poetry and Magical ThinkingFrom the ACLU, this is At Liberty. I'm Kendall Ciesemier, your host. A month ago, we visited one of our favorite spots, the library. You know, at the ACLU, we love a good library. So...
February 1, 2024
Rap Is Art Not Evidence
As the gang conspiracy trial of rapper Young Thug and his famed rap collective, YSL, extends past 20 days in Atlanta, we’re bringing you a conversation about the use of rap lyrics in court. Despite a groundswell of activism and legal opposition against the legal admissibility of Young Thug’s lyrics,...
Rap Is Art Not Evidence As the gang conspiracy trial of rapper Young Thug and his famed rap collective, YSL, extends past 20 days in Atlanta, we’re bringing you a conversation about the use of rap lyrics in court. Despite...
October 19, 2023
How ACT UP Changed the Face of AIDS and Activism
October marks LGBTQ History Month, and this week on At Liberty we are honoring the legacy of LGBTQ activism throughout the AIDS epidemic. Throughout the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, AIDS claimed the lives of thousands of New Yorkers per year, with city, state, and national governments doing little to...
How ACT UP Changed the Face of AIDS and Activism October 19, 2023
How ACT UP Changed the Face of AIDS and Activism
How ACT UP Changed the Face of AIDS and ActivismOctober marks LGBTQ History Month, and this week on At Liberty we are honoring the legacy of LGBTQ activism throughout the AIDS epidemic. Throughout the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, AIDS claimed the lives of...
July 13, 2023
10 Years of #BlackLivesMatter: Progress and Backlash
Ten years ago this July, Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza, and Patrisse Cullors tweeted #BlackLivesMatter in the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death. The hashtag helped galvanize a movement calling out the racism that has deeply affected the lives and deaths of Black people in America since its founding. The Black Lives...
10 Years of #BlackLivesMatter: Progress and Backlash July 13, 2023
10 Years of #BlackLivesMatter: Progress and Backlash
10 Years of #BlackLivesMatter: Progress and BacklashTen years ago this July, Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza, and Patrisse Cullors tweeted #BlackLivesMatter in the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death. The hashtag helped galvanize a movement calling out the racism that has deeply affected...
April 20, 2023
Clemency Is One Answer to the War On Drugs
This 4/20, we want to talk about a tool that can be used to address the horrific consequences of the war on drugs: clemency. Throughout U.S. history, presidents, and governors have had the power to grant clemency, either by pardoning people of their crimes or reducing their sentences. Clemency can...
Clemency Is One Answer to the War On Drugs April 20, 2023
Clemency Is One Answer to the War On Drugs
Clemency Is One Answer to the War On DrugsThis 4/20, we want to talk about a tool that can be used to address the horrific consequences of the war on drugs: clemency. Throughout U.S. history, presidents, and governors have had the power to...
March 23, 2023
Mandatory Reporting Is Destroying Families
Keeping kids safe is one of our greatest responsibilities as adults. But what if the main tool we use to protect children is actually preventing everyone from getting the resources they need? Every state in the nation has mandatory reporting laws that require professions such as teachers, coaches, nurses, and...
Mandatory Reporting Is Destroying Families March 23, 2023
Mandatory Reporting Is Destroying Families
Mandatory Reporting Is Destroying FamiliesKeeping kids safe is one of our greatest responsibilities as adults. But what if the main tool we use to protect children is actually preventing everyone from getting the resources they need? Every state in...
February 2, 2023
The Untold Story of Black Pittsburgh's Alternative to Police
February marks Black History Month, an opportunity to celebrate the contributions Black Americans have made to society, and today we are going to be celebrating that, but before that, given the themes of this episode, we want to acknowledge the brutal murder of Tyre Nichols and the violence towards high...
The Untold Story of Black Pittsburgh's Alternative to Police February 2, 2023
The Untold Story of Black Pittsburgh's Alternative to Police
The Untold Story of Black Pittsburgh's Alternative to PoliceFebruary marks Black History Month, an opportunity to celebrate the contributions Black Americans have made to society, and today we are going to be celebrating that, but before that, given the themes of this episode,...
December 1, 2022
Bars Behind Bars: The Use of Rap Lyrics in Court
When Ice-T and his band, Body Count, released the song “Cop Killer” in 1992, it spurred outrage. At the time, Bill Clinton and George Bush were running for president, and condemning “Cop Killer” was among the handful of stances where they found common ground. Officials and police departments called for...
Bars Behind Bars: The Use of Rap Lyrics in Court December 1, 2022
Bars Behind Bars: The Use of Rap Lyrics in Court
Bars Behind Bars: The Use of Rap Lyrics in CourtWhen Ice-T and his band, Body Count, released the song “Cop Killer” in 1992, it spurred outrage. At the time, Bill Clinton and George Bush were running for president, and condemning “Cop Killer” was among...
June 23, 2022
The Overcriminalization of America
Over the last few weeks, a surge of texts and phone calls have gone out from local politicians. Most of them focus on one issue: crime. Worried about the rising crime? Want to keep you and your family safe? Vote for me. I'll make sure to fund the police and...
The Overcriminalization of America Over the last few weeks, a surge of texts and phone calls have gone out from local politicians. Most of them focus on one issue: crime. Worried about the rising crime? Want to keep you...