News & Commentary

We condemn white supremacy, those who perpetrate it, and those who are complicit–including the outgoing president, who has consistently sought to undermine the will of the people and subvert the peaceful transfer of power.

This op-ed was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Dec. 19, 2020. Ashna Khanna is the ACLU-VA's legislative director. Chelsea Higgs Wise is the executive director of Marijuana Justice.

Giving Tuesday, the global day of giving, is an opportunity to deepen a culture of philanthropy in our communities. The spirit of Giving Tuesday goes beyond the number of donations made. It’s about each and every one of us chipping in and throwing our support behind a worthy cause. It’s an attitude, a resolution and a groundswell of hope that together, we will be able to go far and build a more equitable society for all.

The special session – which ran longer than regular sessions – is finally ending. The session was convened for two purposes:

Americans have exercised their right to vote, the votes were counted, and it appears that Joe Biden has won the presidential election.

The goal of any democratic election is to represent the will of the people, and to achieve that goal, we must count every single vote. Every Virginia voter’s voice deserves to be heard. Let’s prepare for an extended election process to make sure that happens. 

This speech was originally delivered by the ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Claire Gastañaga at a vigil for the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Richmond on Sept. 20, 2020.

2020 marks a critical moment in America’s history: We find ourselves at the junction of two deadly pandemics – COVID-19 and systemic racism. The senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Marcus-David Peters, and countless others, have thrown into stark relief the systemic inequities in this country. One thing is clear: Going back to “normal” is not an option. We need change, and we will use everything in our toolbox to get it.

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed our lives and shown the enormous impact of systemic racism and inequities in America. Caught in between two pandemics, Black and Brown Virginians continue to bear the brunt of not only COVID-19, but also unjust, unfair systems that devalue their lives and leave them behind.