The ACLU of West Virginia (ACLU WV), is a private, non-profit, membership organization, devoted to promoting and defending civil rights and civil liberties. The ACLU WV is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to developing a diverse work force. Women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals are encouraged to apply.
Position Overview
To support and expand our important work in the courtroom, in the legislature and in our communities it is essential that we continue to increase fundraising while expanding our membership statewide. We are seeking a Development and Membership Specialist (specialist) to work closely with the Executive Director (ED) and Board Development Committee in the administration of the development program with a focus on our Annual Fund for Justice Campaign targeting individual donors.
Reporting to the ED, the specialist will assist with prospective major donor research; coordinate donor cultivation and special event activities; help develop and produce cultivation, solicitation and acknowledgment packages; maintain database and handle membership calls and comment mail; and activities and stewardship tasks associated with retaining and increasing membership. For more information on how to apply, read the full position description.
ACLU of West Virginia and Fairness WV Team Up to Launch WV Bully-Free PSA
WV Bully-Free was launched in June 2011 as a statewide safe schools campaign which takes a stand against bullying by documenting stories of harassment based on percieved sexual orientation and gender identity in order to raise awareness.The campaign encourages youth to add their voices to the conversation, taking an active role in ending bullying. We encourage you to listen to their stories and know your rights as a student. For more information on the campaign efforts, learn the facts.
Prisoners Have Rights Too!
We at the ACLU of West Virginia stand committed to upholding the constitutionally protected rights of all West Virginians Through litigation, legislation, and public education we work to ensure our state prisons and jails comply with the Constituion as well as state and federal law. In addition to defensive action, we promote a fair and effective criminal justice system which puts public safety first using incarceration as a last resort. The goal of incarceration should be to prepare prisoners for release and a productive, law-abiding life at the earliest possbile time.
Legal Resources
For information on how to seek assistance from our office, please visit our request help page. There you will find information on how to contact us and what information we need in order to assist you. For general information on your rights, visit our legal page, where you will find a number of Know Your Rights Manuals that provide detailed information on your rights as a prisoner including your right to recieve medical care, mental health services, and mail.
Legislative Initiatives
The ACLU of WV is actively working to promote the passage of the 2011 Public Safety and Offender Accountability Act (S.B. 342). The bill aims to implement a comprehensive set of evidenced based reforms, which put rehabilitation and public safety first. Rather than resort to an outdated system promulgated on the "lock 'em up, throw away the key" mentality, the bill focuses on the need to reduce prison expenditures by maximizing the use of rehabilitative programs for low risk offenders by focusing on drug treatment and re-entry programs.
The passage of the Public Safety Offender Accountability Act would allow for the implementation of results from the 2009 study commissioned under then Governor Manchin, which produced forteen recommendations for mitigating circumstances leading to prison overcrowding in West Virginia. Since the report was completed, little has taken place neither to increase prisoners' access to rehabilitative programs nor to address the growing prison population resulting in West Virginia encroaching on what the legislature has deemed "critical status." Yet despite recognizing the need for immediate reform, the legislature forwent passage of reforms last session in favor of contracting an additional study of the prison population. As such, the ACLU of WV continues to lobby for evidenced based reforms while the legislature considers how to move forward. We believe it is essential that in moving forward, West Virginia recognize how drug use and overincarceration are linked in an effort to move toward safe communities and fair sentences.
On May 21st, the ACLU of WV sent demand letters in conjunction with school districts in Florida, Maine, Virginia, Mississippi, and Alabama insisting that they take steps to end single-sex programs that rely on and promote archaic and harmful sex stereotypes as part of a new campaign called Teach Kids, Not Stereotypes. In West Virginia, Cabell, Kanawha, and Wood county each recieved demand letters. Since then, both Kanawha County and Cabell County have agreed to suspend single-sex classes for the upcoming school year. Wood County's Board of Education voted on 7/2/2012 to continue their single-sex classes for the upcoming school year, but has since been ordered by a Federal Judge to cease single-sex classes at Van Devender for the 2012-2013 school year while litigation is pending. To learn more about single sex classes read a Wood County parent's plight for equal education. Be sure your student's know their rights.
During these partisan times in Congress, we should agree women serving our country are entitled to the same reporoductive health coverage as other women in America. But, this is not the case. Currently, servicewomen and women in the PeaceCorps are the only federal employees who are unable to recieve abortion services in the case of rape and incest, despite having the highest likelyhood of victimization. If our brave servicewomen are willing to protect our freedoms, isn't it our duty to protect theirs? Stand with our servicewomen. To learn more check out the facts about the ban.Read retired lieutenant commander from the US Navy Medical Corps, Dr. Coy Flowers' powerful Op-Ed.
