News & Commentary

State Senator Rita Sanders, Nebraska’s only sitting legislator of Asian American heritage, graciously made time to discuss LB 442, a new bill that would create a Commission of Asian American Affairs. Nebraska currently has similar commissions in the Nebraska Latino-American Commission, the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, and the newly created Commission on African American Affairs. These groups advocate for the needs of Nebraskans and coordinate with similar groups in other states. This interview has been lightly edited for length.

As we welcome spring, it’s vitally important to recognize that March is Women’s History Month. While the origins of Women's History Month are relatively new, the contributions and achievements of women are as longstanding as the origins of America itself. As we honor and recognize the women who have shaped Nebraska and our country as a whole, looking at this history with an intersectional lens ensures we are able to honor the contributions of all women who have shaped our society. Rather than compartmentalizing gender and what it means to be a woman, intersectionality recognizes that a person’s individual identities are not separate from one another. Intersectionality gives a name to what we all know to be true: gender is inherently intertwined with race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status and many other identities.

A string of public records requests led us to discover Omaha Police were closely monitoring Black activists and allies. In Nebraska, the law protects our right to access most emails and other records written by government employees.

With a unanimous City Council vote and Mayor Jean Stothert’s signature, Omaha’s municipal code will now better protect the right to meet in public streets and parks to call for change.

Kevin Abourezk is a journalist, vice chairman of the Lincoln Indian Center Board of Directors, and a friend of the ACLU of Nebraska. We invited him to share his perspective on the community dialogue about Thanksgiving's roots and he graciously agreed. Originally published in 2020, we are resharing it for 2021.

The killing of George Floyd sparked outcry nationally and in Nebraska, adding new energy to calls for police reform.

On October 11th, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community celebrate National Coming Out Day.  Founded 32 years ago, National Coming Out Day began rooted in the belief that when people live openly as an LGBTQ person, they help to dispel the fears and stereotypes that exist in their families and communities. Today, National Coming Out Day serves as both a celebration of the bravery that accompanies coming out of the closet and a recognition of the many who cannot safely live as their authentic selves.

In 2016, the Department of Housing and Urban Development enacted a rule titled “Equal Access in Accordance with an Individual's Gender Identity in Community Planning and Development Programs” (2016 Rule).  In part, this rule mandated that temporary and emergency shelters that receive federal funding must allow transgender and gender non-conforming individuals to seek and obtain services from shelters and programs in accordance with their gender identity.  The requires shelters to admit individuals based on self-identification as the only method of determining a person's sex.

LINCOLN, Neb. - A new report shows prison officials have made modest progress in reducing their overreliance on solitary confinement, due to legislative reforms over the past few years. However, the Department of Corrections must do more to reduce their reliance on solitary confinement and instead focus their efforts on alternatives that lead to rehabilitation outcomes.