At Liberty Podcast

At Liberty Podcast
Know Your Right To Transportation Justice with Deborah Archer and Sister Helen Jones
April 11, 2025
You know that phrase âborn on the wrong side of the tracksâ? Well, thereâs something to it: highways, roads, and sidewalks across America have, for decades, been racial and economic dividers. These thoroughfares donât just reflect inequalityâthey continue to play an active role in it.
This week, W. Kamau Bell is joined by Deborah N. Archer and Sister Helen Jones for a conversation about transportation infrastructure in the United States, and what a safer, more equitable system could look like.
In this episode
This Episode Covers the Following Issues
Related Content
-
AlaskaMay 2025
Voting Rights
Racial Justice
Smith v. State of Alaska (Amicus)
The șìĐÓÊÓÆ” and șìĐÓÊÓÆ” of Alaska have filed an amicus in support of Tupe Smith, a woman born in American Samoa who now lives in Whittier, Alaska charged with falsely affirming that she was a U.S. citizen when she registered to vote. But Tupe Smith is not an âalienâ under the law. People, like her, born in the U.S. territory of American Samoa are the only remaining individuals recognized as ânon-citizen U.S. nationals,â a unique status that falls short of âcitizenâ but nonetheless recognizes that American Samoa has been part of the United States for over 125 years. All evidence indicates that Ms. Smith believed that, as a non-citizen U.S. national, she was eligible to vote in local elections when she registered to vote. In fact, local election officials encouraged her to check the box labeled "U.S. citizen" when she registered, given the fact that there was no option for "U.S. national." Our amicus brief urges Alaskaâs Court of Appeals to dismiss Tupe Smithâs indictment because of well-settled principles that election-crime statutes should be construed to avoid punishing innocent mistakes. Separately, we warn that upholding a different view of the law would make Alaska an outlier among the states.Status: Ongoing -
CaliforniaJun 2025
Criminal Law Reform
Racial Justice
Coalition on Homelessness v. City and County of San Francisco
Coalition on Homelessness is a challenge to the City and County of San Franciscoâs efforts to criminalize homelessness through an array of unconstitutional practices, including confiscating and destroying the personal property of unhoused people without adequate notice or due process, and citing and arresting unhoused people for sleeping in public.Status: Ongoing -
News & CommentaryMay 2025
Racial Justice
âDevastatedâ and âHopeless.â Researchers Speak Out on Funding Cuts
The National Institute of Health (NIH) abruptly cancelled millions of dollars in grants for research that it claims are related to âgender identityâ or âdiversity, equity and inclusion.â The șìĐÓÊÓÆ” sued.By: Lisa Francois -
Press ReleaseApr 2025
Racial Justice
Federal Court Grants Preliminary Injunction Against Department of Educationâs Unlawful Directive
CONCORD, N.H. â In a victory for students, parents, and educators, a federal judge has granted a request for a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the U.S. Department of Educationâs (ED) February 14, 2025, âDear Colleagueâ letter against the plaintiffs, their members, and any entity that employs, contracts with, or works with one or more of Plaintiffs or Plaintiffsâ member. The courtâs ruling blocks EDâs unprecedented and unlawful attempt to restrict discussions and programs on diversity, equity, and inclusion in educational institutions, and its threat to withhold federal funding for engaging in such efforts. The Dear Colleague Letterâs directive contradicts long-standing legal protections for academic freedom and violates the constitutional rights of students and educators by imposing vague and coercive restrictions on curriculums and programs. The preliminary injunction prevents ED from enforcing the directive while litigation continues, ensuring that schools can continue their educational mission without fear of federal retaliation. âAcross the country educators do everything in their power to support every student, ensuring each feels safe, seen, and is prepared for the future. Todayâs ruling allows educators and schools to continue to be guided by whatâs best for students, not by the threat of illegal restrictions and punishment. The fact is that Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Linda McMahon are using politically motivated attacks and harmful and vague directives to stifle speech and erase critical lessons to attack public education, as they work to dismantle public schools. This is why educators, parents, and community leaders are organizing, mobilizing, and using every tool available to protect our students and their futures,â said National Education Association President Becky Pringle. âWhile this interim agreement does not confirm the Department's motives, we believe it should mark the beginning of a permanent withdrawal from the assault on teaching and learning. The Departmentâs attempt to punish schools for acknowledging diversity, equity and inclusion is not only unconstitutional, but itâs also extremely dangerous -- and functions as a direct misalignment with what we know to be just and future forward. Todayâs decision is a critical step toward protecting the freedom to teach, and the freedom to learn,â said Sharif El-Mekki, Center for Black Educator Development CEO & founder. âTodayâs ruling is a victory for students, educators, and the fundamental principles of academic freedom. Every student deserves an education that reflects the full diversity of our society, free from political interference,â said Sarah Hinger, deputy director of the șìĐÓÊÓÆ” Racial Justice Program. âThe federal government has no authority to dictate what schools can and cannot teach to serve its own agenda, and this ruling is an important step in reaffirming that.â Gilles Bissonnette, legal director of the șìĐÓÊÓÆ” of New Hampshire, said, âThe court's ruling today is a victory for academic freedom, the free speech rights of educators, and for New Hampshire students who have a right to an inclusive education free from censorship. Every student, both in the Granite State and across the country, deserves to feel seen, heard, and connected in school - and that can't happen when classroom censorship laws and policies are allowed to stand." On March 5, the șìĐÓÊÓÆ”, the șìĐÓÊÓÆ” of New Hampshire, the șìĐÓÊÓÆ” of Massachusetts, the National Education Association (NEA), and the National Education AssociationâNew Hampshire, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New Hampshire, against ED. Also joining the case as plaintiff is the Center for Black Educator Development. Plaintiffs represented in the lawsuit against ED have said theyâve felt like the âDear Colleague Letterâ instigated a âwitch huntâ against them. Teachers who have dedicated their lives to helping every student grow to their full potential have been in fear of losing their jobs and teaching licenses if they do not severely restrict what they and their students say and do in their classrooms. The lawsuit challenges EDâs directive on multiple legal grounds. Specifically, the lawsuit argues that ED has overstepped its authority by imposing unfounded and vague legal restrictions that violate due process and the First Amendment; limiting academic freedom and restricting educatorsâ ability to teach and studentsâ right to learn; and unlawfully dictating curriculum and educational programs, exceeding its legal mandate. The case will now proceed as the court considers whether to permanently block the Departmentâs directive. The courtâs decision can be found here. A copy of the lawsuit can be found here.