23 Books Leading Us To A More Just And Equitable Future

For 100 years, the ACLU of Southern California has fought to defend and advance civil liberties in the southland. Curated in partnership with the Los Angeles Review of Books, our 2023 Reading Guide is a reflection of our region’s rich literary roots, featuring contemporary California authors whose works inform our mission and challenge us to realize a more just and equitable future.

By Paria Russo

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Leading the way, the California way

Meet Californians who fought to make California a more just place.

By Amanda Goad

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This is what happens when we vote!

The 2022 midterm elections brought a lot of wins for Southern Californians, including housing rights and sheriff accountability.

By Rocío Ortega

Vote Your Values

My family fought racism at the Port of L.A. Decades later, I'm suing as a pregnant worker

After facing gender, pregnancy, and breast/chestfeeding discrimination working at the Port of L.A., Kaiaunna is fighting for her rights.

By Kaiaunna Smith

Kaiaunna with daughter

To Achieve True Reproductive Justice in California, We Must Look Beyond Roe

While SCOTUS dealt a devastating step back, we know that Roe was never enough — even in California.

By Arneta Rogers

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Hey, Uber, my name is Adrian

My name is Adrian, and I’m a proud transgender man.  

By Adrian Escobedo

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Family Separation is as American as Mass Incarceration

After decades of advocacy by community and grassroots organizations, California is making significant strides toward criminal and juvenile justice. This past year, Los Angeles County’s new district attorney began working to end cash bail for misdemeanors, enact new sentencing policies, and stop the transfer of children to adult court. Meanwhile, a 2020 state law and a budget directive from the governor’s office have resulted in plans to close all three of California’s juvenile prisons by 2023.  

By Ariana Rodriguez

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How this firefighter mama transformed the Orange County Fire Authority

OCFA is one of the first fire departments in the country to put a lactation room in all 77 of its fire stations.

By Lauren Andrade

Lauren Andrade

My abortion allowed me to control my own destiny. Millions of others deserve the same chance.

I never expected to get an abortion. But I knew I could tell my mother. I grew up in New York and abortion was still illegal when I was born. One of my earliest memories is being in the car with my mother when she turned to me and told me that if I ever needed an abortion, I should let her know

By Minouche Kandel

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