Action Team

The ACLU of Ohio’s Action Team is a cohort of engaged grass roots activists who work closely with our Policy & Advocacy Team to use their voice to push for change in their communities and across Ohio. Actions Teams are a force multiplier actively pursuing policy change and energizing the masses to be a more engaged democracy. Focusing on training, equipping, and empowering our volunteers to act in the public arena, we work to radically change the landscape of Ohio for the better.

Current advocacy priorities:

• Engaged Democracy
• Individual Freedom & Dignity
• Smart Justice
• Free Speech, Free Country

The ACLU of Ohio’s Action Team is over 10,500 strong and growing every day!

Sign up to join thousands of Ohioans in the pursuit of justice and equity in Ohio.

Northeast (NEO)
The Northeast Ohio Action Team is comprised of the Cuyahoga and Portage Counties. The Cuyahoga team, formally established in 2018, is the founding action team chapter in the state. Members have directly lobbied Ohio legislators and judicial stakeholders, launched civic school programming, hosted redistricting teach-ins, facilitated listening sessions, represented the ACLU of Ohio at public events, submitted letters-to-the-editors and opinion pieces, conducted Know Your Rights trainings, and organized both virtual townhalls and in-person events.

• Focus areas include efforts to reduce the number of people in prison and jails and dramatically reduce racial disparities within the criminal legal system; including campaigns to combat police violence and excessive force, protect Ohio’s existing cannabis laws, and combat attacks on bodily autonomy and LGBTQ+ people.
• Lead: Melekte Melaku
  Senior Advocacy Strategist
  pronouns: she/her/hers
  [email protected]

Northwest (NWO)
The Northwest Action Team is comprised of Lucas, Ashland, Defiance, Lorain and surrounding counties. The Lucas County Action Team is the founding NWO chapter, with a history of advocating for pretrial justice, drug policy reform, death penalty repeal, and non-partisan voter empowerment. Members have facilitated listening sessions, submitted testimony, lobbied to state officials, tabled community events, conducted Know Your Rights trainings, hosted voter empowerment townhalls, and represented the ACLU of Ohio on panels.

• Current focus areas include efforts to protect Ohio’s existing cannabis laws, protect immigrant rights, and challenging sweeping restrictions on academic freedom and speech.
• Lead: Melekte Melaku
  Senior Advocacy Strategist
  pronouns: she/her/hers
  [email protected]

Southeast (SEO)
The Southeast Ohio Action Team is made up nearly 500 activists from across the region and is growing each day. SEO Action Team members have collected thousands of signatures, knocked hundreds of doors, submitted public testimonies, hosted workshops, and have helped pass local resolutions. And we’re just getting started!

• Current focus areas include ensuring that trans and gender non-conforming members of our community have access to affirming accommodations, working towards community control over police surveillance, and educating people on their rights and their power.
• Lead: Natalie Johnson
  Advocacy Strategist
  pronouns: she/her/hers [email protected]

Southwest (SWO)
The Southwest Ohio Action Team is comprised of over 1,000 activists in Hamilton, Butler, Warren, Clermont, Greene, and Montgomery counties. Our team has collected thousands of signatures, facilitated listening sessions around the region, hosted Know Your Rights trainings on a large range of civil liberties issues, written Op-Eds and letters-to-the-editor, hosted public meetings and community conversations, and so much more.

• Current focus areas include LGBTQ Rights and advocating for single occupancy restrooms to be gender neutral, working to establish community oversight and input over police surveillance technology, and educating our communities on their rights and their power.
• Lead: Riley Taylor
  Advocacy Strategist
  pronouns: she/her/hers
  [email protected]

What is a Campus Action Team?

Campus Action Teams (CATs) are an extension of the organization’s statewide Action Team, with a clear emphasis on students enrolled in a college or university in Ohio, including law schools and graduate programs. CATs exist to engage the student body in organizing, building power, and mobilizing for true social justice in and around their campus community. CATs are open to any student seeking to protect and expand civil rights and liberties through community organizing and development while utilizing the resources, expertise, and staff at the ACLU of Ohio.

Like many on-campus student groups, the ACLU Campus Action Teams meet regularly, hold social and programmatic events, and influence thought leaders on campus by raising awareness on issues that impact the student body and/or greater community at large.

Where are the ACLU of Ohio’s Campus Action Teams Located?

• Kent State University | @ksuaclu
• The Ohio State University | @acluosu
• Moritz College of Law | @acluatmoritz
• Oberlin College | @oberlin_aclu
• Ohio University | @aclu.ohiou
• University of Cincinnati | @acluatuc

To start a campus action team at your Ohio College or University, contact ACLU of Ohio Organizing Strategist Melekte Melaku, [email protected].

For the most up-to-date schedule of events please visit the ACLU of Ohio events page.