ACLU Next Generation Society, 344 N. State St., Chicago, IL (2026)

The Next Generation Society was founded in Chicago in 2015 to help the ACLU make a difference! The Next Generation Society brings together young professionals, emerging leaders, artists, and others who are engaged in the key issues that will shape our nation’s future. The Society and its Members help support the ACLU’s essential work in Illinois and throughout the nation, including its efforts to

end mass incarceration, reform the criminal justice system, legalize ma*****na, defend reproductive freedom, promote LGBTQ rights, protect privacy in the digital age, and more.

02/23/2026

Welcome to Week 4 of the Next Gen Membership Drive. This week, we’re highlighting the ’s work to protect bodily autonomy in Illinois – the fundamental right to make decisions about your own body, your health, and your future.

This past legislative session, advocates successfully made IL the twelfth state to allow access to affirming that end-of-life medications, bringing this decision to individuals and their families, not the government.

The ACLU of Illinois is also pushing back against policies that prohibit transgender federal employees from using restrooms aligned with their gender, because dignity and equal treatment in the workplace are non-negotiable. And through recent litigation such as Hicks v. IDOC, we are fighting to ensure that people in state custody retain the reproductive autonomy enshrined within the Illinois Reproductive Rights Act.

Bodily autonomy means freedom from political interference in our most personal decisions. It means trusting people to know what is best for their own lives. And it means showing up, organizing, and building power together to defend that freedom. Please join us to support this work!

02/18/2026

Our third Membership Drive Spotlight features Next Generation Society Board Member, Isabel Robertson! Learn more about Isabel below:

Q: Why do you support the ACLU and Next Gen?
A: I support the ACLU because of their integrity and commitment to the long game. They’re determined to make this country better and they make me believe that that’s possible, even when it feels far away!

Q: What is bringing you hope at this moment?
A: All acts of community and solidarity bring me hope: things like friends delivering meals to strangers through mutual aid networks and showing up in subzero weather to protect their neighbors. Every time someone chooses to show their humanity, it’s a spark of hope.

Q: Why is it so important for people to take action on the issues they care about right now?
A: It’s always important to take action for what you believe in! This moment is not unprecedented. Humanity has always been cruel and unjust, but it has also always been resilient and brave and beautiful. We have roadmaps for how to get through moments like this one and all of those roadmaps are stories of action.

Get to know our amazing Next Gen board members at our upcoming Next Generation Society Happy Hour! For more information on tickets and memberships, visit the link in our bio.

02/17/2026

Welcome to Week 3 of the 2026 Next Gen Membership Drive. This week we are highlighting the ’s work to protect youth and families in the face of efforts to dismantle critical access to the Head Start program that often provides stability and support.

For nearly 60 years, Head Start has helped millions of children and families access early childhood education, health screenings, nutritious meals, and family support services. Efforts to dismantle or weaken this vital program put vulnerable children and working families at risk. Protecting equal opportunity means standing up when essential programs are at risk. Join the ACLU and help defend the rights and resources families count on.

02/04/2026

Our first Membership Drive Spotlight features Next Generation Society Board Member, Brendan Chan! Learn more about Brendan below:

Q: Why do you support the ACLU and Next Gen?
A: I’ve found a lot of power in Mariame Kaba’s teachings on how hope is a discipline. Time and time again, when things are bad (and they’re pretty bad right now), I find hope in community and the power of people showing up for others. I support the ACLU of Illinois because the work they do is vital to bringing about the kind of state and country I want to exist.

Q: What is bringing you hope at this moment?
A: Young people. Educators. Community members and volunteers. My friends running for office. People I know, and people I don’t. The fact that for every person I see that shows up, there are thousands more that I don’t see. That around the country and the world, people are showing up.

Q: Why is it so important for people to take action on the issues they care about right now?
A: It’s easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed, particularly in light of what we’ve experienced and witnessed since 2016. But none of us are powerless, and I think it’s important for people to take action - big and small - to help build a country and world that they’re proud of.

Get to know Brendan and other Next Gen members at our upcoming Next Generation Society Happy Hour! For more information on tickets and memberships, visit the link in our bio.

Address

344 N. State St.
Chicago, IL
60654

Website

http://aclu-il.org/join-nextgen, https://linktr.ee/nextgenaclu

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when ACLU Next Generation Society posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to ACLU Next Generation Society:

ACLU Next Generation Society