Join us as we honor three remarkable activists for their outstanding work supporting civil liberties and social justice.

 

2019 BILL OF RIGHTS DINNER HONOREES

 JUDY BALABAN 
ACLU SoCal Board Member, Life-long Activist

Photo credit: Mark A. Viera

RAMONA RIPSTON LIBERTY, JUSTICE & EQUALITY AWARD RECIPIENT
Judy Balaban has been a lifelong champion of civil rights. Voting rights, economic justice, fair employment, affordable health care, education, criminal justice reform, free speech, consumer rights, and veterans’ rights have all benefited from Judy’s advocacy. She has served as a board member of ACLU SoCal for over 40 years.

 DON CHEADLE 
Actor, Producer, Director, Activist

Photo credit: Chris Pizzello

BILL OF RIGHTS AWARD RECIPIENT
Don Cheadle is an Oscar and Emmy-nominated and SAG Award winning actor who has shown his deep commitment to social justice by speaking out and advocating for many important issues, including racial and gender equality, immigration and education reform, reproductive rights, LGBT rights, ending gun violence, and the climate crisis.

 JUSTIN TRANTER 
Songwriter, Activist

Photo credit: Miss Guy

BILL OF RIGHTS AWARD RECIPIENT
Justin Tranter has not only redefined popular music through their work with some of the biggest artists on the planet, but has redefined what it means to be an advocate through music. Justin has been an outspoken and powerful voice for the LGBTQIA+ community, diversity, the climate crisis, arts education, animal rights and ending gun violence.

PRESENTERS

 BOB BALABAN 
Actor, Writer, Director, Producer

Bob Balaban

 

 SELENA GOMEZ 
Recording Artist, Actress, Producer, Activist

Selena Gomez

 

 REGINA HALL 
Actress, Producer, Activist

Regina Hall

 

PERFORMER

 CHRISSY METZ 
Golden Globe & Emmy-nominated Actress & Singer

Photo credit: Dean Foreman

Make a donation in support of the event

For questions about the event, sponsorships, ads, or logistics, contact Christian Lebano, Annual Events Manager, at clebano@aclusocal.org or 213-977-5229.

Last year's sold-out gala honored Kenya Barris, Eva Longoria Baston, Tarana Burke, Alyssa Milano, Rita Moreno, and Constance Wu. They were presented awards by (respectively) Laurence J. Fishburne, America Ferrera, the Honorable Eric Garcetti, Norman Lear, and Bryan Fuller. Jennifer Hudson wowed the room with her performance of Diane Warren's Oscar-nominated song "I'll Fight."

collage of photos from the 2018 Bill of Rights Dinner of honorees, presenters, and other guests posing on the red carpet and speaking on stage

Jennifer Hudson perched on a chair singing on stage

SPONSORS

LIBERTY AND JUSTICE LEADERS

George Molsbarger • Justin Tranter

CHAMPIONS OF JUSTICE

Frank & Berta Gehry • Stacey Herzing • Lyn & Norman Lear • Dennis Lavinthal, Publisher Hits Magazine • Shari Leinwand • Alan Sieroty • Peg Yorkin

PROTECTORS OF FREEDOM

Apatow-Mann Family • Lisa & Andrew Gilford • Magan, Tatyana, and Olivia Ray • The Walt Disney Studios • Widzer Family • Warner Chappell • Widzer Family• Jon Wiener & Judy Fiskin • Kristin Zethren & Chic Wolk

GUARDIANS OF LIBERTY

Arnold & Porter LLP • Audrey Irmas Foundation for Social Justice • Judy Balaban • Ann & Eric Capogrosso • CBS and Showtime Networks Inc. • FACET House • Roger Lowenstein & Los Angeles Leadership Academy • Katie McGrath & J.J. Abrams • Wendy & Barry Meyer • Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP • Laura Ornest & Rick Leslie • Participant Media • Paul Hastings LLP • Sidley Austin LLP • United Talent Agency • William & Justine Yde

DEFENDERS OF EQUALITY

Doll Amir & Eley LLP • Michele Goodwin & Gregory Shaffer • Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP • The Law Office of Frank J. Broccolo • Steve Heckler Associates • Marla Stone, Scott Johnson, & Claudia Johnson Stone • The Hit House

SPONSORS OF RIGHTS

Attias Family Foundation • BMI • Creative Artists Agency • David Geffen Foundation • Davis Wright Tremaine LLP • Andrew Fayé & Dan Harries • Kevin & Neil Goetz • Grode & Groening Family • Barry & Carole Hirsch • Hollywood Foreign Press Association • Kirk Hornbeck • Dennis Lavinthal, Publisher Hits Magazine • Paula & Barry Litt • Alvin & Lisa Michaelson • Stefanie Powers • Michael & Marlene Rapkin • Ananya Roy • Nancy & Miles Rubin • Shout! Factory • Skadden, Arps, Slate Meagher & Flom LLP • TM Financial Forensics • MUFG Union Bank • Walker Stevens Cannom LLP • Michael & Donna Weinholtz

 

Event Date

Sunday, November 17, 2019 - 5:30pm to
9:15pm

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Venue

Beverly Wilshire Hotel

Address

9500 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
United States

E-mail address

For more information or to purchase tickets by phone please contact Christian Lebano at clebano@aclusocal.org or 213-977-5229.

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Bill of Rights Dinner November 17, 2019

Date

Sunday, November 17, 2019 - 9:15pm

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Living in California is already expensive enough for working families — paying rent, paying for childcare, putting food on the table, etc. — without also having to pay to retrieve a towed car. But every year, California local governments push countless families that are struggling to make ends meet deeper into poverty by towing their legally parked cars. Hundreds of thousands of cars are towed each year for non-safety reasons and to collect minor debts.

For example, when someone can't afford to pay five or more parking tickets, cities tow their car. When someone's car registration is past due, cities tow their car. And when someone cannot afford a private parking garage and legally parks their car in the same spot for 72 hours? Yes, you guessed it: their car gets towed.

Cars are often towed without first giving owners notice and post-tow hearings offer shamefully inadequate due process protections. As a result, working families often lose their cars, leading to job loss, more debt, credit score dings, increased instability, and even homelessness.

That's why the ACLU of California is sponsoring AB 516, a bill introduced by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) to ensure California stops punishing poor people for being poor by towing their cars for non-safety reasons. Towing cars should be reserved for improving public safety and traffic flow, not punishing and plunging people into insurmountable debt. It's important to note that AB 516 will still let cities tow abandoned and inoperable vehicles.

California's towing practices are fundamentally unjust and an ineffective debt and revenue-collection tool that disproportionately impacts Black and brown communities. A 2018 review of 26,000 tows revealed that the Oakland Police Department towed cars more often from East Oakland, which is a predominantly Black and brown neighborhood, than from other neighborhoods. Reporting has shown significant racial bias in traffic stops by law enforcement agencies in various parts of the state, many of which can lead to the towing of vehicles.

Right now, cities and counties across California typically require owners to pay at least $500 to retrieve their car from the tow yard. If the car was towed because the owner couldn't afford to pay tickets or fees, the owner must first pay these off, plus any late fees, and often a release fee before they can even pay the tow yard's daily escalating storage fees.

We're talking about charging someone, who couldn't afford to pay parking tickets or registration fees to begin with, thousands of dollars in additional fees just to get their car back so they can continue working, paying rent, and providing for their families.

Many people simply can't afford to retrieve their car. In fact, a Federal Reserve study found that 46% of people in this country can't afford to pay $400 for an emergency expense without first selling something or borrowing money.

So unpaid tickets and registration fees remain unpaid, tow yards don't recoup the costs of storing people's cars, and cities have forced their residents to lose a necessary lifeline to live and work in the community.

California should do everything to make it easier — not harder — for working families to succeed. We can make a difference with AB 516.

Ask your lawmakers to vote YES on AB 516.

Date

Thursday, August 22, 2019 - 3:30pm

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Economic Justice Police Practices

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Ending Poverty Tows (AB 516)
Author:
Maya Ingram

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