“I am humbled and honored to join an organization dedicated to access, equality and justice in the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois,” said Ms. Hanson. “I look forward to working with an incredible group of donors, Board members and staff to marshal all available resources to advance ACLU's critical mission in Illinois"
The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois long has been recognized as among the premier advocacy organizations in the State of Illinois. The ACLU has a strong history in the state of protecting and advancing civil liberties and human rights, including advancing conditions and care for youth under the protection of DCFS, working to fix the state’s broken criminal justice system and successfully challenging efforts to restrict a woman’s access to medical care, including abortion care.
In recent months, the organization has made headlines as it has represented a young woman who is transgender in her fight to use the appropriate bathroom and locker room at her suburban high school.
“Our agenda continues to expand to encompass new, more challenging work,” added Colleen K. Connell, Executive Director of the ACLU of Illinois. “We are thrilled to have someone of Monique’s experience and expertise to assist us as we move forward into the ACLU’s second century.”
The American Civil Liberties Union will celebrate its centennial in 2020.
A resident of Chicago, Ms. Hanson earned her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin.