Published:
Thursday, December 12, 2013
The ACLU of Washington has a team of all-star volunteers who man the front desk for us. We would like you to meet some of them.
The ACLU-WA staff usually can tell when Patti Hackney is in our office because of the goodies that appear – scones one week, coffee cake another week, and occasionally smoked salmon. In addition to her passion for working on good causes, Patti loves cooking for groups. “I get great joy out of feeding people,” she explains.
A retired attorney who worked in energy law and regulation, Patti has served as a board member and legislative program coordinator for the ACLU of Kansas. Since she and her husband moved to Seattle four years ago, we have had the pleasure of her volunteering at our front desk.
“It feels like I’m at a hub of the office, which is fulfilling. There is always something interesting going on, and I am surrounded by dedicated, kind and amazing people,” she says. “What makes handling incoming calls even more fulfilling is that when the ACLU is unable to assist someone directly, we refer them to other organizations. So we don’t just say ‘no,’ but rather ‘here’s another path you might want to take.’ This organization has heart and empathy. What’s not to love?”
Patti also has lived in Hawaii and Alaska – she and her husband still fish there during the summer – and she has volunteered with environmental groups seeking to protect whales. She points out that these and other causes such as defending reproductive freedom depend on the Bill of Rights and the ACLU’s efforts to protect freedom. “In order to be able to act on other issues, you need to have the freedom to speak out and to meet with others. The ACLU’s work facilitates the work of other groups,” she observes.
The victories the ACLU-WA has won during her time here have been a special source of pride. She points to the recent court ruling in the Wilbur v. Mount Vernon suit whereby that city and Burlington will now have to reform their public defense system to make sure that people will be properly represented and that there will be meaningful oversight. Also, the ACLU’s fight to legalize marijuana is near and dear to her heart because so many lives have been destroyed by discriminatory prosecution of a victimless crime.
“This ACLU affiliate in particular is so active, productive, exciting, and seeks to protect rights on so many fronts. I like feeling that I am even a very small part of that effort,” she says. “Everyone here has a passion for what they are doing. It is a great place to be, and the results can be amazing.”
