News & Commentary written by West Resendes

West Resendes is a Staff Attorney in the Disability Rights Program (DRP), where he uses disability rights litigation and community-centered advocacy tools to advance the ACLU’s affirmative vision for reducing the role, power, presence, and responsibilities of police in communities and schools. His work includes ongoing litigation to reform the statewide carceral and parole systems in Georgia for deaf and hard of hearing people, and education issues for students with disabilities. West began his work at the ACLU as a Skadden Fellow. West is the first culturally deaf person to work at the ACLU since its co-founder, Helen Keller, and sits on the ACLU’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council.

Prior to joining the ACLU, West earned his J.D. at Yale Law School where he was a member of the Veterans Legal Services Clinic (VLSC). While at VLSC, West worked on a nationwide class action lawsuit seeking relief for less-than-honorably discharged veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan era with psychiatric disabilities. Through Make the Road Connecticut, West advocated for language access for immigrant families in Bridgeport Public Schools. West has also worked on the Senate Judiciary Committee. West holds an A.B. from Harvard College and was a Henry Russell Shaw Fellow.