About Us

The Genesee Valley Office of the New York Civil Liberties Union serves the following counties: Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates. Our mission is to defend and promote the fundamental principles and values embodied in the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution, and the New York Constitution.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Genesee Valley Office is encouraged to call our office at (585) 454-4334 or e-mail us at geneseevalley@nyclu.org for information. Speakers are available for groups large or small on a broad range of civil liberties issues and related current events.

What We Do

The Genesee Valley Office is dedicated to safeguarding the liberties and rights of the people we serve through advocacy and litigation; legislative action; and public education. We are involved in state and national issues, with a special focus on members of the greater Rochester area and nine county Genesee Valley region.

The following statement is adapted from a framework developed by Ira Glasser, former ACLU executive director.

The government of the United States is built on two counter balancing principles:

  1. The majority rules through democratic elections.
  2. Protection from attempts by the majority to limit the rights granted to individuals by the Bill of Rights. The fundamental values of individual liberty are:
    • First Amendment: The rights of free speech; free association and assembly; freedom of the press; and freedom of religion including the separation of church and state.
    • Equal Protection: The right to be treated equally and not be discriminated against based on race, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age or disability.
    • Due Process: The right to be treated fairly, including fair procedures when facing accusations of criminal misconduct or other serious accusations that can lead to loss of employment, exclusion from school, denial of housing or other punitive measures taken BY THE GOVERNMENT.
    • Privacy: The right to a zone of personal privacy and autonomy.
    • Civil Rights: The extension of the rights described above to groups that are still fighting for the full protection of the Bill of Rights, including women; immigrants; the poor; people of color; gay, lesbian and bisexual people; religious minorities; people with disabilities; etc.