Missouri ID Access Coalition

Monthly Newsletter

August 2026

Dear Coalition Members,

As we head into late summer, our coalition continues to make tangible strides: from high-level meetings with state officials to real-world victories using new identification tools.

See our many updates below, including:

Award Nominations Open: Submit your nominee for the 2026 Jolene Patterson ID Access Trailblazer Award.
Annual Summit Preview: Join us Oct 15–16 for our free statewide summit in St. Louis. Register!
State Advocacy: Bureau of Vital Records updates on processing timelines and rejection practices.
Municipal ID Victory: Gateway ID succeeds in acquiring out-of-state vital records.
September 9th Meeting: Welcoming our new Free ID breakout co-facilitators!

Also, our November meeting will be moved from 11/11 (Veteran's Day) to 11/18. Confirmation forthcoming.

Want a quick way to help us expand our impact? Forward this email to a friend or colleague!

Coalition Updates

🏆 Nominate a 2026 Jolene Patterson ID Access Trailblazer

Do you know an individual or organization going above and beyond to break down photo ID barriers in Missouri? We want to honor them!

Nominations are officially open for the Jolene Patterson ID Access Trailblazer Award, which will be presented at our upcoming Annual Summit. Established to honor the legacy of dedicated advocate Jolene Patterson, this annual award celebrates leaders whose exceptional contributions empower community members to secure essential identification.

Who is eligible? Any individual or organization demonstrating outstanding leadership in expanding state photo ID access across Missouri.
Where will it be awarded? At our 2026 Annual ID Access Summit this October.

👉 CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A TRAILBLAZER NOMINATION

📝 Bureau of Vital Records (BVR) Advocacy Updates

Our team has been actively engaging state officials to address systemic delays and paperwork barriers:

Accurate ID Processing & Rejections: Coalition representatives met directly with Dylan Bryant, State Registrar and Chief of the Bureau of Vital Records, to address ongoing processing delays and rejection practices surrounding Accurate ID requests. The Registrar agreed to keep the dialogue open and continue these important conversations.
Timeline Clarifications: This productive session with the BVR Chief focused on clarifying expected processing timelines for birth certificates and IDs. Per the Chief's request, our working group will keep campaign membership focused while maintaining steady, strategic progress. Early indications are that they have already made great progress on their backlog.

🏙️ Gateway ID (STL Municipal ID) Real-World Wins!

We have exciting news regarding the utility of the new St. Louis municipal ID!

Aubrey of the Ashrei Foundation shared major practical successes using the Gateway ID card to secure vital records outside of Missouri—successfully obtaining a Louisiana birth certificate and a McLean County, IL marriage certificate. These real-world wins demonstrate how municipal IDs can successfully bridge documentation gaps for residents needing out-of-state records.

Get Involved

SAVE THE DATE: 2026 Annual Summit

We are excited to share an early heads-up for our biggest event of the year!

What: Missouri State ID Access Coalition Annual Summit
When: October 15th & October 16th, 2026
Where: The International Institute, St. Louis, MO
We will officially open registration and release our speaker schedule next month. For now, block off your calendars—we can't wait to gather in person to build power for 2027!

Join Our Full Coalition Meeting on Wednesday, September 9 10:00-11:30 am

All are welcome. Typically held on the second Wednesday of the month.

This monthly 90-minute meeting includes time reserved for heading into breakout rooms and working in committee groups.

Want to have our Coalition speak to your group?

We love to join regular meetings to discuss IDs, setting up clinics, the current state of our campaigns, or any other topic related to our work.

Request a Presentation

Help Us Add Coalition Members!

We’re growing the MO State ID Access Coalition, and we need your help!

Our strength is in our collective voice, and each new member brings us closer to building a more accessible and equitable ID system for all Missourians. Whether you’re an organization, advocate, or community partner, there’s a place for you in this work.

Membership is free and open to individuals and organizations who share our values and are ready to drive change in our state.

BECOME A MEMBER

Join a Committee

We’re a coalition that gets things done- and our committees are where that work happens. Join our next monthly Coalition meeting to get involved, or reach out to our Director, John Stamm to plug into committee work: john@moidaccess.org

Wanted: Organization Updates

We want to amplify your work!

If you have any upcoming events or announcements that you would like to include in an upcoming newsletter or during the meeting, please email us: info@moidaccess.org

We're on Facebook, LinkedIn and Youtube!

Click to give us a like and follow, and stay in the loop for updates.

Building Power

There are two things that are needed to build and sustain a movement for systemic change: organized people and organized money.

We have launched a donation option for those who want to help the coalition build power outside of time, energy and skills.

Thank you in advance for your generosity & support, it means a lot and makes things happen!

DONATE

Missouri State ID Access Coalition | Access is power.