Thank You: 2025 ID Access Summit a Success!

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the 2025 Missouri ID Access Summit in St. Louis this month! The Summit strengthened our movement to dismantle the systemic barriers that keep Missourians from obtaining state-issued photo identification.

The two-day event included:

• Local Solutions: We began with a successful Subgrantee Showcase, where organizations from Joplin, Springfield, Columbia, and Sikeston shared vital lessons learned from the Coalition’s ID Access Subgrant program.

• National Perspective: Keynote speaker Wan Qi Kong of the Orleans Public Defenders drew parallels between the recent St. Louis tornado and the impact of Hurricane Katrina on ID access, and shared her considerable expertise. National experts also shared proven strategies from states like Kentucky and Arizona.

• Municipal IDs: We heard updates on successful municipal ID programs from St. Louis City Treasurer Adam Layne and Kansas City Health Department Deputy Director Jacqueline A. Dillard.

• Disproportionate Barriers: Leaders from Paraquad, the GLO Center, COMO Mobile Aid, and Criminal Justice Ministry helped identify the disproportionate barriers to ID access.

• Lessons on Mobilizing: Denise Lieberman of Missouri Voter Protection Coalition shared tips and strategies for how to build pathways for collective wins

• The Jolene Patterson 2025 ID Access Trailblazer Award: Liam John was honored for his tremendous commitment to our cause and always going above and beyond.

2026 Planning Underway

Our Steering Committee gathered for a retreat just before last week's Summit to begin charting our path for 2026.

We renewed our commitment to being an action-oriented Coalition and will discuss a few proposed changes to our structure to maintain that focus at our November meeting.

More information will be shared as it is finalized, but we are excited to recommit to our three main active Campaigns:

• Homebound ID Campaign
• Name and Gender Marker Change Campaign
• Fee Waivers for IDs Campaign

Though our work will continue to include more than these efforts alone, we hope to focus our energy to continue pushing for equitable ID access for all.

Be sure to join our next monthly meeting to learn more and share your thoughts!

We’re over halfway to our goal of growing the MO State ID Access Coalition to 50 official members—and we need your help to get there!

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.

Break-in at the GLO Center, an ID Access Subgrantee

In 2024-25, the Coalition provided $100,000 to over 20 organizations through our ID Access Subgrants Program, one of which is the GLO Center.

On October 20th, the GLO Center had its second break-in. This excerpt is from the PROMO newsletter about the incident:

There is an incredibly difficult time for queer and trans folks nationally and, in Missouri, it has been for years. Last night, there was a break in at The GLO Center. This attack was the second act of violence directed towards this organization in less than a month. You can read about the other threat the community center faced from reporting by KSMU.

The GLO Center serves as a beacon of hope and as a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth and adults in the Springfield and Ozarks region. It is the longest serving LGBTQ+ center in the state of Missouri, and community relies on the incredible staff to provide services in their area.

From the GLO Center: If you'd like to show support during this time, you can make a donation toward our $6,000 goal at https://bit.ly/glo-safety.

Learn more about the GLO Center here - last month's featured organization!