Robert T. Stephens is fighting for the civil rights of North Carolina’s most vulnerable populations.
“As the political director for the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, I fight for North Carolinians' civil and constitutional rights,” said Stephens.
As the Director of Political Strategy and Advocacy with the ACLU of North Carolina, Stephens works on a broad range of civil rights issues. “I manage our immigrant rights and legislative portfolio, making sure no one's rights are violated,” he said. Stephens also manages the criminal justice reform portfolio and many other emerging issues at the busy agency.
Since graduating with a Master’s in Public Policy degree from the Schar School of Policy and Government in 2013, Stephens has been using his degree to make important improvements in the state of North Carolina, a job he said he was prepared to tackle after learning “how to think like a policy analyst” at the Schar School.
“I was trained to write concisely, think critically, and question everything,” he said. “My favorite part of the Master’s in Public Policy program was the interaction with my colleagues and professors. My classmates are some of the smartest people I have ever encountered. Additionally, I was impressed by my professors’ deep subject knowledge.”
His work in immigrant rights has paid off on a state-wide scale.
“I am exceptionally proud of our work to get Governor [Roy] Cooper to veto H.B. 370, a bill that would remove North Carolina sheriffs from office if they refuse to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement deport community members by holding people in jail for prolonged periods—in violation of the Constitution,” he said.
His leadership and knowledge on emerging immigrant issues has created a rippling effect in the ACLU of North Carolina. Next up on the legislative and public policy agenda for Stephens are immigrant voting rights.
Stephens has taken his career to new heights, and is using his knowledge and capabilities to fight for what he believes in. “It’s amazing to come home and continue the fight that so many leaders have contributed to before me,” he said. “I was taught to put things on the policy shelf and design the world I would want to leave for my children.”