From teaching middle school math in Charlotte to fighting for educational equity nationwide, my journey has been driven by a singular purpose: empowering communities and creating lasting change. I'm Robert Stephens, and my path to public service began at Winston-Salem State University, where I led the student government association and continued into the classroom, where my students taught me as much about determination as I taught them about mathematics.

Their struggles and aspirations inspired me to pursue a Master of Public Policy at George Mason University. During my studies, the call to action drew me back to Winston-Salem, where I joined President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign—an experience that showed me how grassroots organizing could create historic change.

After graduating, my commitment to community building led me to Dallas, where I managed community partnerships for Teach For America, connecting with activists and leaders nationwide. When Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, I witnessed firsthand how protest could transform into policy as community activism moved from the streets to city council chambers and ultimately to the ballot box.

Life brought my wife ShaRanda and me back to North Carolina, where I continued my work with Teach For America while responding to calls for justice in Baton Rouge, Baltimore, Chicago, and New York. These experiences drove me to run for Durham City Council. Though I didn't win the general election after advancing through the primary, the campaign deepened my resolve to fight for equity through every channel.

The honor of working alongside Congressman John Lewis on Capitol Hill marked a pivotal chapter in my journey. There, I helped craft bipartisan legislation, including the Law Enforcement Inclusion Act and the Community Reentry Act, while shepherding the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act into law.

My advocacy continued at the National Center for Learning Disabilities and later as the first African-American Political Director at the ACLU of North Carolina. During the crucial 2020 election, I served as the National Voter Suppression Director for the National Urban League, defending Americans' fundamental right to vote.

As Vice President of Policy at Voices for Progress, I collaborated with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi to pass transformative legislation. Our work led to concrete victories: $35 insulin caps, corporate tax reform, and historic clean energy investments through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Today, as Chief of State and Regional Impact at Education Reform Now, I'm fulfilling my promise to my seventh-grade math students: to fight tirelessly for educational equity. Every child deserves access to excellent education, regardless of their zip code.

I'm running for Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee because I believe in our party's potential to create meaningful change. My experience—from classrooms to Capitol Hill, from grassroots organizing to national policy—has prepared me to help build a Democratic Party that genuinely serves all Americans. Together, we can create a future where every voice matters, and every community thrives.