As a first-generation college graduate of HBCU Winston-Salem State University, Robert T. Stephens witnessed firsthand how the power of education can lift a family out of poverty. The former public school teacher and former staff member of the late Congressman John Lewis is an advocate for policies that impact Black and Brown students. Today, he serves as the Chief of State & Regional Impact for Education Reform Now (ERN), managing executive directors in seven states, regional expansion models in the South and Northeast, and helps elect reform-minded Democrats nationwide. He discusses how his HBCU education shaped him into a leader who fights for children—once like himself—who need proper resources and support to thrive in school.