Camara Stokes Hudson '16, J.D. is deeply committed to justice. 

As the current Racial Justice Counsel at the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) -- a state affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) -- her work encompasses litigation, public education, and policy initiatives aimed at dismantling systemic injustices affecting New Yorkers of color.

A powerhouse, Stokes Hudson is just getting started.

Her journey is deeply rooted in her experiences at UVM, where she majored in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS).“I was an HDFS major at UVM,” she shares, “which has always driven my interest in working to improve systems which touch the lives of young people and their families.”

Stokes Hudson’s career has given focus to issues of education equity including exclusionary discipline, school governance, student freedom of speech and expression, and issues related to bullying and harassment.

Recently, she’s begun working on infrastructure justice issues as well.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Stokes Hudson advocated and lobbied at a Connecticut child advocacy organization, where her work centered on education issues.

In 2019, Stokes Hudson was named Woman of Inspiration by the Connecticut Women's Legal and Education Fund for her work with Connecticut Voices for Children; in 2020, the Derrick Bell Scholar for Public Service by NYU Law Alumni of Color Assocation.

Just this past year, Stokes Hudson was recognized as a 30 Under 30 Alumni by the UVM Alumni Association for her professional contributions.

HER UVM JOURNEY

The esteemed Lawrence Debate Union (LDU) initially drew Stokes Hudson to UVM. 

The UVM Lawrence Debate Union is a global debating group that has been training UVM students since 1899. It is recognized, nationally and globally, as one of the premiere debate teams.“I had a close family friend who attended UVM several years before me and had been involved in the LDU – at the time I was a very avid high school debater. He talked very passionately about all of the opportunities the LDU had offered him to debate and travel and it felt like it would be the best place for me too.”

It proved a vital training ground for her then-burgeoning passion for advocacy. Through the LDU, Stokes Hudson cultivated fundamental skills in argumentation and public speaking – skills she still leans on daily. 

“Most of my inner strength,” she shares, “comes from planning the Huber Debates yearly, and the incredibly long and tenuous drive to Ithaca, NY for the Cornell tournament.”

The Huber Debates is a tournament which UVM hosts, and which honors its namesake, Robert ("Doc") Huber, a longstanding UVM debate coach who led the team to win several national titles.

Stokes Hudson describes her time with the LDU as “truly one of the most important and pivotal opportunities of my life. I traveled a lot, and admittedly didn’t spend too many weekends on campus, but it gave me an opportunity to connect with people from all over the country and all over the world.”

Through the LDU, she also participated with the SPEAK Vermont Initiative, a program that teaches incarcerated people professional public speaking and presentation skills.

These experiences led her to pursue an internship at several prominent national organizations, including the NAACP as a Hays Fellow at the Office of the General Counsel and an internship at the Advancement Project's National Office in Washington D.C. 

She graduated from New York University (NYU)'s School of Law with her J.D. in 2022. During her time there, she served on several student coalitions, including as Co-Director of the Suspension Representation Project, which trains law students at five New York law schools to represent students in suspension hearings.

THE LONG GREEN LINE

“Debate is really good training to be a lawyer,” Hudson reflects.

The LDU equipped her to navigate complex conversations with diverse perspectives. “I think all of the traveling made me confident in just meeting with and connecting with people I didn’t know or have much in common with,” she shares.

“Very often I work with people and have clients who have wholly different experiences and beliefs from me and debating prepared me really well to bridge those gaps and see things from multiple perspectives.”

Although Stokes Hudson had several beloved classes and professors, those who stand out the most include the late Professor Alfred C. "Tuna" Snider, revered director of the LDU for the majority of Stokes Hudson’s time. Professor Sue Dinitz’s work at the Writing Center also made an impact during Stokes Hudson’s time as a student.

Additionally, HDFS Professors Lawrence Shelton and Jackie Weinstock provided not only important personal support but gave her “an incredible foundation in human development,” which she uses to this day.

FIGHTING FOR AN EQUITABLE FUTURE

Stokes Hudson revels in the multidisciplinary nature of her work at the NYCLU, where she collaborates with attorneys, organizers, communicators, and advocates in response to civil rights issues facing New Yorkers of color.

“This is pretty rare in the legal world, and it means that I end up doing a different thing each day – one day I’m supporting a parent advocacy day in Albany, the next I’m supporting traditional litigation, and the next I’m working with organizers to develop an advocacy plan in response to racist incidents in their schools.”

Alongside her professional pursuits, Stokes Hudson remains committed to community engagement. Her experience as a tutor at the Writing Center inspired her to dedicate her time nurturing literacy skills in young learners.

“I’ve always loved working with kids so when I moved to Connecticut, I decided to sign up for a reading tutoring program in order to get more involved with my community. I loved working one-on-one with students and helping them learn how to read.”

She couldn’t imagine not working with students. When she moved to Brooklyn, she sought out a similar way to engage with her new community.

Stokes Hudson quickly connected with Read718, a reading support program for middle school students in Brooklyn. There, she tutors 5th to 8th grade students twice a week.

A PATH FORWARD

As she reflects on her UVM experience and the path that lies ahead, Stokes Hudson expresses heartfelt support for Black and queer students, reminding her fellow Catamounts of the importance of community and resilience.

In her fight for racial equity and educational reform, Camara Stokes Hudson embodies the spirit of change that the UVM community holds at its core.

FEATURING YOU

Do you have an interesting alum story? We'd love to share it with the world.

Get in touch by emailing Lisa at Lisa.Wartenberg-Velez@uvm.edu.

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