ACLU California Action Welcomes New Government Affairs Director Carmen-Nicole Cox
SACRAMENTO – American Civil Liberties Union California Action (ACLU Cal Action) is proud to announce a new member of its executive team, Carmen-Nicole Cox, as Director of Government Affairs, where she will lead a team of experienced advocates in advancing ACLU’s statewide policy agenda. Cox, an experienced attorney, advocate, and adjunct law professor brings a formidable combination of professional achievement and lived expertise to ACLU Cal Action’s growing operation.
In her immediate past role as Chief Counsel of Public Policy and Advocacy for the United Way California Capital Region, Cox fought to alleviate poverty, strengthen family resiliency and improve education outcomes for children. For the last several years, she has also been an adjunct professor at McGeorge School of Law where she teaches Race, Mass Incarceration and Criminal Justice Reform. A self-described liberation attorney, Cox has spent nearly a decade focusing on criminal justice reform, including positions as Deputy Director at For The People, Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary for Governor Jerry Brown, Chief of Legislation at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and Deputy District Attorney in San Joaquin County.
“As a child, I watched multiple family members – including my father – forced into the carceral system when what they needed was substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, and dignified employment. I’m proud to join ACLU Cal Action as we challenge and defeat the policies, practices and rules that powerful actors put in place to oppress people of color and other marginalized individuals.”
“Carmen has the mindset of a problem solver, the heart of a daughter whose family was harmed by the carceral system, and the stamina of a fighter,” said Carlos Marquez III, Executive Director of ACLU Cal Action. “She’s tackled the vexing and persistent vestiges of white supremacy through every angle, from advocating to ameliorate the root causes of mass incarceration to working within the legal system to neutralize and limit its worst excesses. We’re thrilled to welcome Carmen to the Cal Action team and ACLU community.”
“My fight to defend civil liberties is a personal one,” begins Cox. “As a child, I watched multiple family members – including my father – forced into the carceral system when what they needed was substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, and dignified employment. I’m proud to join ACLU Cal Action as we challenge and defeat the policies, practices and rules that powerful actors put in place to oppress people of color and other marginalized individuals.”
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Cox holds a BA in political science from Fisk University, a historically black college, and a JD from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She lives in Sacramento with her wife, Sharae and their two dogs, Bob and Marley.
ACLU California Action advocates for the defense and advancement of civil liberties and civil rights in the State Capitol on behalf of ACLU’s three California Affiliates: ACLU of Northern California, ACLU of Southern California, and ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties. We work to secure greater equality, equity, justice, and freedom for all Californians, working in coalition with communities that have been impacted by the denial of justice. Our policy priorities are aimed at dismantling systems rooted in oppression and discrimination through an integrated advocacy approach that employs rigorous policy analysis, lobbying, communications, coalition-building, and grassroots organizing. ACLU California Action is a 501(c)(4) organization federated with ACLU’s three California affiliates for the purpose of statewide advocacy.