Bio
Jesselyn McCurdy is a Director at the National Political Advocacy Department (NPAD) of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). She leads the NPAD Equality Division that engages in federal and state advocacy as well as campaigns on immigration rights, racial justice and AMEMSA (Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian) issues. Before joining the Equality team, Jesselyn led the ACLU’s federal criminal justice advocacy work including federal sentencing, prison reform, drug policy, and capital punishment. She was a member of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office (WLO) staff before joining the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee’s Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee as Counsel. While working for the Judiciary Committee, she was the lead House Counsel for the historic Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, the legislation that lowered the 100 to 1 disparity between crack and powder cocaine.
Prior to joining the ACLU staff, Jesselyn was the Co-Director of the Children's Defense Fund’s (CDF) Education and Youth Development Division.  Also, she authored the chapter entitled Targets for Arrest in the book From Education to Incarceration: Dismantling the School to Prison Pipeline. Jesselyn received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Political Science from Rutgers University and her Juris Doctor from Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.
Featured work
Jan 19, 2018
The Trump Administration Continues the Racist and Disastrous War on Pot
Nov 20, 2017
The Justice Department Continues to Roll Back Civil Rights Protections
Jan 13, 2017
As a Criminal Justice Reform Advocate, Obama’s Farewell Speech Felt Like a Full Circle Moment
Mar 16, 2015
Can You Think of a Better Way to Spend $7.2 Billion Than Unnecessarily Locking Up Nonviolent Offenders and Undocumented Immigrants?
Mar 25, 2014
Bureau of Prisons Has Great New Look for Spring
Sep 18, 2013
The 1980s Called. They Want Their Mandatory Minimums Back.
Aug 2, 2013
Washington Gives Us Something to Get Excited About (No, Really!)
Jun 5, 2013
New Report Shines a Light on Solitary Confinement
Feb 25, 2013
Sequestration Puts Spotlight on America’s Dangerously Overcrowded Federal Prisons