First Lady Anna Stein and Department of Adult Correction Secretary Leslie Cooley Dismukes hosted Oklahoma First Lady Sarah Stitt and North Dakota First Lady Kjersti Armstrong as they attended a driver’s license restoration clinic at the Western Correctional Center for Women in Black Mountain on March 12. The event included a tour of rehabilitative programs offered at the prison.
The clinic aimed to help incarcerated women begin the process of restoring suspended driver’s licenses, which is considered important for employment and family responsibilities after release. Staff and volunteers from Pisgah Legal Services, along with students from the Duke Law School Pro Bono Program, provided legal assistance during the event.
“Having a driver’s license as a form of ID and to enable transportation is one of the most important tools for achieving stability after prison,” said Secretary Dismukes. “I commend Pisgah Legal Services and the Duke Law School Pro Bono Program for their commitment to improving lives and opening doors for those leaving incarceration and reentering our communities.”
First Lady Stein said, “I’m proud of the Department of Adult Correction for reaching out to Pisgah Legal Services and Duke Law School’s Pro Bono Program to help this group of women be better prepared to reenter society. Having First Lady Stitt and First Lady Armstrong here to see the great things we are doing in North Carolina, like this clinic, has been a bonus.”
The Duke Law School Pro Bono Program provides free legal services such as record review and petition drafting, often partnering with local nonprofits. Its efforts focus on helping people access better employment and housing opportunities through criminal record expunctions and driver’s license restoration. Pisgah Legal Services operates clinics in western North Carolina that assist low-income individuals with restoring suspended licenses due to unpaid fines or non-driving suspensions, frequently involving volunteer attorneys.
The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction regularly partners with law schools and legal organizations to hold similar clinics across state prisons. Over two days prior to this event, the visiting First Ladies participated in the National Governors Association’s Youth Mental Health Action Lab in Asheville.
The Office of the Governor of North Carolina serves the entire state according to its official website. The governor executes state laws as chief executive, leads the Council of State, directs policy through budget management and pardons, appoints executive officials, and serves as commander in chief of the North Carolina National Guard according to its official website. Josh Stein has served as the 76th governor according to its official website.