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Hairyangels

Joined 29 October 2008

Early Life and Education

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Born Robert Fredrick Stern, "Robby" has spent his life fighting for many causes. Stern, the son of holocaust survivors was born on March 11, 1944 in Charlotte, North Carolina.[1] He graduated 97th of 430 from Myers Park High School in Charlotte on May 31, 1961.[2] During September of 1961, Stern began attending Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. On June 6, 1965 Stern graduated with a BA Degree from the College of Liberal Arts where he majored in Political Science and studied Sociology.[3] Stern went on to the Graduate School at Syracuse University beginning in the summer of 1965 and attended two terms from 1965 to 1966. During this duration, he was working towards a Master's Degree in Sociology.[4] At the beginning of the 1966/1967 school year, Stern enrolled in the University of Washington's Law School in Seattle, Washington.[5] While working towards his Law Degree, Stern took a job as a part time teacher's assistant at Seattle Community College in 1968.[6]

Early Activism

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While attending law school at the University of Washington, Stern became a boisterous and visible leader, acting on behalf of many student lead organizations. In the spring of 1967 the FBI noted that Stern was a leading activist in "new left" organizations and programs, and took particular interest in his involvement in Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).[7] On December 12, 1968, the FBI documented their concerns on whether or not he should be included in "Category I of the Security Index" due to the threat they perceived he posed to national security.[8] The FBI documented that during February of 1968 Stern distributed SDS leaflets at a high school in Seattle, Washington and a short time later appeared at Yakima Valley College with the intentions of starting a chapter of SDS there. [9] Sterns involvement with SDS spread across the state, as he was active in scheduling an anit-Vietnam War speaker to speak at Western Washington State College in Bellingham, Washington in October of 1968. [10] The FBI determined that Stern held a leadership position in the University District Movement in a letter addressed from the United States Department of Justice on January 30, 1969. In the same document, it was noted that he was a member of the "Steering Committee" of the University of Washington's chapter of SDS and was active in Free University of Seattle (FUS). Free in this context is referring to "academic freedom" where students and teachers should come together and collaborate on course content and curriculum. FUS was against the departmentalization and rigid standardization of higher education.[11] On February 25, 1969 Stern participated in disruptive protest at Loew Hall on the University of Washington campus which resulted in a suspension from school for two quarters.[12] It is also believed that as a primary leader of the Seattle chapter of SDS, Stern attended the national SDS convention in Chicago, Illinois in 1969.[13] As Sterns involvement in SDS and other prominent movements became more intense, the FBI's interest became more in-depth. In a letter sent on March 5, 1969, the FBI began to heighten their investigation into Sterns every move as they aimed to become aware of his "day to day" activities, monitor his bank accounts, and watch whether or not he was traveling abroad. [14] In October of 1969 Stern reportedly left Seattle to move to San Francisco, California due to is new involvement with Weatherman. As addressed in a letter to the director of the FBI, Stern was no longer the key activist in the Seattle chapter of SDS and was now a member within Weatherman. [15] As a Weatherman member, Stern participated in demonstration at UC Berkley in 1970.[16] His involvement with Weatherman was comparatively short lived and on May 2, 1970 Stern surrendered himself in response to a charge of possession of a dangerous weapon. However, the original charges were said to be for "criminal conspiracy."[17]

Later Years to Present

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Robert Stern has been an attorney since 1974 and also had a career as a pipefitter/welder working for Washington Natural Gas for ten years.[18] Following his time in this industry, Stern was a community coalition organizer on behalf of the King County Labor Council. He was a member of the Local 32 which he became involved in as a marine pipefitter in 1977 at Todd Shipyards. As a result of his teaching career at Seattle Community College in the 1960's and 1970's, Stern became a member of the Washington Federation of Teachers and AFSCME Local 1488.[19] At the WFSE/AFSCME Biennial Convention on October 7, 2000, Robert Stern was the recipient of an award for "Public Affairs Honoree". This honor was awarded "In appreciation for his years of consistent, sincere, public and vocal support of WFSE/AFSCME members, especially assisting the alliance between WFSE/AFSCME and the locked-out United Steel Workers of America members at Kaiser Aluminum".[20] In 1993 Stern left his law practice to join the Washington State Labor Council where he became a critical member with regards to issues on health care and workers' compensation.[21] Stern held the position as Special Assistant to the President of the Washington State Labor Council from April 1, 1994 until his retirement in May of 2008.[22] During the last three decades, Stern has been working as a champion for a fair minimum and livable wage, and has been influential in the Health Care Task Force and Employment Standards. He has also worked with Peace Without Borders, Fair Share, and has been a major advocated for health care reform. Stern has received many awards for the work that he has done, including the "You Make a Difference" award in acknowledgement of his "personal commitment, dedication and performance" signed by the Washington State governor, Christine Gregoire.[23] On February 2, 2007 Stern was awarded a certificate from the Washington State Health Care Authority in appreciation for his "outstanding performance and lasting contribution to the Basic Health Advisory Committee."[24] He can still be seen participating in rallies, speaking out and supporting the various causes he believes in. Stern resides in Seattle, Washington with his wife Dina Burstein, a nurse at Harborview Hospital. The couple has two children together, Jacob and Rivka.[25]

Notes

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  1. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  2. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  3. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  4. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  5. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  6. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  7. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  8. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  9. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  10. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  11. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  12. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  13. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  14. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  15. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  16. ^ FBI Files, Stern 4/6
  17. ^ FBI Files, WUO
  18. ^ Stern Papers 3/28
  19. ^ www.wslc.org/bios/stern.htm
  20. ^ Stern Papers 1/6
  21. ^ www.wslc.org/bios/stern.htm
  22. ^ Stern Papers 3/28
  23. ^ Stern Papers 1/6
  24. ^ Stern Papers 1/6
  25. ^ www.wslc.org/bios/stern.htm

References

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  • Awards and Certificates, box 1 folder 6, Robert F. Stern Papers, 5528-001, University of Washington Libraries.
  • Retirement Party, box 3 folder 28, Robert F. Stern Papers, 5528-001, University of Washington Libraries.
  • United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, box 4 folder 6, Robert F. Stern Papers, 5528-001, University of Washington Libraries.
  • 94th Congress, 1st Session, The Weather Underground Report of the Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws of the Committee of the Judiciary United States Senate, ninety-fourth Congress, First Session, January 1975. U.S. Government Printing Office. Washington: 1975 (FBI Files, WUO)
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