As a youth I watched my parents fight for civil rights. I therefore knew at an incredibly early age that I would become an attorney and one day a judge. My desire to fight for the rights of others grew after I witnessed the murder of someone very dear to me. It intensified when I was subsequently arrested, in a separate matter, and personally confronted with the flaws within the criminal justice system.
Overcoming the challenges that I faced as an adolescent mother who had been traumatized by violence and having faced losing my liberty and freedom, I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1999 from Rust College, in Holly Springs, Mississippi and obtained my Juris Doctor in 2004, from the University of Mississippi School of Law in Oxford, Mississippi. After law school I continued my education by obtaining a Certificate of Professional Achievement in Non-Profit Management at the Kellogg School of Management in 2007 in Evanston, Illinois. I am authorized to practice law by both the Supreme Court of Illinois and the United States Supreme Court. I have multiple certifications in restorative justice practices, including victim and offender mediation.
While in college I helped those who faced housing discrimination and those who filed for bankruptcy. Before attending law school, I worked as a Public Administration Intern for the Office of the Governor in Illinois. I also worked as a parole agent and helped both youth and adults reenter into society. I received a commendation from the Department of Corrections for my work in helping to capture a fugitive. After law school, I worked as a director at a community-based organization in Englewood where I created jobs and life skills programs for at-risk youth. I am currently employed as an Assistant State’s Attorney at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago, Illinois, where I have represented and served the People of the State of Illinois for over 18 years. As an Assistant State’s Attorney, I have prosecuted crimes as minor as traffic tickets and as serious as murder. I have worked in domestic violence courtrooms and a courtroom that oversaw expungements. I have served as an advisor and supervisor to other attorneys. I currently work in the Criminal Appeals division where I analyze the outcomes of the trial courts, making sure that the proper procedures and laws were followed before an adverse judgment was rendered. I previously served as President for the local chapter of the National Black Prosecutors Association.
I have volunteered at entities such as the Mississippi Literacy Council, Chicago Legal Advocacy for Incarcerated Mothers, Woodlawn Community Food Pantry, Primo Center for Women and Children, and Operation Care.
Justice belongs to all and not a chosen few. Additionally, it should be swift, accessible, delivered with compassion and rooted in respect. We need judges who not only know the law but understand the social issues within vulnerable and underserved communities, have an intricate understanding of the court and the penal systems, and will administer justice in a fair and equitable manner. My candidacy addresses those needs. In other words, I am C.U.T. out for this position. I am Compassionate. I will deliver my rulings in an Unbiased manner. I am Trained.
I am a resident of the 17th subcircuit. I have been a south suburban resident for over 16 years and lived in Roseland before that. The 17th Subcircuit encompasses the 7th and 10th wards in Chicago, which are located on the southeast side, and over twenty of the south suburbs. The suburban areas included in the subcircuit are Burnham, Calumet City, Chicago Heights, Dolton, East Hazel Crest, Ford Heights, Glenwood, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Lansing, Lynwood, Markham, Sauk Village, South Chicago Heights, South Holland, Steger, and Thornton.
IF FAIRNESS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE, VOTE FOR ME, PUNCH #143.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment