Candidate for
Judge; Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas; District 1

I grew up in a very strong union family, at a time in the history of this Country when the consciousness of many disenfranchised people coalesced. We marched, demonstrated and raised our voices for many of the fundamental rights that are so precious to all of us.

When I decided to become a lawyer it was after the intense period of the 60's and 70's when the judicial system was critical to laying the foundation of the society in which we live today. I became an attorney because I felt that I could make an impact for the individual's rights and insist upon justice being done in the Courtroom. I have tried hundreds of cases to verdict, bench trials and jury trials, in both the Philadelphia County State Court System, and in the Third Circuit Federal Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. I have been an adjunct professor, teaching trial skills to law students, at Temple University Beasley School of Law for ten years.

I have developed and earned a reputation for being a staunch, dedicated, and aggressive advocate for the principles of justice and equality and for going beyond the job title in my defense of the constitutional principles applicable to all of us. My dedication to the rule of law has guided me through my professional career. Such dedication was recognized in my receipt of the Cecil B. Moore Community Service Award, and the Huey R. Burkett Service Award. I have a distinguished record of service to the community advocating for the rights of all people for dignity, justice and equality which dates back to the Civil Rights Movement in this Country. I have as equal a record of service to the community of Philadelphia.

For more than twenty-five years I have taught law to high school students, tutored, coached, and judged high school mock trial competitions for Temple University, Beasley School of Law, in the Law, Education and Participation Program (L.E.A.P). My sense of commitment and dedication to my community and fellow person, grows out of the example set in my home. I grew up in a strong union family and religious family.

I remember the days when my mother fought for the rights of union members at the Honeywell Plant where she worked and was a union steward. I watched as she toiled over many an issue during the 25 years that she was the President of the Minnesota District Women of the National Baptist Convention and an active member of her church. I watched as she extended herself to ensure that not one child went hungry, or one child did not have the guidance or support to "make it" out of poverty.

It is this commitment to the community that I witnessed and experienced that has instilled in me the same dedication and commitment to my community. Now more than 30 years after the Civil Rights Movement, we are also facing a critical period in which the justice system will be called upon to lay a just and equitable foundation on which the following generations will live. I want to contribute to that just and equitable foundation.

I have for more than twenty one years went beyond the job title for my individual clients. I have been involved in every progressive movement since the '60s and I have the life experiences, the depth of professional experiences and the objectivity needed to protect the rights of all those who seek justice.

I am motivated and committed to the challenge of ensuring justice for all. This is the reason I am running for a position on the Court of Common Pleas as a Judge. A good judge applies the law impartially, without regard to his or her own biases and prejudices. A good judge is a good listener, and is courteous and respectful of all who come before the court. While an attorney can only hope to make a difference for a single individual, only a judge--with experience, ethical leadership and a commitment to doing the right thing, being firm and tough when necessary, yet always compassionate--can make a difference for the whole community. That's the kind of judge I promise to be.