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I AM A JUDGE IN THE 24TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON, DIVISION C.
I HAVE SERVED ON THE BENCH FOR 17 YEARS.
I AM THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE ELECTED IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
BEING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE HAS BEEN AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY.
I GRADUATED FROM XAVIER UNIVERSITY AND PHARMACY IN 1985.
I WAS MARRIED WITH TWO BOYS, TWO AND FOUR YEARS OLD.
WENT TO LOYOLA UNIVERSITY FULL-TIME AND WORKED AS A PHARMACIST EVERY WEEKEND TO PUT MYSELF THROUGH LAW SCHOOL.
I AM A WIDOW NOW, AND WHEN I RAN FOR THE BENCH, I WAS A WIDOW AND MY BOYS WERE 15 AND 13 AT THAT TIME.
I JUST TELL PEOPLE THAT IF YOU WORK HARD AND YOU DO WELL IN LIFE AND FOLLOW THE RULES, UM, YOU CAN DO SO MUCH AND ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH.
I LOST MY FATHER WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD.
SAME THING HAPPENED WITH MY BOYS, BUT HARD WORK PAYS OFF, AND THAT'S THE MESSAGE I LIKE TO SEND TO YOUNG FOLKS.
THAT IF YOU WORK HARD, PUT THE WORK IN THAT YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE.
NOBODY'S GOING TO GIVE YOU ANYTHING YOU NEED TO WORK FOR IT, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO, IF THEY SEE YOU TRYING TO SUCCEED AND TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE, THEY WILL HELP YOU.
SO I SAY ALL OF THAT TO SAY, THIS WAS NOT DONE JUST BY ME, BUT I DID HAVE HELP.
I HAD PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED ME BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE SAW THAT I WANTED MORE AND THEY HELPED ME TO GET THERE.
I JUST FEEL LIKE I HAVE SO MUCH TO OFFER TO THE COMMUNITY, TO SO MANY PEOPLE WHO COME INTO THIS COURTROOM WEARING THE ROBE AND BEING A JUDGE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL LISTEN TO YOU.
YOU CAN BE WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BE, BUT YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE WORK.
IT DOES NOT COME EASY, AND YOU HAVE TO BE DISCIPLINED.