Reposted on behalf of the Minority Bar Association of WNY.
A statement from the New York State Judges of Color.
Our message to the community:
As judges of color who preside over criminal and civil matters within the community, we feel compelled, in light of events that have been and are unfolding before us all across the country, to take a moment to convey our thoughts, as to our responsibility and commitment as jurists.
W.E.B. Du Bois, the first African American to receive a Ph.D from Harvard University, wrote over a century ago in 1903, in his book titled “The Souls of Black Folk”, that:
“Daily the [person of color] is coming more and more to look upon law and justice, not as protecting safeguards, but as sources of humiliation and oppression.”
Sadly, for too many, such sentiments are as raw today as they were in 1903, as evidenced by worldwide protests in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd.
Each day we seek to dispel any narrative or belief that looks upon courts as instruments of injustice, by treating each person fairly and impartially while upholding our oaths to the constitutions of the State of New York and the United States. However, there is much work to be done, and we like all judges must be mindful of the impact of systemic racism or bias in fulfilling the court’s responsibility to ensure equal justice to all under the law.
We reaffirm our commitment to make a positive difference within our respective courts each day and to ensure that those appearing before us are treated equally, with the respect and dignity that both the law and humanity require.
Sincerely,
Court of Appeals
Hon. Jenny Rivera, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals
Hon. Rowan D. Wilson, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals
Appellate Division and Appellate Terms of the NYS Supreme Court
Hon. Betsy Barros, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, Second Department
Hon. Sylvia Hinds-Radix, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, Second Department
Hon. Lizbeth González, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, First Department
Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan, Associate Justice, Appellate Term, First Department, NYS Supreme Court
Hon. Sallie Manzanet-Daniels, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, First Department
Hon. L. Priscilla Hall (Ret.), Associate Justice, Appellate Division, Second Department
Hon. Dianne T. Renwick, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, First Department
Hon. Wavny Toussaint, NYS Supreme Court Kings County and Associate Justice of the Appellate Term, Second Department
NYS Supreme Court
Hon. John Carter, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Bronx County
Hon. Margaret Chan, ASCJ, NYS Supreme Court Justice, New York County
Hon. Lizette Colon, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice
Hon. Gordon Cuffy, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice
Hon. Kathie Davidson, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Westchester County, Administrative Judge, 9th Judicial District
Hon. Tandra L. Dawson, Acting Supreme Court Justice, New York County, Integrated Domestic Violence Court
Hon. Althea E.M. Drysdale, Acting Supreme Court Justice, New York County
Hon. Erika Edwards, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, New York County
Hon. Genine D. Edwards, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Civil Term, Kings County
Hon. William G. Ford, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Suffolk County
Hon. Sharon Gianelli, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Nassau County
Hon. Wyatt N. Gibbons, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Civil Term, Queens County
Hon. Wilma Guzman, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Bronx County
Hon. Kenneth C. Holder, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Queens County
Hon. Phillip Hom, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Queens County
Hon. Sharen Hudson, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Kings County
Hon. Debra A. James, NYS Supreme Court Justice, New York County
Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Civil Term, New York County
Hon. Janet C. Malone, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Westchester County
Hon. Larry D. Martin, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Commercial Division, Kings County
Hon. La Tia W. Martin, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Civil Term, Bronx County
Hon. Manuel J. Mendez, NYS Supreme Court Justice, New York County
Hon. Marsha D. Michael, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Bronx County
Hon. Donald A. Miles, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Bronx County
Hon. Guy H. Mitchell, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Bronx County
Hon. E. Jeannette Ogden, NYS Supreme Court Justice, 8th Judicial District
Hon. Bahaati E. Pitt, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Bronx County
Hon. Joanne D. Quinones, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Kings County
Hon. Leticia Maria Ramirez, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, New York County
Hon. Richard Rivera, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Albany County Family Court Judge
Hon. Llinét M. Rosado, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Civil Term, Bronx County
Hon. Verna Saunders, NYS Supreme Court Justice
Hon. Toko Serita, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Queens County
Hon. Ruth Shillingford, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Kings County
Hon. J. Machelle Sweeting, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Harlem Community Justice Center, Presiding Justice
Hon. Delores J. Thomas, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Kings County
Hon. Kenneth L. Thompson, Jr., NYS Supreme Court Justice, Bronx County
Hon. Alison Y. Tuitt, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Civil Term, Bronx County
Hon. George R. Villegas, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Bronx County
Hon. Laura Visitacion-Lewis (Ret.), NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal and Civil Terms, New York County Hon. Craig Walker, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Kings County
Hon. Sam D. Walker, NYS Supreme Court Justice, 9th Judicial District
Hon. Alvin Yearwood, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Bronx County
Court of Claims
Hon. Edwina G. Richardson-Mendelson, NYS Court of Claims Judge, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives
Hon. Juan M. Merchan, NYS Court of Claims Judge Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, New York County
Hon. Walter Rivera, NYS Court of Claims Judge
Hon. Michele S. Rodney, NYS Court of Claims Judge, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, New York County
Hon. Lillian Wan, NYS Court of Claims Judge, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice, Kings County
County Court
Hon. Helen M. Blackwood, Westchester County Court Judge
Hon. William A. Carter, Albany County Court Judge
Hon. Maija C. Dixon, Acting Monroe County Court Judge, Rochester City Court Judge
Hon. Derrick J. Robinson, Acting County Court Judge, Suffolk County District Court
Family and Surrogates Court
Hon. Sherri Brooks-Morton, Albany County Family Court Judge
Hon. Kevin M. Carter, Supervising Judge of Family Courts, 8th Judicial District
Hon. Karen M.C. Cortes, Bronx County Family Court Judge
Hon. Dean Kusakabe, Queens County Family Court Judge
Hon. Connie Gonzalez, Queens County Family Court Judge
Hon. Arlene Gordon-Oliver, Westchester County Family Court Judge
Hon. Patsy Gouldborne, AJSC, Matrimonial Court Judge, Bronx County
Hon. Mildred Negron, Queens County Family Court Judge
Hon. Gayle P. Roberts, Bronx County Family Court Judge
Hon. Jonathan H. Shim, New York County Family Court Judge
Hon. Aija Tingling, Acting Bronx County Family Court Judge
Hon. Margarita Lopez Torres, Kings County Surrogates Court Judge
Hon. Javier Vargas, Kings County Family Court Judge
NYC Civil and Criminal Courts
Hon. Deepa Ambekar, NYC Criminal Court Judge, Kings County
Hon. Karina E. Alomar, NYC Civil Court Judge, Queens County
Hon. Shahabuddeen A. Ally, NYC Criminal Court Judge, Bronx County
Hon. Sharon A. Bourne-Clarke, NYC Civil Court Judge, Richmond County
Hon. Phyllis Chu, NYC Criminal Court Judge, New York County
Hon. Patria Frias-Colón, NYC Civil Court Judge, Kings County
Hon. Abena Darkeh, NYC Criminal Court Judge, Kings County
Hon. Christel F. Garland, NYC Housing Court Judge, Bronx County
Hon. Cheryl Gonzales, NYC Housing Court Judge, Kings County
Hon. Karen Gopee, NYC Criminal Court Judge, Queens County
Hon. Jeffrey Gershuny, NYC Criminal Court Judge, Queens County
Hon. Lisa S. Headley, NYC Civil Court Judge, New York County
Hon. John A. Howard-Algarin, NYC Criminal Court Judge, New York County
Hon. Shorab Ibrahim, NYC Housing Court Judge, Bronx County
Hon. Michelle A. Johnson, Supervising Judge, NYC Criminal Court, Queens County
Hon. John Lansden, NYC Housing Court Judge, Queens County
Hon. Consuelo Mallafré Meléndez, NYC Civil Court Judge, Kings County
Hon. Claudia Daniels-DePeyster, NYC Criminal Court Judge, Kings County
Hon. Connie Morales, NYC Civil Court Judge, assigned Criminal Court, Bronx County
Hon. Dweynie E. Paul, NYC Civil Court Judge, Kings County
Hon. Bianka Perez, NYC Civil Court Judge, Bronx County
Hon. Enedina Pilar Sanchez, NYC Housing Court Judge, Queens County
Hon. Dakota D. Ramseur, NYC Civil Court Judge, New York County
Hon. Archana Rao, NYC Criminal Court Judge, Kings County
Hon. Sandra E. Roper, NYC Civil Court Judge, Kings County
Hon. Marissa Soto, NYC Civil Court Judge, Bronx County
Hon. Bryant Tovar, NYC Housing Court Judge, Bronx County
Hon. Kim Adair Wilson, NYC Civil Court Judge, Bronx County
City and District Courts Outside NYC
Hon. Adrian Armstrong, Mount Vernon City Court Judge
Hon. Vanessa Bogan, Syracuse City Court Judge, Youth Part Judge
Hon. Betty Calvo-Torres, Buffalo City Court Judge
Hon. Lissette G. Fernandez, Peekskill City Court Judge
Hon. Tricia Ferrell, District Court, Nassau County
Hon. Lenora B. Foote-Beavers, Buffalo City Court Judge, Domestic Violence Part
Hon. Teneka E. Frost, Schenectady City Court Judge
Hon. Darlene Harris, District Court, Nassau County
Hon. Helena Heath, Albany City Court Judge
Hon. Nichelle A. Johnson, Mount Vernon City Court Judge
Hon. Reginald J. Johnson, Peekskill City Court Judge
Hon. Michael C. Lopez, Rochester City Court Judge
Hon. Jared R. Rice, New Rochelle City Court Judge
Hon. Robert Russell, Buffalo City Court Judge
Hon. Derrek Thomas, Syracuse City Court Judge
Hon. Elena Goldberg Velazquez, Yonkers City Court Judge
Town and Village Courts
Hon. Joaquin F. Alemany, Scarsdale Village Court Justice
Hon. Delores Scott Brathwaite, Greenburgh Town Court Justice
Hon. Maritza Fugaro-Norton, Cortlandt Town Court Justice
