Equality

Our founding documents in this great nation promises EQUALITY for ALL. Unfortunately there are barriers that prevent equal opportunity, and that is where equity comes in. During her years as a high school teacher in Title I schools, Julie realized that in order to equalize learning opportunities for all students, equity work was necessary. Students needed culturally appropriate education in order to access content knowledge necessary to succeed academically. 

 

Equity has become a politically divisive term, but let's explain what this word means to Julie and how it aligns with her campaign values. Equity to her as a judicial candidate is about giving people what they need in order to access justice. However, in recent years equity has been wielded as a weapon to favor certain groups at the expense of others.  We have seen this in the school system where accelerated learning opportunities are being attacked in the name of equity.  Although Julie initially used Equity as a campaign value in her judicial race last year, she has changed it to Equality this time around. We must acknowledge that there are systemic inequities that prevent equal justice for all. Every one deserves an equal opportunity, but this does not mean equalizing outcomes. Making accommodations within systemic barriers ensure equality for all.​

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When considering making Civil Court more equitable, Julie has noticed over years how long it takes for a translator to show up in Civil Court proceedings. All litigants, regardless of English language ability, are entitled to understand what is going on in their case. Immediate access to a translator who not only speaks their language, but the litigant's particular dialect, is crucial to ensure equality in the court. It is not fair to make litigants whose first language is not English sit for hours and hours waiting for translation services. A process to request a translator in advanced is essential so the translator is ready to go when the case is called. A bank of translators should be created in addition to the full time court translators so that all 800 languages in the borough of Queens are represented. Not only could this translator bank serve the court system, but all city-wide agencies.

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Judges should consider what more they can do to make the courtroom more equitable for all who enter. We can employ Universal Design for Living (UDL) principles to accommodate a wider range of ability needs, including filtering lights for those with sensory integration issues. We could update the court's website to provide simple instructions, fillable forms, and other tools to assist pro se litigants and even make attorneys' jobs easier.

 

Judges should interact with the public more so that people understand what the court offers and how to go about accessing the services. Judges can partner with educators to help our children understand the judicial system.​

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Click on the mail icon below to let us know what EQUALITY means to you and how we can make the Civil Court more equitable for all!

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