The Hon. Edwina Mendelson is tasked with ensuring meaningful access to justice for all New Yorkers, and was recently selected to implement key reforms toward eradicating bias in the courts. In this Amici podcast, Judge Mendelson reveals her vision and plan.

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2021-09/Judge%20Mendelson_0.pdf

The daughter of two deaf parents -- one from Mexico, the other from Puerto Rico -- Maria Izaguirre is a Sign Language Interpreter in the NYS Court System. In this Diversity Dialogue segment for both National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, Maria tells her fascinating story.

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2021-09/Maria%20Izaguirre.pdf

In this Diversity Dialogue segment, we're joined by Lt. Vincent Sinclair, a court officer recently commended by Chief Judge DiFiore for his role in designing a new Community Affairs program.

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2021-08/Vincent%20Sinclair.pdf

Addiction is not something that can be put on "pause" because there's a pandemic going on. This Amici podcast features Craig Stratton and Debbie Miller, two key members of Drug Court teams who creatively found ways to keep these problem-solving courts active and vibrant in the face of unparalleled challenges.

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2021-08/StrattonMiller.pdf

At the 2021 Judicial Summer Seminar, retired Judge Betty Weinberg Ellerin spoke to the judicial response to gender bias in the courtroom.

Judge Ellerin, a historic figure in her own right, began with a brief but enlightening history of the Committee on Women in the Courts, a history Judge Ellerin is very much a part of.

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2021-06/Judge%20Ellerin.pdf

In this episode of Amici, we are very pleased and proud to present to you Judge Ellerin's opening remarks.

Over the past few weeks, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission has posted a dozen oral history interviews with some of the pioneers who, 30 years ago, helped establish the nation's first judicial commission committed to racial and ethnic fairness in the courts.

Today we'll close out the series with an interview with Joyce Y. Hartsfield, the former Executive Director of the Commission, who can share a perspective gleaned from over 20 years with the Commission.

Thirty years ago, Justice Chin Brandt was one of the founders of the nation's first court-based commission dedicated to ethnic and racial fairness in the courts: the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission.

The Hon. Peggy Cooper Davis, an original member of the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, looks back on the panel and its work on the occasion of its 30th anniversary.

Attorney James Goodale, an original member of the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, discusses the early days of the now 30 year old commission dedicated to racial and ethnic fairness in the NY courts.

In this production by the NYS Court System's Office of Diversity and Inclusion, two judges believed to be the first married same-sex couple appointed to the same court in New York share their views and experiences for a Pride Month podcast

The judges are both African American. They were both raised by single mothers. They both worked for the Legal Aid Society's civil division, where they were involved in housing issues and where they met. They raised two sons together. And earlier this year, when Judge Howard was appointed to Housing Court, she joined her spouse who was appointed two years earlier.