March is Women’s History Month!
On August 18, 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified which granted women the right to vote. It is hard for me to fathom that just over 100 years ago, women could not legally vote in this country. Now, not only do we vote, but I am proud to serve as the first female District Attorney for the Griffin Judicial Circuit. Women across America are running Fortune 500 companies, holding positions of power, educating children, performing surgeries, and so much more. In 100 years, we have come such a long way, but we still have so much work to do.
March is Women’s History Month. Throughout my career, women and men have mentored me and championed me. I am blessed to be supported by so many wonderful people that believe in me and the work that we do in the District Attorney’s Office. I am a huge advocate for women in all aspects of life. For most of my career, I have been a prosecutor for crimes against women and children. I have the faces of women who were violently murdered and the faces of the precious children who were abused or molested forever etched in my memory. These crimes are extremely difficult, but it has been an honor to give these women and children a voice and to fight for them.
People will often ask about how being a woman in this position affects my job. Ultimately, it does not. The job of District Attorney is a difficult one, period, no matter your gender. You are expected to make tough choices that affect victims, defendants, and the public. These are decisions that deeply affect the men and women in my offices. These are decisions that affected those in this job before me. I am proud of my team and the passion with which they do their job.
I do believe that I have a duty to mentor young women, and I spend a good bit of time doing it. I try to set an example for these girls by just waking up in the morning, and trying to do the right thing. I also explain to them, that we all have the capability to change the world, one person at a time. If we all focused on doing the right thing, and trying to improve the life of one person at a time, what a powerful force we could be!
As the mother of a young daughter, I am pleased to see more and more opportunities open up for women and girls, and I am proud to play my small part in helping to open some of those doors. I want to end by thanking the women and men who are supporting women who made and are making history. Thank you to so many of you out there that believed in me and supported me over the years. Thank you to my staff for all that you do. Thank you to my husband, who is my biggest champion. Thank you to the women in my life that inspire me every day, and thank you all for giving me the opportunity to serve. Be kind to one another, and I will have an update on trials across the Circuit in my next column.
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