Pioneering Black Women Attorneys and Judges in the Capital Region 

In recognition of Black History Month, the Gender Fairness Committees of the Third and Fourth Judicial Districts hosted a program featuring groundbreaking women of color in the Capital Region legal community. The program explored the past and present, delved into the challenges for professional Black women in a community that has not always been welcoming, discuss how those on the bench positioned themselves to become judges-and what those who seek to follow the path of the trailblazers should know about their professional heritage.
Speakers
The Honorable Christina L. Ryba ’01, New York State Supreme Court Justice
The Honorable Sherri Brooks-Morton ’03, Albany County Family Court Judge
The Honorable Ricja D. Rice-Ghyll ’05, Albany City Judge
The Honorable Helena M. Heath, Former Albany City Judge
Tracey J. Chance, Esq. ’03,Schenectady County Assistant Public Defender
Kimberley F. Wallace, Esq., Partner, Wallace Turner Law, LLP
Raysheea T. Turner, Esq., Partner, Wallace Turner Law, LLP
The Honorable Edwina Richardson (Moderator), Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives