The following is a presentation of FCB Faith. This is Keeping America First with Bishop John T. Coates and Reverend Jeff Jemison on FCB Faith. We're in this busy election season. November 3rd is right around the corner. Early voting has started and we are in the midst of deciding who's the best candidate, and we certainly have one of the best candidates on the ballot this year who is running for reelection, to common pleas court judge in the great county of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, none other than Judge Pam Hawkins. Pam, how are you today? I'm good, Jeff. How are you? And just one brief correction. I'm actually running for election today. because I was appointed by the governor to finish out a term. Absolutely. Great, great, great, great. I'm glad you cleared that up from the start. You got the appointment from our great governor to finish out this term. Yes. And you're a very, very familiar name. You've been on the ballot before. I have. Strong, strong candidate and judge. And in this day and age, we have to be careful who we select to be our judges. And so many Judges have been disbarred and removed, disciplined. And it kind of makes, you know, we don't want to have those mistakes. Pam, tell us why we should. Vote for you. I mean, you're a great candidate. We know that. You're a great judge. You're doing an excellent job. You're getting around. Talk to us. So part of what happened is I am finishing out a term and kind of stepped in and have had some things I needed to clean up. That were left by. The person who was here before me, Part of what I think made me a good fit for this job is not just that I have been a trial attorney for the last 18 years. I have been a prosecutor for children and family services, so I understand children's issues. I've been a guardian ad litem. I've done custody between unmarried parents, which does not come to domestic relations. So I am very, very familiar with child custody issues, with mental health issues, with substance abuse issues. with making sure children's best interests are met. And my background as a social worker prior to law school also benefits myself as well as the people of Cuyahoga County because one of the things that I am looking to do is make sure that I have a trauma-informed courtroom, and I know a lot of people are not familiar with that. And a trauma-informed courtroom means we are not just looking at the legal issues. We are looking at what are the other issues that are bringing us here. Are there mental health issues? Are there substance abuse issues? Are there other issues that we need to address? And trying to make sure that we wrap services around people so that we have them engaged with the community so that this family who's already going through the trauma of a divorce or a dissolution, either one, has the supports. That they need to make that happen. So I've worked very hard to make sure that I try to meet people where they are because this is a hard time in somebody's life, whether they're the. One that initiated or not. It's not easy getting divorced, whether it's a short marriage or a long one. And how we treat people is very important. So I try to meet them where they are. I think that's so important, Pam, because so many people are hurting right now. So many people are dealing with so much and they need that compassion slash understanding, more understanding than compassion. And I think you bring that. And I think the more knowledge that the courtroom has, the better service is rendered to the citizens. And they appreciate your being there. And I certainly appreciate that because a lot of times in the religious community, we hear a lot, a lot of clergy and churches, you know, people take their problems there. And without a doubt, we end up going there sometimes on behalf of different people. So it'll be great to have you there. for several terms so that people can have this very. Well thought out process right before them. So please continue Pam, telling us a little bit more about this, Pam Hawkins. I'm also an independently licensed social worker with supervisor designation because I spent 12 years as a home visiting social worker. I have done home visits all over Cuyahoga County, I understand the neighborhoods that people live in, the challenges that they're facing. Even once I became an attorney doing guardian ad litem work, I was still out there working with those families, meeting them where they are. And domestic relations court doesn't just deal with divorces and dissolutions. We also deal with domestic violence and civil stalking protection orders. So we really are seeing people in areas where they're struggling. One of the things I have found is the court actually won an award this year for their virtual help center, which they had been working on, but they really did a lot of work during COVID. It's very user-friendly. You can go out, you can find any form you need. There's help that helping people get through the forms. Because the other thing that has been shifting in domestic relations court, because let's be honest, we know people are struggling financially. We are seeing a lot more pro se litigants, which means someone representing themselves. They're expected to act as an attorney. I, as the judge, cannot give them legal advice. Neither can court staff or the clerk's office staff. We can point them in the right direction, but we can't tell them what to do. So I'm finding that people, for example, I did a hearing yesterday where there's been some domestic violence. It wasn't a long marriage. And so just trying to get us through the hearing, which they clearly wanted this divorce, but let's get us there so that we dot the I's, cross the T's, so there aren't issues. So I try to start where they are. One of the things I want to do moving forward, should the people of Cuyahoga County elect me, which I'm hoping that they will, I would like to engage more with the community, connect with community centers, with resources, along with the churches to say, okay, let's see if we can put together some clinics that will help people where we can connect the law schools and schools individuals who are going to have to do this pro se because they can't afford an attorney because, okay, let's be honest, attorneys are expensive no matter how you go. And I would like to see a way where we're out in the community meeting people and saying to them, look, we know you need some help doing this. Let us help you fill this out so that you are able to complete things so that there aren't issues when it comes down to actually doing your hearings. I love to hear that. And I think that's what the community and citizens want to hear, they want to see, and they need. And again, your emphasis on the virtual help, again, strengthening the courts and educating the staff and your background in dealing with domestic issues and social work, you're a perfect fit for the seat that you are occupying as Judge Common Pleas Court Judge Pam Hawkins. Continue Keep on keeping on going down that road. And I think without a doubt, community leaders need to hear this and they need to wrap themselves around you and be supportive of this because all you're doing is strengthening the community and the collaboration between the courts and citizens. So, again, thank you for the work that you're doing. Closing words to our audience. Closing words to our audience. November 3rd is right around the corner. It truly is. And we're ready to be done with campaign season. All of us are, I'm sure. One of the things that I have done with my campaign is I try to go out in the community and meet people. I don't care where an event is. If I know about it, I'm going to try. And show up there. spend as much time engaging. I answer the questions that I can for the voters, make sure they know who I am. I don't want to just be a face or a name on a sign. I want you to know this is who I am. It's why my campaign literature all has, this is my educational experience. This is my work experience. My very, very first professional job in Cuyahoga County was at Murgis Taylor at the main center. So in the, 36 years I've been doing all this work, either as a social worker or as an attorney, I have engaged with the community and I think that is is why I want to reach out to people to make sure that they know who I am and that. I'm not just here because it's campaign season. I am more than willing to come in and support. If you have a food giveaway that you need help for on a Saturday morning, reach out, let me know. I will be there. I will be there to support. Whatever you need me to do, I'm going to try to get it done. Pam Hawkins, how can folks reach out to you? How can they find out more about you? How can they get involved if they want to support you, help you get elected? So I actually have a campaign website. It is PamelaHawkinsForJudge.com, all one word, all lowercase. It has background information about you, about me. It provides my campaign treasurer's information should you want to donate. There is also a volunteer form, and it includes if you would like a yard sign, please let us know, reach out. And I will be happy to make sure you get a yard sign and whatever other support that you might need or are able to provide. But that's the best place to start. Thank you so much, Judge Pam Hawkins. Go for her. Call her. Go to her campaign website. We need Judge Pamela Hawkins retained. Thank you so much for it. for being our guest today. And to our audience, again, thank you so much. And please remember to go out and vote. Take someone with you. And remember Judge Pamela Hawkins. Come in these courts. Thank you. Thank you so much for your support. Thank you.
