The Color of Justice

In an effort to encourage minority students in Texas to pursue careers in the law and the judiciary the Texas members of the National Association of Women Judges have created a Color of Justice video . The video introduces students to a diverse group of minority judges, lawyers and law students whose stories show them the many career options available in the law and the judiciary. The video includes interviews with Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, Judge Morris Overstreet, Judge Belinda Hill, Judge Roy Quintanilla, and Judge Sue Kurita. Also appearing in the video are attorneys Craig Washington, Roland Garcia, Gordon Quan and Kelly-Ann Clarke. Law students Sergio Moreno, Regina Lee and David Winters are also featured in the video. Justice Bea Ann Smith and Judge Susan Criss make brief appearances as well.

Students hear minority judges, lawyers and law students explain why they chose the law, how they became lawyers and judges, what they do in their jobs, as well as the many career opportunities available to students today. The fast paced 12 minute video includes judges on county courts, district courts, the Texas Supreme Court and a law professor who previously sat on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Attorneys with experience in civil litigation, criminal prosecution, criminal defense, immigration and governmental service appear in the video. Law students, full of passionate enthusiasm for their chosen profession explain why the law is such a necessary and vital part of our society. Their words and stories are inspiring and compelling.

The film was produced by Ron Stone and Pat Pollicoff of Stonefilms of Texas, an award winning video production company based in Houston. The video was made possible with funding from the Texas Bar Foundation and the Texas Young Lawyers Association. Since it’s inception the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than 6 million dollars in grants to law related programs. The Texas Bar Foundation is the nation’s largest charitably funded bar foundation. The Galveston County Young Lawyers Association secured the funding from the Texas Young Lawyers Association to help with this project.
The Color of Justice was created in August 2001 by Judge Brenda Loftin in St. Louis, Missouri. Her program involves presentations by local minority judges and lawyers to minority high school students. The judges and lawyers share their stories with the students and encourage them to consider them to consider careers in the law and the judiciary.

Justice Bea Ann Smith of the Third Court of Appeals in Austin asked Judge Susan Criss to bring this program to Texas. Justice Smith is a former president of N.A.W.J.. Judge Criss is the N.A.W.J. Director for District 11 which covers Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Judge Criss came up with the idea of making the video. “I was trying to figure out how to effectively do this program in a state this big with such a large population and make a real impact. Then I saw a film produced by Ron Stone for Gulf Coast MHMR. I knew then that a video would be a great way to convey this message to the children of Texas”

N.A.W.J. members have implemented Color of Justice programs in other states. Currently there are Color of Justice programs in California, New York, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Alaska. Texas is the first state where a video is being used to present the program.

The video is available for Texas Young Lawyer Associations and Bar Associations to present to Texas school children. It is available in both video and DVD formats.

More information about the Color of Justice program can be found at www.N.A.W.J..org/education/outreach.html.

To order a copy of the video or DVD print an order form and mail it to the address on the form and mail it to Judge Criss at P.O. Box 16474, Galveston, Texas 77552.