Harold Moss<\/a>. I\u2019ve written about him a couple of times, including last fall when we sadly lost him at the age of 93. He made his mark in so many ways, but he was especially relevant to us as the Pierce County Council\u2019s first Black councilmember. He will always be remembered for his passion to eliminate racist redlining covenants in neighborhoods in Tacoma.<\/p>\nIn this year’s celebration of Black History Month, it is appropriate to look back to honor, learn from and pay homage to those leaders that blazed difficult but righteous paths.\u00a0 However, this year, I think it is particularly important to look forward as well. \u00a0I am inspired by current leaders who I think could well become the icons we honor in future local BHM celebrations.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve mentioned retired Judge Frank Cuthbertson as someone ready to carry the mantle forward. When we look back at this time in our community, he will loom large for his leadership, both on the bench and in our efforts to reform our criminal justice system.\u00a0 He recently stewarded the public review committee that brought recommendations forward to the Council for sweeping changes that will ensure that everyone is treated equitably in our justice system. That work is just beginning, but Judge Cuthbertson\u2019s contributions are vital.<\/p>\n
Another strong leader who played a critical role in this work, is Joseph Evans from the Department of Assigned Counsel. I\u2019m grateful to Michael Kawamura for \u201clending\u201d Joe to us to spearhead the Criminal Justice Workgroup – the internal justice review process that laid the foundation for Judge Cuthbertson\u2019s work with our community members.<\/p>\n
As part of our ongoing DEI video profile series, we asked Joe to talk about his perspective on creating a more fair and equitable justice system.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure you will find his comments as inspiring as I do.<\/p>\n
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