News and Events => Political and Legal News => Topic started by: Jaynatopia on May 01, 2008, 09:43:41 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Vicky Kolakowski, openly transgender runs for superior court!
Post by: Jaynatopia on May 01, 2008, 09:43:41 PM
Post by: Jaynatopia on May 01, 2008, 09:43:41 PM
Hey everyone, hopefully this is the appropriate place to post this; Vicki Kolakowski an administrative law judge is running for Superior Court of Alameda County. If she gets it that would make her the first openly transgender superior court judge and this could be a great thing for us since we are so involved in the legal system.
Her Press Release:
______________________________________________
Transgender Murder Victim's Mother Endorses Kolakowski for Superior Court Judge
Sylvia Guerrero is prominent spokesperson for LGBT inclusion
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2008
(Alameda County, California) Sylvia Guerrero, the mother of murdered transgender teen Gwen Araujo, has endorsed Victoria Kolakowski for Alameda County Superior Court Judge. Kolakowski, an administrative law judge with the California Public Utilities Commission, is one of four candidates vying for an open seat on the Alameda County bench. She is openly transgender.
"Vicky will be an outstanding Judge and a role model for LGBT youth. Alameda County needs her on the bench" said Guerrero.
Guerrero came to the public's attention after the murder of her 17 year old daughter, Gwen Aruajo, on October 3-4, 2002 in Newark, California. Araujo was killed by several friends after they assaulted her in order to discover whether she was anatomically male. Guerrero sat through two trials for three of the four men who killed her daughter, the fourth having accepted a plea bargain. The remaining defendants argued that the murder was the result of a violent but allegedly normal reaction to the discovery that Gwen was transgender. The trials resulted in two second-degree murder convictions and two plea bargains for voluntary manslaughter. None were convicted of the charged hate crime enhancements.
"I am deeply honored by Syvlia's support," said Kolakowski. "I hope that nobody ever has to face what she did, to have her daughter brutally taken from her, and to sit in a courtroom and listen while the murderers blamed her daughter for their own violent actions."
Guerrero gave Kolakowski a purple jeweled butterfly broach that she wore to the trials in memory of Araujo, and asked her to wear the pin under her robes if elected to the bench.
"I am extremely humbled," said Kolakowski. "I have held Gwen's ashes, and Syvlia has entrusted me with an important sentimental remembrance of Gwen and of the trials, both literal and figurative, that she has endured over the past five and a half years. One of my reasons for seeking a position as a Superior Court Judge is so that I can help to provide justice to victims of hate violence. I also hope to serve as a positive role model and ambassador for transgender people and for the LGBT community as a whole, so that both the legal system and the community of Alameda County as a whole may become more understanding of who we are as people and as positive contributing members of the community."
Kolakowski intends to use the endorsement prominently in campaign mailers and other literature.
Kolakowski has been endorsed by a variety of political groups, elected officials, judicial and quasi-judicial officers, attorneys and community leaders, including Oakland City Attorney John Russo, Berkeley Councilmembers Darryl Moore and Kriss Worthington, Emeryville Councilmember John Fricke, Hayward Unified School District Trustee Grant Peterson, the East Bay Lesbian/Gay Democratic Club, Equality California PAC, Gays and Lesbians for Betterment and Equality (GLOBE), the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, the Green Party of Alameda County, and the Political Action Committee for Excellence (PACE).
For more information on Kolakowski's campaign, visit her website at http://kolakowskiforjudge.com.
Her Press Release:
______________________________________________
Transgender Murder Victim's Mother Endorses Kolakowski for Superior Court Judge
Sylvia Guerrero is prominent spokesperson for LGBT inclusion
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2008
(Alameda County, California) Sylvia Guerrero, the mother of murdered transgender teen Gwen Araujo, has endorsed Victoria Kolakowski for Alameda County Superior Court Judge. Kolakowski, an administrative law judge with the California Public Utilities Commission, is one of four candidates vying for an open seat on the Alameda County bench. She is openly transgender.
"Vicky will be an outstanding Judge and a role model for LGBT youth. Alameda County needs her on the bench" said Guerrero.
Guerrero came to the public's attention after the murder of her 17 year old daughter, Gwen Aruajo, on October 3-4, 2002 in Newark, California. Araujo was killed by several friends after they assaulted her in order to discover whether she was anatomically male. Guerrero sat through two trials for three of the four men who killed her daughter, the fourth having accepted a plea bargain. The remaining defendants argued that the murder was the result of a violent but allegedly normal reaction to the discovery that Gwen was transgender. The trials resulted in two second-degree murder convictions and two plea bargains for voluntary manslaughter. None were convicted of the charged hate crime enhancements.
"I am deeply honored by Syvlia's support," said Kolakowski. "I hope that nobody ever has to face what she did, to have her daughter brutally taken from her, and to sit in a courtroom and listen while the murderers blamed her daughter for their own violent actions."
Guerrero gave Kolakowski a purple jeweled butterfly broach that she wore to the trials in memory of Araujo, and asked her to wear the pin under her robes if elected to the bench.
"I am extremely humbled," said Kolakowski. "I have held Gwen's ashes, and Syvlia has entrusted me with an important sentimental remembrance of Gwen and of the trials, both literal and figurative, that she has endured over the past five and a half years. One of my reasons for seeking a position as a Superior Court Judge is so that I can help to provide justice to victims of hate violence. I also hope to serve as a positive role model and ambassador for transgender people and for the LGBT community as a whole, so that both the legal system and the community of Alameda County as a whole may become more understanding of who we are as people and as positive contributing members of the community."
Kolakowski intends to use the endorsement prominently in campaign mailers and other literature.
Kolakowski has been endorsed by a variety of political groups, elected officials, judicial and quasi-judicial officers, attorneys and community leaders, including Oakland City Attorney John Russo, Berkeley Councilmembers Darryl Moore and Kriss Worthington, Emeryville Councilmember John Fricke, Hayward Unified School District Trustee Grant Peterson, the East Bay Lesbian/Gay Democratic Club, Equality California PAC, Gays and Lesbians for Betterment and Equality (GLOBE), the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, the Green Party of Alameda County, and the Political Action Committee for Excellence (PACE).
For more information on Kolakowski's campaign, visit her website at http://kolakowskiforjudge.com.