Submitted by Patatricia Michel
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — The Judicial Diversity Initiative (JDI) proudly celebrated a decade of diversifying Florida’s judiciary. Last Thursday evening, community leaders, legal professionals, and advocates gathered in downtown Fort Lauderdale to honor the initiative’s founders and the profound impact of its mission.
Founded in 2015, JDI was born out of a vision to ensure that the judiciary reflects the diverse populations it serves. This proactive initiative was the brainchild of several voluntary bar leaders, who sought to remedy the stunning lack of Black judges serving on the bench in Florida. Veronica Hazzard, JDI’s current Chair, shared that “it is particularly meaningful to honor those whose vision and leadership were crucial to the founding of JDI.”
Representative Dotie Joseph (D- Miami) was honored alongside fellow founders Yolanda Strader, Annika Ashton, Loreal Arscott, Reggie Clyne, and the late Beranton Whisenant, whose son accepted a posthumous tribute on his behalf. Rolling up their sleeves, these bar association presidents planned, organized, and mobilized their respective voluntary bar association–which included the Wilkie D. Ferguson Bar Association, Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association, the Haitian Lawyers Association (HLA), the Caribbean Bar Association (CBA) and later the Franklin Cunningham Bar Association.
From its inception, JDI has been relentless in its advocacy, proactively preparing prospective jurists for the Judicial Nominating Commission’s process and advocating for judicial candidates with the political decision-makers at every level of government. The celebration reflected on the progress made over the past ten years to ensure that Florida’s judiciary better represents the communities it serves. Attorney Strader highlighted that “we would not be in this room this evening celebrating this milestone if it were not for the efforts of Beranton Whisenant.” Whisenant served as the “glue” that motivated all the bar leaders to keep striving to honor the initiative’s mission.
“Despite the challenging time within which we find ourselves, we have overcome worse as Black people in this country; and since we know the importance of a diverse judiciary, we remain steadfast in the mission because representation matters. This milestone isn’t just about looking back—it’s about recommitting to the work ahead.” Rep. Joseph affirmed.
The 10th anniversary celebration also recognized early JDI contributors, including Hans Ottinot, David Prather, and the late Cynthia Henry Duval, as well as long-time supporter H.T. Smith. Judges Ilona Holmes, Meisha Darrough, and Bradley Harper were also honored during the celebration for their leadership and embodiment of the initiative’s mission.
