On Sunday, distinguished Brooklyn lawyer Abayomi Ajaiyeoba Whint made her case for Civil Courtroom decide in Kings County earlier than congregants at Fenimore Avenue United Methodist Church on Rogers Avenue in Brooklyn.
“I am actually honored to be right here right now to fellowship with you,” mentioned Whint in her deal with through the church’s Worship Service. “I wish to begin by sharing some highly effective phrases from scripture that resonate deeply with me: ‘Don’t pervert justice; don’t present partiality to the poor or favoritism to the good, however decide your neighbor pretty’” (Leviticus 19:15).
Whint, who was born in Nigeria and immigrated to america when she was six years previous, mentioned these phrases “remind us of the sacred duty that comes with administering justice.
“Justice, as God meant, ought to be free from bias and rooted in equity, fairness, and reality,” mentioned Whint, who was one among three attorneys nominated by the Kings County Democratic Social gathering after Gov. Kathy Hochul signed laws on July 17 that elevated the variety of judges appointed and elected statewide to assist cut back the numerous backlog in household and civil courts. “It isn’t only a idea however an lively dedication that calls us to equity, fairness, and reality in each determination we make.”
Whint famous that the Bible additionally instructs in Deuteronomy 16:20: “Comply with justice and justice alone, so that you could be reside and possess the land the Lord your God is supplying you with.”
She mentioned this verse “speaks on to the significance of in search of justice in all that we do, making certain equity and integrity within the administration of the regulation.
“It reminds us that justice isn’t only a authorized matter; it’s a non secular obligation to uphold equity and advantage,” mentioned Whint, stressing that, as a candidate for Civil Courtroom decide, she can be “deeply dedicated to upholding the values of equity, fairness, and integrity in each ruling.
“I envision a courtroom the place each voice is heard, the place every particular person is handled with dignity, and the place each determination is made with unwavering integrity,” she added, disclosing that God has paved the way in which for her to meet her future and comply with within the footsteps of her late grandfather, a Justice of the Peace decide and chief in Nigeria.
“His deep sense of equity left a profound and lasting affect on me, shaping how I strategy justice right now,” continued Whint, who, earlier than the Kings County Democratic Social gathering nominated her, underwent a “thorough and clear course of” wherein 11 candidates have been evaluated and located certified by a judicial screening course of.
On July 28, Whint mentioned she was “honored to be nominated,” together with Tawanna Marie St. Louis and Mark Kagan.
The subsequent day, she mentioned she “graciously accepted the nomination” and was “grateful for the chance to serve.”
Though these three seats are countywide and virtually assured, Whint mentioned she believes “it’s important that the neighborhood has the chance to satisfy me and make an knowledgeable determination.
“We should all really feel assured within the leaders chosen to serve our neighborhood, particularly in issues as crucial as justice,” she mentioned, including that her dad and mom additionally performed “a vital function” in shaping her character and values.
Whint mentioned her dad got here to the US as a nurse, when the nation wanted extra medical professionals, and that her mom, an educator, instilled in her “a robust dedication to advocacy and neighborhood service.”
“Group service has all the time been a cornerstone of my life, and my candidacy for the civil court docket is not only about incomes a seat on the bench; it’s about making certain that equity, justice, and due course of stay foundational ideas in our authorized system,” she mentioned.
“Judicial races are extremely vital as a result of judges make selections that affect all of us – our households, neighbors and neighborhood,” she added. “Whether or not it’s household disputes, contract points, housing rights, or issues of equity, these selections form the material of our on a regular basis lives and may both uplift or undermine justice.
“That’s the reason I am operating for decide: To make sure that justice is honest, clear, and accessible to everybody,” Whint continued. “It’s important that we elect judges who’re dedicated to equity, fairness, and reality in each case.”
In quoting Benjamin Disraeli – Dec. 21, 1804 to April 19, 1881, a British statesman, Conservative politician, and author who twice served as Prime Minister of the UK – Whint mentioned: “Justice is reality in motion.”
“This reminds us that justice will not be a passive preferrred however an lively pursuit of reality and equity, grounded each in regulation and in compassion,” she mentioned. “I consider in taking a human-centered strategy – making certain that persons are all the time handled with respect and dignity, no matter their background or circumstance.
“I humbly ask on your assist on Nov. 5, 2024,” Whint urged congregants – and the bigger neighborhood. “Please come out to vote. Collectively, we will uphold the values of justice, fairness, and equity in our neighborhood.”
The church’s pastor, the Rev. Roger Jackson, later instructed Caribbean Life that whereas the church permits candidates for elected places of work to handle the congregation, he, or the church, doesn’t endorse any candidate.
Whint mentioned she graduated cum laude from Connecticut School with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, incomes a number of honors and scholarships for her educational excellence.
She later obtained her juris doctorate (regulation diploma) from Rutgers College Faculty of Legislation-Newark, the place she actively promoted racial justice as affiliate editor of the Race and the Legislation Assessment.
All through her profession, Whint instructed Caribbean Life she has represented numerous purchasers and dealt with complicated instances in numerous areas of regulation, together with civil rights, restorative justice, and neighborhood improvement.
She has served as an assistant company counsel for New York Metropolis Legislation Division; an affiliate at Cantor, Epstein, & Mazzola; deputy managing legal professional, administrative regulation decide, and Equal Employment Alternative (EEO) Counselor with the Hearings Division of the Workplace of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH); and, most just lately, as a authorized enforcement legal professional with the New York Metropolis Hearth Division (FDNY).
Whint mentioned her work extends past the courtroom, stating that she has been a “vocal advocate” for variety and inclusion throughout the FDNY. She has served on the Hearth Commissioner’s Committee on Range and Inclusion and the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Fairness and led as president of FDNY’s Civilians Organized Community Nurturing Excellence, Group, and Belief (CONNECT), the primary affinity group devoted to civilians.
She mentioned her management has helped form insurance policies “that foster a extra inclusive and equitable office for all FDNY workers.”
Along with her authorized work, Whint is an authorized mediator, arbitrator, and restorative circle keeper. She has devoted “numerous hours” to professional bono work and mentoring younger professionals.
She mentioned she has served Brooklyn as a volunteer arbitrator in Small Claims Courtroom for over 10 years.
Whint mentioned her dedication to restorative practices – targeted on therapeutic hurt and constructing neighborhood – has additionally led her to collaborate with nonprofits to resolve conflicts utilizing restorative circles. She at the moment serves on the board of the Restorative Justice Initiative.
She mentioned her imaginative and prescient as a decide is “to make sure that everybody getting into the courtroom is handled with dignity, respect and equity”; believes that the authorized system ought to serve everybody equally; and that justice ought to be “accessible to everybody, no matter their background or circumstances.”
As a decide, Whint mentioned she is going to deliver her in depth authorized expertise, deep dedication to social justice, and keenness for neighborhood service to the bench, “working tirelessly to make Brooklyn a extra simply and equitable place for all.”
