Guyanese-born Justice Sharon Bourne-Clarke says she was “clearly elected” and “blessed” for her neighborhood induction ceremony on Dec. 5 at The Betty Carter Auditorium, on the Main Owens Well being and Wellness Heart, on Bedford Avenue within the coronary heart of the Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn, the place she lives and has supported her.
Justice Bourne-Clarke — who was elected to The Supreme Courtroom within the State of New York in 2023, at the moment serves as an Performing Justice of The Supreme Courtroom and has over 30 years of authorized expertise — was inducted, earlier than over 240 company, by her mentor, Trinidadian-born Justice Wavny Toussaint, the presiding Justice for the Appellate Time period, Supreme Courtroom 9th, eleventh and thirteenth Judicial Districts.
Justice Bourne-Clarke, who and her household stay in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn, advised Caribbean Life completely on Sunday that she was “comfortable” that her mother and father, Chesterfield and Eileen Bourne, who migrated to America in 1970, “with out a lot materially, had been capable of see the fruits of their labor.”
“My mother and father gave up a snug life in Guyana and fled to Barbados due to race riots in 1970,” she mentioned. “My father, who’s of African descent, now not felt protected in his adopted homeland. So, they fled to his homeland, Barbados, the place they stayed for a short time earlier than transferring on to New York.
“They had been looking for alternative for themselves and their youngsters,” Justice Bourne-Clarke added. “They’d 4 ladies at the moment — Sharon, Sandra, Debbie and Jackie — and needed the perfect for us. I’m the oldest of the kids my mother and father have collectively.
“They subsequently had a son, who was born in New York (Chester),” she added. “I’ve an older brother (Robert) from my father’s aspect whom we’re all very near, who additionally grew up with us right here in New York and continues to reside in Brooklyn along with his spouse and household.”
Justice Bourne-Clarke additionally mentioned she was “comfortable to materialize” her ancestors’ goals.
She mentioned her maternal grandfather, Thomas Li-A-Ping, all the time needed to be a lawyer in Guyana (Islington, Bernice).
“However these alternatives didn’t exist for him throughout his time,” she mentioned. “He was alive after I turned an lawyer and was extraordinarily pleased with me; Although in my household that isn’t proven or advised. It’s simply anticipated.
“My mother and father are very comfortable and proud, and I’m happy that they’re alive and properly to rejoice this accomplishment with me,” Justice Bourne-Clarke added. “The feedback that I obtained from those that attended the induction had been that they felt gratitude and love permeating the room.
“My husband, Devon Clarke, spoke about my dream to develop into a decide since age 13 and the way he made it his aim to assist me to convey my targets to fruition,” continued Justice Bourne-Clarke about her Jamaican-born husband, who can also be a lawyer in Brooklyn and Metropolis College of New York (CUNY) Regulation Faculty graduate, as is Justice Bourne-Clarke.
Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned that since she turned a decide in Civil Courtroom in 2014, she “confronted many hurdles to development and had principally given up on looking for elevation to the Supreme Courtroom.
“It was the encouragement of my mentor, Justice Wavny Toussaint, who believed in me, inspired me and supported me that I made the leap to run for Supreme Courtroom in 2022,” she disclosed.
“As soon as I made a decision to run, my husband supported me each step of the way in which; and, for that, I’m grateful,” Justice Bourne-Clarke added. “My total household — sisters and brothers, nieces, nephews and all my in-laws, together with each of our kids, Leslie, youthful son, Brandon, and his girlfriend, Ziniah — have additionally been extraordinarily supportive.”
She mentioned every little thing in regards to the induction ceremony was designed to point out her gratitude to members of the neighborhood who supported her.
“There was no pomp or circumstance,” she mentioned. “It was a easy night displaying gratitude. I needed them to be embraced with a sense of affection and appreciation from the time they entered the room till they left.
“For that cause, the occasion was designed as a gala and never as a typical induction,” she added, noting that District Leaders (DL) Sarana Purcell and Vice Chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Social gathering and DL Henry Butler had been the hosts of the occasion.
“Sarana Purcell and Akel Williams are my residence district leaders, and I used to be blessed to have each of their unwavering help,” continued Justice Bourne-Clarke, stating that Brooklyn Democratic Social gathering Chair, Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, who represents the 42nd Meeting District in Brooklyn, was unable to attend however despatched a quotation.
Justice Bourne-Clarke was initially elected by way of the Actual Motion Neighborhood Democratic Membership (RACDEM) within the 58th Meeting District in Brooklyn, which was led, on the time, by former Assemblyman, Jamaican N. Nick Perry, present United States Ambassador to Jamaica. RACDEM is now led by Council Member, Haitian-born, Mercedes Narcisse and Andrenia Burgess.
Pastor Carolyn Rayside of Tabernacle of Reward Cathedral on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn delivered the invocation whereas Pastor Louis Straker, Jr., the son of former St. Vincent and the Grenadines Deputy Prime Minister Sir Louis Straker, Sr., of Reflections Church, additionally on Utica Avenue gave the Benediction.
“I didn’t need this system to be about me, however protocol required that we converse of the journey,” mentioned Justice Bourne-Clarke, who, in her remarks, primarily thanked leaders of the neighborhood who assisted her in her journey.
She started by singing the primary verse of Buju Banton’s “It’s not an Simple Street.” She mentioned Banton is one in all her favourite singers.
“That received me by way of this marketing campaign,” she mentioned about “It’s not an Simple Street.”
The lengthy record of “Thank You” included: Marketing campaign supervisor, the Rev. William Taharka Robinson; Vice Chair Henry Butler; DLs Sarana Purcell, Akel Williams, Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas, Dana Rachlin, DL and Councilwoman Narcisse (“nice good friend and supporter in 2014 and 2023”), Anthony Jones, Dionne Brown-Jordan, Micheal Boomer, Shaquana Boykin, Kenesha Trayham-Cooper, Jacqui Painter, Julio Pena and Mark Hanna, “who had been all instrumental on this journey.”
“They realized and acknowledged my {qualifications} and that my elevation was lengthy overdue,” Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned. “As well as, that I used to be not solely one of the vital senior candidates operating, however, of all of the candidates, I had the widest vary of experiences, having served in each courtroom in Kings County.”
In consequence, she mentioned she was the first-round choose of the candidates on the Brooklyn Democratic Conference in August, receiving the very best variety of votes of all of the candidates on the Democratic Social gathering line and, general, throughout all traces.
“I’m grateful and really feel blessed to have the chance to serve my neighborhood on this capability as a Supreme Courtroom Justice for a number of causes,” she mentioned. “Over the previous 9 years, I had the glory to serve my neighborhood within the capability of a Felony Courtroom Decide, the place I noticed many younger individuals from our communities heading down the flawed path. I spoke to them, as I spoke to my youngsters, after they appeared earlier than me.
“When neighborhood service was mandated, I reached out to pastors in my neighborhood to have them fulfill that obligation in an atmosphere, the place they’ll obtain some extra instruction and love,” Justice Bourne-Clarke added.
When she served in Household Courtroom, she mentioned her aim was to maintain as many households intact as fairly potential “to forestall the youth from partaking in conduct that may land them earlier than a Felony Courtroom Decide.”
“My aim was to attempt to get the mother and father to work collectively to the extent potential for the good thing about their youngsters,” she mentioned. “In Civil Courtroom, my aim was to supply financial justice to our communities.”
Over the previous 12 months, Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned she presided over many deed fraud and deed theft instances, and had the chance to handle, “in a constructive method, among the ills which have been afflicting our communities of colour.”
She mentioned she’s going to let the neighborhood know, when it’s official, the place she will probably be assigned subsequent 12 months, however added that “wherever I will probably be, the litigants will probably be handled with dignity and respect.”
“My mission is all the time to supply equal justice to our communities and to offer each litigant a possibility to really feel seen and to be heard,” Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned. “Honest and neutral justice with compassion is my byline.
“The opposite cause is that it provides younger girls and boys in my neighborhood the chance to see the probabilities which might be out there for them,” she continued. “My aim, after I go away the bench, is to have motivated and supported at the least three younger individuals to affix the bench.”
Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned her principal courtroom lawyer, Robert Beckford, who’s of Jamaican descent and who resides in her neighborhood, didn’t initially aspire to develop into a decide; however now, that’s his aim.
She mentioned her different courtroom lawyer Cory Provost, additionally of Jamaican heritage, has already articulated his judicial aspirations.
“I’ve a accountability to our neighborhood to actually have an effect on change by instructing, motivating, empowering and mentoring these in my orbit and past to proceed the work of the leaders who paved the way in which for me,” Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned. “I’m actually grateful for all who helped me to succeed in this aim and for everybody who got here out to rejoice with me.”
She mentioned attendees on the induction ceremony additionally ranged from classmates in junior highschool; highschool; school; regulation faculty; “each job I each had;” courtroom officers; courtroom workers; judges; church sisters; “my wonderful naturopathic physician, Dr. Selassie; my acupuncturist workforce from Life Wellness Heart; my husband’s soccer buddies; my journey buddies; and my neighbors who’re additionally my buddies.”
“I’m blessed!” burdened Justice Bourne-Clarke, who was elected as a Civil Courtroom Decide in 2014.
Previous to her appointment as an appearing Supreme Courtroom justice, she served in Felony Courtroom, Household Courtroom and Civil Courtroom in Brooklyn, and in Civil Courtroom in Richmond County (Staten Island).
Earlier than her tenure as a decide, Justice Bourne-Clarke served because the deputy common counsel for the New York State Division of Human Rights, defending the rights of New Yorkers in opposition to discrimination within the office, housing, public areas and all protected rights below the New York State and United States Structure.
There, she mentioned she additionally represented the company in all reason for actions initiated in opposition to it; served on Gov. David Paterson’s Hate Crimes Job Drive – Immigration Subcommittee to make sure that any immigrant who was the sufferer of a hate obtain medical consideration, regardless of immigration standing; NYS Cyber Safety Job Drive; and likewise co-created a Educate The Instructor Program to handle bias within the colleges.
Justice Bourne-Clarke additionally served as counsel within the Workplace of Company Counsel, the place she assisted with the most important non-public takeover within the Metropolis’s historical past at the moment, when the Metropolis of New York took over the six non-public bus traces. She was liable for overseeing over 1,000 private harm instances from six non-public regulation companies, due to this merger.
Previous to that, she served as an lawyer in non-public follow, representing litigants in Household Courtroom, Supreme Courtroom and Federal Courtroom, “vindicating their rights in myriad actions.”
Throughout that point, Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned she was beneficial to serve on then Chief Decide Judith Kaye’s Matrimonial Entry to Justice Job Drive, although she in the end didn’t full service attributable to private tasks.
Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned that through the foreclosures disaster, she opened a non-profit authorized group, Central Brooklyn Authorized Companies, to help residents in Central Brooklyn to navigate foreclosures actions. Nonetheless, she determined to run for decide quickly afterwards.
Shortly after her commencement from regulation faculty, Justice Bourne-Clarke labored at Walker & Bailey, a non-public regulation agency in Harlem led by Cora Thomasina Walker, the primary Black lady to acquire a contract to signify New York Metropolis Housing Authority (NYCHA). There, she represented NYCHA, together with State Farm Insurance coverage, Conrail and New Jersey Transit.
Justic Bourne-Clarke mentioned she started her authorized profession as an intern with the Authorized Support Society, representing indigents individuals who had been accused of felony offenses. She additionally interned at Neighborhood Regulation Workplaces in Harlem, representing indigent litigants in administrative proceedings.
Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned she is “a trainer at coronary heart” and has served as an Assistant Professor in Felony Regulation and Criminology at Borough of Manhattan Neighborhood School of their joint diploma program with John Jay School of Felony Justice.
She mentioned she has a various employment profile, as a result of she needed “to be versed in lots of areas of regulation earlier than taking the bench,” which was her final aim and dream since she was 13.
Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned she has all the time been “a voice for the unvoiced” and has a robust historical past of volunteerism locally, relationship again to junior highschool, the place she obtained an award for volunteerism from then Brooklyn District Legal professional Eugene Gold.
She mentioned she mentors many younger individuals locally and speaks at Brooklyn School Excessive Faculty Academy each semester; and, till 2020, she spoke at Harvard College Girls In Public Coverage Program – Harvard Sq. to Oval Workplace program, which inspires girls to run for workplace yearly since 2014.
Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned she is “a proud member” of The Caribbean American Attorneys Affiliation and the Brooklyn Bar Affiliation.
She is a graduate of Brooklyn School, CUNY Regulation Faculty and the Harvard College Kennedy Faculty of Authorities.
Justice Bourne-Clarke mentioned she is “fortunately married” to Devon Clarke, and is “the proud mom of two sons, Leslie and Brandon, and aunt to seven nephews and 4 nieces.”
