Why We Need to Rise Together | Judge Victoria Pratt

Growing up outside Newark, NJ, the daughter of a first-generation mom from the Dominican Republic and a dad who grew up going back and forth between Harlem and the Deep South, Judge Victoria Pratt (https://judgevictoriapratt.com/) found herself in the role of translator, advocate and champion at a very young age. That deep desire to serve at the sweet-spot between justice and humanity never left her.
Rising up through government and educational institutions, she eventually became a judge, but not your ordinary judge. For her, it was all about serving the broader humanity and needs of both those who appeared in her courtroom, as well as those who were affected in the community. Judge Pratt gained acclaim as a champion for criminal justice reform in her Newark courtroom, worked with jurisdictions across the US, and as far as Dubai, Ukraine, Mexico and England. Her TED Talk, How Judges Can Show Respect, went viral.
Now a leading voice in criminal justice reform through her consulting firm Pratt Lucien Consultants, Judge Pratt speaks to corporate and organizational leaders about restoring respect to their processes. At the heart of it all is a call-to-action to elevate the humanity and dignity of all people and focus more on restoration and rehabilitation than punishment.
In today's conversation, we explore Judge Pratt's early childhood, the experiences and moments that shaped her, as well as the powerful moments and exercises that transformed her courtroom into a place not only of justice but of reclamation and an awakening to potential and responsibility.
Check out our offerings & partners:
Blinkist: Key takeaways from the world’s best nonfiction books in text and audio. Go to Blinkist.com/GOODLIFE to start your free 7-day trial.Grove: Makes shopping for natural products EASY. Get a free $30 Mrs. Meyer's gift set at Grove.co/GOODLIFE with your first order.ZipRecruiter: Post jobs for FREE, go to ZipRecruiter.com/good.23andMe: Order your 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service kit at 23andme.com/goodlifeStitcher: You can now listen to new episodes of the show, completely ad-free, exclusively on Stitcher Premium. Sign up now for a free month of Stitcher Premium by going to stitcherpremium.com/wondery and using the promo code ‘WONDERY.’ Then once you’re signed up, just download the Stitcher app for iOS or Android and start listening.

photo credit: Tinnetta Bell