Saturday, January 8, 11am-1pm, Ohio History Center, 800 E. 17th Ave.

Judge Monica Hawkins and Jessica Byrd are two African American women who have fought to change the trajectory of social injustice in the African American Community. While serving in male dominated careers and facing adversity along the way, both women have been able to make significant inroads in the struggle for equality. Judge Hawkins and Jessica will discuss their drive and determination to create change and the current state of justice in the community.

Speakers for the event

Judge Monica Hawkins

Monica Hawkins is a judge of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Domestic Relations and Juvenile Division in Ohio. Judge Hawkins brought to the court over 23 years of public service as a social worker, court liaison and trial attorney for Franklin County Children’s Services. 

As a senior trial attorney, Judge Hawkins represented Franklin County Children’s Services in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Division, and Juvenile Branch. Before her legal career, Judge Hawkins was a child Welfare Case worker and Court Liaison. 

Jessica Byrd, Founding Partner

Jessica Byrd founded Three Point Strategies in 2015 to provide a home for electoral strategy that centers racial justice and is transformational rather than transactional.

Jessica is a nationally renowned political strategist known for her unapologetically people-powered approach to campaign strategy and is a relentless capacity builder for the independent Black Political Ecosystem. Having worked in 43 states, you can find her at the side of the most exciting races to elect Black women in the country, training hundreds of leaders, and building tools to serve the Movement.

She is one of the architects of the Movement for Black Lives Electoral Justice Project and the Black Campaign School and has raised nearly $10 million for Black electoral strategy and Movement building. Jessica has served behind the scenes of the groundbreaking Democracy in Color project and the first-ever Women of Color Presidential Forum, She The People. She made history while serving as a chief strategist for Black women U.S. Senate Candidates, Congresswomen, Mayors of major metropolitan cities, and serving as the Chief of Staff to Georgia Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

In 2016, Jessica was named the January Woman to Watch by Essence Magazine, “12 New Faces of Black Leadership” by Time Magazine, and Rolling Stone named her one of the most influential millennials shaping the 2016 election.

Jessica is made up of Ohio winters, working class parents, Toni Morrison novels, Leslie Knope idealism, and anything with guacamole on it.

This event will be moderated by Community art and culture activist, Bettye Stull.

Note: as of September 1, 2021, we require everyone to wear masks at our indoor locations, in the Ohio History Center, to help limit the spread of the more infectious variants of COVID-19.

Hosted by Ohio History Connection.