from
New Jersey, New York, Michigan, and Washington State to discuss
the status of their research and programs regarding racial
and ethnic bias in the courts. In the intervening years, the
consortium has grown to include 30
state task forces and commissions.
The participating
task forces and commissions exist to assist judges at all
levels in all jurisdictions to render a better quality of
justice by becoming increasingly more aware of the impact
of race, culture, language, religion, and gender on the administration
of justice. Through the work of the current task forces and
commissions across the country, we know that concerns regarding
bias in the judiciary arise at two levels: (1) the public
perception of bias, on the basis of race, ethnicity, and gender,
both in the judicial process and the rendering of judicial
decisions, and (2) under-representation of people of color
at all levels of state and federal judiciaries.
I submit
that aggressive action in promoting diversity on the bench
will also, in large part, resolve the issue of public perception
of bias in the courts. Moreover, greater minority representation
in the judiciary positively contributes to the development
of the law, enhances the administration of justice, and diminishes
the perception of bias. Greater minority representation in
the judiciary promotes the public’s confidence in the
legitimacy of the legal system and strengthens our society’s
sense of community.
Respect
for diversity nourishes an appreciation for the importance
of community. America’s people so eloquently teach and
remind us that in diversity we find strength, creativity,
and respect. We must embrace these attributes of diversity,
and our reach must be broad and inclusive. We must always
remain mindful that cultural diversity is the heart, the soul,
and the genius of our constitutional form of government, of
our very way of life.
With the
opening of Florida International University’s College
of Law in 2002, FIU rose to the challenge of promoting diversity
in the legal profession. Now, at the beginning of the new
millennium, in the spirit and multicultural fabric of FIU,
we see that the human drive for survival and sense of community
continues to inspire the cultural diversity that enriches
the world. The faculty, staff, students, and alumni of FIU
have the opportunity to continue as architects of new bridges
promoting cooperation and advancement in education, business,
the arts, and the law: New bridges that foster understanding
and appreciation for human diversity.
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