Back in July, Democratic Senate candidates Cheri Beasley and Jeff Jackson confirmed that they would tape a special voter education episode of “Triad Today” on December 15, so that folks throughout the Piedmont could learn more about them and their positions ahead of next year’s primary. However, Jackson failed to appear, then, days later, announced he was dropping out of the race. Fortunately, Judge Beasley showed up as promised, and we spent a half-hour together talking about her life and career.
JL: You were the first woman of color to become Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court. How did that make you feel at the time?
CB: Instantly I truly realized the full impact of the appointment. I understood that I would be leading all of the courts across the State. I understood I would be leading the Supreme Court of North Carolina, and those were really important roles to make sure the court system was working fairly and in full service to everybody across the State. The unanticipated piece of that was all of the responses we received from all over the world who were excited that I was serving as Chief Justice. It helped me to see that it really mattered. That diversity matters, that for so many young boys and girls it really does matter that they’re able to see people of color in leadership. So it was a real honor. I enjoyed my service and was really thankful for it.
JL: Tell us about growing up.
CB: I grew up with my mom and my grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins, and we were a very close family. We always came together for Sunday dinner, and we were very community-oriented. My Mom earned her Ph.D. when I was a little girl, and she was very much steeped in service, and her service was steeped in faith. We were all very active in church and that is so much a part of the foundation of who I am as a person, as a judge, as a Mom, as a wife.
JL: Then is it your Mom who most shaped your life and career?
CB: She had a great impact, she was an amazing woman and was a trailblazer in her own right having created academic programs particularly for young people who lived in public housing, to make sure that they had a good chance in life. And so she was my role model. I loved her dearly. I just knew that so much of who she was as a person and so much of the obligations that she felt and lived around giving back to others and being in service. I don’t know that I consciously knew that was where I would be, but that’s just what we did.
Judge Beasley and I covered a lot of ground during the half-hour, addressing such issues as: Is the Affordable Care Act still viable? Do you favor forgiving college debt and offering free tuition? What can Congress do to stem the tide of gun violence?, and Is the Democratic Party out of touch with most Americans?
Jim Longworth is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15).
Original source can be found here.
