PBLA Announces Judicial Forums for the 2021 Election
For Immediate Release – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 1, 2021 – The Pittsburgh Black Lawyers Alliance announce dates for their open candidate forums for those seeking a position as Judge for the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas and Allegheny County Magisterial District Judge.
When
All forums will be held at 4:00pm EST via Zoom video conferencing, will be recorded and open to the public.
March 27, 2021 – 4:00pm via Zoom Video Conferencing
May 8, 2021 – 4:00pm via Zoom Video Conferencing
August 14, 2021 – 4:00pm via Zoom Video Conferencing
October 23, 2021 – 4:00pm via Zoom Video Conferencing
How to Register
The recording of each forum will be available on ThePbla.org immediately following each forum. To reserve a spot for each forum, please send an email to info@thepbla.org requesting a slot. The order of the candidates for the forum will be “first come, first served” based on your reservation. Once your request is received, we will send a confirmation email with the format and link.
According to Attorney Frank Walker II, who serves as President of the organization, “This election is too important for the voting public to be uninformed and simple vote the name they see or hear the most during the campaign. We need to elect qualified candidates to the bench and the only way we can accomplish this goal is to have educated voters who hear from the candidates.” Vice-President Lena Henderson contends that, “[w]e finally have the opportunity to have a bench that is truly representative of our communities instead of having merely one Judge of color and calling it diversity.”
This year, there are 9 available positions for the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas and many contested races for Magisterial District Judge.
Confirmed Guests (update 3/26/21)
Order of Confirmed Speakers as of 3-22-21
- Lisa Middleman
- Raymond Robinson
- Nicole Henry-Taylor
- Jimmy Sheets
- Zeke Rediker
- Pat Sweeney
- Giuseppe Rosselli
- Chuck Porter
- Beth Tarasi Sinatra
- Judge Bruce Beemer
- Albert Ververka
- Wrenna Watson
- Judge Mik Pappas
- Judge Elliot Howsie
- Judge Tom Caulfield
- Judge Scott Schricker
- Demetrius Baldwin
- Leah Duncan
- Jessel Costa
- George Heym
- Dan Koniecka
- Amanda Green-Hawkins
- Tiffany Sizemore
- Rosemary Crawford
- Judge David Spurgeon
- Sabrina Korbel
- Marc Daffner
- Judge Maria Mclaughlin
- Jessica Lynch
- Alyssa Cowan
- Tayveon K. Smith
- Brian Malkin
- Judge Sierra Thomas Street
- Richard Ernsberger
- Judge Armand Martin
- Illan Zur
- Jill Beck
- Jason Cervone
- Chelsa Wagner
- Bryan Neft
- Judge Timika Lane
- Matt Rogers
- Pauline Calabrese
Forum Registration (LIMIT 500)
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Mar 27, 2021 03:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tdeqtqD4tE9Iw8bOG5sFNwrPGmNbZBGff
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
About the PBLA
The Pittsburgh Black Lawyers Alliance was established in 2020 with the purpose of eliminating racism within the judicial system by advocating for criminal justice reform, engaging in community activism, forming strategic partnerships, and championing diversity in all levels of government. The PBLA is a charitable organization within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Officers: President – Frank Walker II, Vice President – Lena Henderson, Treasurer – Paul Ellis, Secretary – Amber Owens
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