“I’m humbled by the number of people who voted but also by the number of people excited about the campaign and the potential of working in the community to solve some of these issues,” says newly elected Dane County Circuit Court Judge Everett Mitchell. “It’s a really exciting time.”
Rev. Mitchell, a well-known advocate for racial justice in Madison, has become the third African-American judge in the Dane County Circuit. Paul Higginbotham, now a state appellate judge, was appointed Madison Municipal Judge in 1992 and elected circuit judge in 1994. Gov. Jim Doyle appointed City Attorney James Martin to the circuit bench in 2003. He was elected in 2004 and retired in 2009.
(Photo by Nate Royko Maurer)
“I think one of the misnomers that people have talked about is that you have to be silent as a judge,” Mitchell tells Madison365. “To a degree when it comes to political things, that’s true. But I think judges – much like other branches of government – have to be in conversation with the people in the community so we get a sense of what the issues are but also so we’re in conversation with them on what we’re seeing so the community can be a part of the conversation of what justice should look like.
“It’s about keeping everything in context and realizing that people are part of a broader tapestry. It’s about being aware of where the resources are and being able to push and encourage those resources,” he adds. “Because I’m someone who has worked in all of these areas, I know these [gaps] exist. So the question is always going to be: If we are really concerned and committed to rebuilding our community and changing the narrative, then what can we do to have everybody at the table?”
A crowd gathered on Madison’s near east side at the Goodman Community Center for Mitchell, who starting Aug. 1 will be the judge for Branch 4 of Dane County Circuit Court, which rotates into juvenile cases in July of 2016.
Mitchell still remembers why he first got into the race for judge.
“We’ve been having these discussions about disparities and making changes in the system. In order for us to create equity we need to talk about how can all systems work together to help us move our community in a different direction,” he says.
“I said to myself, ‘Well, I can’t just keep talking about it. I have to participate in it,’” he adds.
(Photo by Nate Royko Maurer)
Mitchell had been very active in the Madison community, but being involved this heavily in a political race was a new thing for him.
“This is my first time since running for senior class president in high school that I’ve entered into politics,” Mitchell smiles. “Looking back, I probably initially didn’t know if I would have had the ability or energy or will to do it. But sometimes not knowing what you don’t know creates an opportunity for you to learn and to be flexible and be overall committed to do it.
“I was blessed to have a great community around me who got me to meet the right people in the right places,” Mitchell adds. “All of them really assisted in me getting my message out to different groups.”
Mitchell also is the pastor of Christ the Solid Rock Baptist Church and the former assistant Dane County District Attorney along with being a social justice advocate.
“A lot of my work that I’ve been doing in the community since I’ve been here this last 12 years has been about spending time with grassroots people and organizations and making connections throughout various sections of our community,” Mitchell says. “I’ve been able to hear and evaluate all different types of voices that will be brought to the table as we get a sense of how strong our community can become.”
Mitchell will be stepping down from his position as the director of community relations at UW where he represents the UW-Madison Chancellor’s Office and institutional positions on community development, education, broadening UW-Madison’s presence in the local community, and nurturing partnerships.
“It’s going to be very hard to leave this job,” Mitchell says. “The work of the university is ongoing and the issues are here but there is so much potential at the university. I think the work I started at the South Partnership will hopefully be a part of the legacy that I leave behind here at the university to give us a sense on how collaborative relationships between the university and the community will work for years to come.”
