A disability rights advocate will become the first openly transgender person to be a California judge having been appointed Friday by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Andi Mudryk, 58, chief deputy director at the Department of Rehabilitation, will serve on the Sacramento County Superior Court.
She will be the second transgender judge in the state, following in the path of Alameda Superior Court Judge Victoria Kolakowski, who became the first openly transgender judge after she was elected in 2010.
'I'm humbled, honored and I'm thrilled,' Mudryk told The LA Times. 'I'm grateful to Gov. Newsom for creating a vision of California for all.'
Mudryk, 58, will serve as a judge in Sacramento County Superior Court, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Benjamin Davidian
'Andi Mudryk is a great appointment and will be a wonderful judge,' Kolakowski tweeted. 'I´m glad to finally have a trans colleague on the bench in California.'
Mudryk has the distinction of being the first transgender person appointed to the California bench. She transitioned within the last four years.
She has lived in Sacramento since 2009 and said she feels proud to serve the community.
She said that her experiences as a transgender woman, a person with a significant disability, the parent of an adult black man, and the descendant of Jewish Holocaust survivors has spurred a legal career spent that has seen her advocate for the civil rights of all people.
Mudryk, who has brittle bone disease, began her legal career in private practice, working for 11 years with Disability Rights California where she served in various managerial positions.
Andi Mudryk, as seen in her Facebook profile photo. She is the first openly transgender person to be appointed to the bench in the Golden State
Andi Mudryk is seen, center, with colleagues in a photo posted in February 2000. Mudryk has lived in Sacramento since 2009 and said she feels proud to serve the community
Mudryk, a Democrat, has a law degree from George Washington University. She will receive a $225,000 annual salary.
Her appointment comes as political battles are waged over transgender rights in the U.S. amid a culture war, and as Newsom seeks to leave a legacy of diversity on California courts.
On Friday, Utah became the 12th state to ban transgender youth athletes playing on girls teams when lawmakers overrode Gov. Spencer Cox's veto.
Newsom is scheduled Monday to swear in Justice Patricia Guerrero as the first Latina on the California Supreme Court.
She was confirmed unanimously on Tuesday. In 2020, he nominated the first openly gay justice, Martin Jenkins, who is the third Black person to serve on the high court.
Andi, left, with sister Cindy, center, and brother Alan, as children in a photo posted by Alan
LGBTQ organizations hailed Mudryk's appointment and its timing.
'As governors and state legislatures across the country attack the trans community, we applaud Gov. Newsom´s continued commitment to increasing trans representation,' Tony Hoang, executive director of Equality California, said in a statement.
'California continues to remind the rest of the country that LGBTQ+ voices are essential to achieve full equality.'
'The values of diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental to the State Bar's mission, and I thank our Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation for their important work, and I applaud Gov. Newsom on his commitment to a diverse judiciary,' stated Leah Wilson, executive director of the State Bar of California, in a statement.
'Superior Court Judge Andi Mudryk's appointment is a touchstone moment in California history that will lead to more opportunities for transgender people throughout the legal profession.'
Mudryk's appointment comes as political battles are waged over transgender rights in the U.S. amid a culture war, and as Newsom seeks to leave a legacy of diversity on California courts
She follows in the path of Alameda Superior Court Judge Victoria Kolakowski, pictured, who became the first openly transgender judge after being elected in 2010
Alameda Superior Court Judge Victoria Kolakowski tweeted her joy at Mudryk's appointment
Post a Comment