Thank you for entrusting me with the stewardship of this great organization. As your 43^rd president, I hope to oversee and guide an inclusive NAWJ where we can work together toward justice for all. NAWJ welcomes judges from all U.S. jurisdictions—state, federal, and tribal—at all levels. This year, we will keep making a difference in the lives of women judges and, more importantly, of the people we serve.

NAWJ’s mission is to promote the judicial role of protecting the rights of individuals under the rule of law through strong, committed, diverse judicial leadership; fairness and equality in the courts; and equal access to justice.

At our annual conference in Indianapolis, I announced an initiative for the coming year: “Safe at Home.” This initiative encompasses two of my priorities as president. The first is to address intimate partner violence and family violence. These crimes are among the biggest issues holding women back: if women and children aren’t safe at home, where are they safe? Let’s renew our commitment to educating our fellow judges about the unique dynamics of family violence.

To confront these issues, we judges need to be safe at home ourselves. Recent events have tragically reminded us that we need to focus on judicial security; I will arrange training events on how to protect ourselves from physical threats. As judges, our safety also includes our mental health and well-being. Our job is hard, not only intellectually but emotionally. Vicarious trauma is real, and we need to be able to rely on this amazing network of sisters called NAWJ to help us through it. To this end, we will organize programs on wellness issues.

These are a couple of my goals, yet this is your organization. I want to be here for you, but I need your help to serve you better. So, sign up for a committee, get active in your district, and tell anyone who will listen about NAWJ. And please let me know how I can help you along the way.

Sincerely,
The Honorable Karen R. Sage
President