Fuzionz Magazine and TV 2014 Winter Special Edition | Page 39

Judge Mablean Ephriam is one of the most positive,influential public figures among us. She was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi and raised in Los Angeles,California. At the age of 13, she had her mind set on becoming a lawyer. She received a four year academic scholarship to Pitzer College in Claremont, California. Judge Ephriam is best known for her role as presiding judge on Divorce Court, which was a household favorite for many. She was also inducted into the John M. Langston Hall of Fame. Judge Ephriam wears many hats, as she is not only a judge and lawyer for over 20 years, but she also has a non-profit foundation, a legal clinic, she is an author and a "highly sought after" speaker.

In a brief interview which we conducted with Judge Mablean Ephriam, we inquired about her interest in becoming a lawyer at the age of 13 and what sparked her motivation. Her response was, "There were two things: My father had a stroke and became totally disabled, but the Social Security Administration wouldn't give him total disability, so my mom and I had to fight that and we kept appealing until we prevailed. That's what made me want to become a lawyer. I felt that someone needed to be able to protect our rights and, of course, the Civil Rights Movement was going on when I was 13. I noticed all of the changes came about through law, so I said, "Hey, this is how you can change or make a difference in your society and make things better for you, your family and the world." When asked about her moment in being inducted into the John M. Langston Hall of Fame, Judge Ephriam stated, "It was a very exciting moment and highlight of my life because it was something that I wanted to do, become a lawyer since the age of 13 and I really wanted to do it well and for my colleagues to say, "You've made a great contribution in law and we've inducted you into the Hall of Fame for that". The sad part is, my Mom wasn't there to share it with me, because she was my main supporter, in addition to my siblings." Judge Ephriam is also in Bill Duke's book "Dark Girls," in which he interviews with 50 women about their experiences of being a dark girl in society. Judge Ephriam told us that her most touching moment is when she is out in the city and runs into people and their children, whom she has represented throughout the years, and they remember the work she has done. You can watch Judge Ephriam on her new TV series "Justice with Judge Mablean."

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