Jamaican-born attorney Jacqueline "Jackie" Powell is the only black candidate running for Broward County Judge (Group 19) this August. She migrated to the U.S. at the age of 16 and is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English.  She earned her Juris Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center.  

Powell, a wife and mother of two, started her journey in law over 25 years ago as a legal assistant with the Law Firm of Gold & Heyer, P.A. which later became Heyer and Associates, P.A. During law school, she served as a certified legal intern at the Broward County Public Defender’s Office.  Upon being admitted to the Florida Bar, she continued to work as an Assistant Public Defender for about eight years, representing clients in misdemeanor and felony cases, then ultimately becoming a supervising attorney for the county court division.  

Powell spends some of her time outside the courtroom working at Gateway Church in Fort Lauderdale as a parishioner and has served as a the Youth Director and Associate Pastor of Outreach Ministry.

Source: Sun-Sentinel and Jackie For Judge

​Disclaimer: This is not an endorsement

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Jamaican-American Herman “Denny” Farrell Jr., 86,  died Saturday, May 26, in a Manhattan hospital due to heart failure. He was the third longest-serving member in the history of the New York State Assembly, serving for more than 40 years. Mr. Farrell, who was known as Denny, was first elected in 1974 and retired when his term ended in 2017. He was also the chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee from 2001 to 2006, the first black person to hold that post, and headed the fractious Manhattan party confederacy from 1981 to 2009, longer than any of his predecessors.

Herman Daniel Farrell Jr. was born in Manhattan on Feb. 4, 1932. His mother, Amy Gladys (Paterson) Farrell, immigrated from Jamaica. His father, Herman Sr., was born in the United States Canal Zone. The couple owned, Farel Frocks, which sold cocktail dresses.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said, "Farrell exemplified the best in politics.” Last September, Farrell left these colleagues behind after retiring from the Assembly, where he had distinguished himself most notably as the chairman of the Assembly’s Banking committee and later of the Ways and Means Committee. At that time of his retirement announcement, he said he wanted to spend more time with his family, especially his 13-year-old daughter, Sophia.

Farrell was a graduate of George Washington High School and briefly attended New York University but never earned a degree.

His political career began when he worked for Mayor John Lindsay in the Washington Heights office. In 1970, he was elected a Democratic state committeeman; for three years he was elected district leader and a year later he began his long tenure as an Assemblyman representing a district that included Harlem and Washington Heights. He was re-elected 21 times to this post. In this capacity he earned the respect of political leaders beyond the state and later was a member of the Democratic National Committee.

                                                                                                                 
During Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we honor America’s long-shared history with our neighbors in the Caribbean and celebrate the Caribbean Americans who have enriched our Nation.

Caribbean Americans embody the American spirit, with their talents and hard work contributing greatly to America’s economy.  They protect our citizens as law enforcement officers, serve our communities as public officials, and mentor our country’s young people as educators.  Through their tremendous athleticism and determination, they have brought pride to the hearts of the American people as members of numerous U.S. Olympic teams.  Their leadership and resolve have made incredible contributions to our society.

As trailblazers, Americans with Caribbean roots have sewn their own unique thread into the fabric of our Nation.  Dr. William Thornton, a native of the British Virgin Islands, designed the United States Capitol and is generally considered the first “Architect of the Capitol”.  Jean Baptiste du Sable, the first permanent resident of Chicago, was born in Haiti.  Widely recognized as the “Founder of Chicago,” his prosperous trade settlement has become one of the most iconic cities in the world.

This month, we acknowledge the numerous contributions of Caribbean Americans to our Nation, including those of the more than 4 million Caribbean Americans who live in the United States today.  We are also deeply grateful to the many Caribbean Americans who have served or are currently serving our country as members of our Armed Forces.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2018 as National Caribbean-American Heritage Month.  I encourage all Americans to join in celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of Caribbean Americans with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

​Source: Whitehouse.gov