Judge Jerri J. Zhang of the Division 3 of the Missouri 16th Judicial Circuit Court

 

8/11/2023

Judge Jerri J. Zhang

Division 3 of the Missouri 16th Judicial Circuit Court

c/o Albert Riederer Community Justice Complex

1315 Locust, 2nd Floor

Kansas City, MO  64106

Dear Judge Zhang,

My name is Matt Winick, an Asian American from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in learning history, social justice, and criminal justice reform. In these subjects, I like to learn the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others. Judge Zhang, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work as Judge for Division 3 of the Missouri 16th Judicial Circuit Court to be very inspiring to me.

In September 2021, I was amazed on how you made history on becoming the first Asian American woman to be on the Missouri 16th Judicial Circuit Court. In your current role as Judge for Division 3 of the Missouri 16th Judicial Circuit Court, I truly appreciate on how you were a strong supporter of civil rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights, pushing for strict sentencing for people who commit hate crimes to help protect minorities including people who are different, and expressing the need to reduce racial profiling in the judicial system. Supporting drug treatment programs to help drug users get the care they need to reduce drug abuse, expanding the court resources to help victims of crime including victims of domestic violence get help on dealing with their trauma, and expressing while supporting the need for funds to improve forensic science including DNA testing to help solve evidence including cases efficiently while reduce sending an innocent person to jail is common sense for criminal justice reform. Also on criminal justice reform, I like on how you address the need for better mental health services to help people who struggle with mental illness to get help instead of strict sentencing and support the idea of social workers to be on call with law enforcement to reduce tensions.  Another thing that I like about your work as Judge for Division 3 of the Missouri 16th Judicial Circuit Court  is how you are a strong supporter of protecting civil liberties from being violated like the 4th amendment to help protect people from unreasonable searches. Also I like on how you are an advocate for the need to help the Asian American community including the minorities communities like supporting disabilities’ rights, expanding the need for laws to combat against hate crimes to help protect them including other minorities, and many others. Also I like on how you use your role as an Asian American to help advocate and support Asian Americans rights including Asian American with disabilities’ rights. 

Judge Zhang, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts in different settings, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability. Also being an Asian American with a disability is difficult for me because some Asians including some Asian Americans tease me including get judgmental about me being different from them.  Your continuous commitment to be a strong supporter of the Asian community and advocate for Asian American with disabilities’ rights gives me some inspiration to continue to be proud to be an Asian American when I face struggles in fitting in.  Your role as Judge for Division 3 of the Missouri 16th Judicial Circuit Court helps give me motivation to continue to learn history, social justice, and criminal justice reform. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others. 

I strongly believe that you making a great difference for society including the judicial system. I’m very proud on how you are working hard to support civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights and push along with advocate for criminal justice reform. You truly inspire me to work hard on my disability, learn more about your work, be confident about being an Asian American with a disability when I have different challenges, and continue to learn different subjects. I was wondering if you could please share with me on  how you got inspired to be in law career and what it is like being  Judge for Division 3 of the Missouri 16th Judicial Circuit Court.  Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to push and advocate for common sense ideas.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick