U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley of U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts

8/11/2023

U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley

U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts

John Joseph Coakley U.S. Courthouse

1 Courthouse Way, Suite 2300

Boston, MA  02210

Dear U.S. District Judge Kelley,

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. U.S. District Judge Kelley, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work as former Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court and as current U.S. District Judge of U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts to be very inspiring to me. 

When you served as Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court from 2013-2021, I truly appreciated 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 for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination. Supporting drug treatment programs to help drug users get the care they need to reduce drug abuse, expanding resources to help victims of crime or victims of domestic violence get help on dealing with their trauma, and supporting along with heavily advocating for the need for funds to improve DNA testing including forensic science to help solve evidence or cases efficiently while reduce sending an innocent person to jail is common sense for criminal justice reform. In your current role as U.S. District Judge of U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts I like on how you are a continuous strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights and 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 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts is how you are a continuous strong supporter of protecting civil liberties like the fourth amendment to help protect people from unreasonable searches. 

U.S. District Judge Kelley, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advanced 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. Your role as former Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court and as current U.S. District Judge of U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts 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 are making a great difference for society. I’m very proud on how you are working hard to support civil rights, push while advocate for criminal justice reform, and many others. You truly inspire me to work hard on my disability, learn more about your work, and continue to learn different subjects. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to advocate and push for common sense ideas.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick