From Bench Service to Board Service: A Conversation with the Honorable Derek Mosley
Judge Derek Mosley builds community everywhere he goes
From his twenty years on the City of Milwaukee Municipal Court bench to his new opportunity at Marquette University Law School’s Lubar Center for Public Policy Research & Civic Education, Judge Mosley is an advocate for Milwaukee. His dedication to his communities have done the work to change perspectives and highlight biases, while showing us that everyone has a story to tell and value to bring to our city. His compassion and fairness on the bench, plus his welcoming and positive demeanor, inspire us to be better versions of ourselves. FGPM President Molly Madonia sat with Judge Mosley to learn more about his passion for community service, his best advice for young professionals, and how we can build community by stepping outside our comfort zones . Plus, we find out if Judge Mosley has a favorite hat.
Panelists:
Derek Mosley, J.D.
Judge Mosley graduated from Marquette University Law School in 1995 and subsequently served as an Assistant District Attorney for Milwaukee County from 1995-2002. In 2002, Judge Mosley was appointed Municipal Court Judge in Milwaukee as the youngest African-American to be appointed judge in the State of Wisconsin. For ten years Judge Mosley served as the Chief Judge of the Milwaukee Municipal Court. In 2023, Judge Mosley became the Director of the Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civic Education at Marquette University Law School.
Judge Mosley routinely speaks both nationally and internationally about Unconscious Bias and Black History. Also, as a kidney transplant recipient, he is an ardent supporter of Donate Life Wisconsin, the National Kidney Foundation, and Versiti (formerly the Blood Center of Wisconsin). In his spare time, Judge Mosley is a local Milwaukee foodie, and served as a 2022 James Beard Judge for the James Beard Foundation.
Judge Mosley sits on the Board of Directors of several organizations including:
Urban Ecology Center
YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee
United Way Diversity Leadership Committee
Transcenter for Youth
Divine Savior Holy Angels High School
Froedtert Hospital
Moderator:
Molly Madonia, Founder & President, First Generation Professionals of Milwaukee
Recorded Monday, June 12, 2023
“You are enough.”
In Part 1 of From Bench Service to Board Service, Judge Mosley:
gives his best advice for first generation young professionals and identifies the most impactful skill for yp development;
shares a powerful story about the importance of mentorship;
introduces the M.E.D.A.L Program, which exposes Milwaukee youth to the medical, engineering, dentistry, architecture, and law fields;
discusses the role of professional organizations in building community; and
advises young professionals on how to find and meaningfully engage with Board service.
“Jump out of your comfort zone. It's not easy to do. Put yourself in positive interactions with people who are different than you. Put people together and put them in places they wouldn't have normally gone. That's how you change things.”
In Part 2 of From Bench Service to Board Service, Judge Mosley:
unpacks how we can adopt the principles of his Unconscious Bias training in our daily lives by putting ourselves in situations to positively engage with those different from us;
shares an incredible story about a high school youth group trip to a Washington D.C. historically black college and university (HBCU) and the eye-opening lessons the non-minority students received from the perspectives and experiences of their minority peers;
talks hats and gives us his favorite brand;
recommends his recent favorite book, which discusses how America addresses its controversial history as compared to our counterparts in Europe;
gives us his thoughts on reparations and gives an example of how reparations can create generational wealth; and
tells us what he loves most about Milwaukee (including his favorite food hidden gems).
Judge Derek Mosley is a Milwaukee community leader who truly embodies the spirit and values of our City. From his tireless leadership to positive attitude, Milwaukee is lucky to have such an enigmatic, trustworthy, and compassionate representation of our community. Check out the Resources below to learn more about the topics discussed in this Conversation and let us know your thoughts at membership@fgpm.org.
Resources:
Links
Heaven’s Table BBQ (get the Mosley)
Milwaukee Juneteenth Celebration
Books
How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith
LinkedIn:
You can find Judge Derek Mosley on LinkedIn
You can find the Marquette University Law School - Lubar Center for Public Policy Research & Civic Education on LinkedIn
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