Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1302793
Why did you want to practice law? I wanted to save the world, in my own little way. My mom put me in a private religious school when I was very young, a Seventh-Day Adventist school in Atlanta. Because we had Bible class every day, I was keenly aware of the need to give back in a sense of service. My two most inspiring people were Jesus Christ and Martin Luther King Jr. – because they were both selfless. They were all about service. It really didn't matter about them personally, it was about moving a community, moving a people to a higher good. So, I just thought when I was a little girl, "I want to do that. I want to make a difference in the world. I want to help people. I want to make it better." What made you shift from practicing law to serving as a judge? Well, it wasn't me. It was, I guess, a calling. I have always been of the belief to be excellent and do a good job where you are. I feel like if you do that, then everything else falls into place. You get where you're supposed to get. I don't call myself religious, but I am deeply spiritual, and I believe that everybody has a path. What do you find most rewarding about your career? The thing that I find so rewarding about my career is I didn't lose sight of why I was doing this. I think we all ought to have a "why" in anything we do that's important to us. Without a why, sometimes life will navigate you instead of you navigating life. I'm proud that my career has always been able to keep that at the forefront because that's why I do this – to serve. What does it mean to you to become the first African-American female appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals by a Republican governor? Wow, we're still doing firsts? I'm glad that there will no longer be a first; we've moved beyond that. We know the abilities, capabilities, the awesomeness of having African-American females in positions of power and authority. LO C A L B U Z Z Getting to know Judge Verda Colvin, recently appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals BY MEGHAN LINDSTROM IN LATE MARCH, Judge Verda Colvin became the first African-American woman to be appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals by a Republican governor. Born and raised in Atlanta, Colvin has lived in Macon since 1999. With a passion for serving others, Colvin previously served as Superior Court Judge of the Macon Judicial Circuit and as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. In her new role, Colvin will be commuting to Atlanta while continuing to reside in Macon. Get to know this smart, determined woman in this brief QA, and read more at maconmagazine.com. PHOTO BY STEVE SCHROEDER 22 maconmagazine.com | JUNE/JULY 2020