marcia_cooke.jpgBlack History Month Special

Mohamed Hamaludin
mhamaludin@sfltimes.com

MIAMI – Trailblazing U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke will be honored as part of Black History Month observances during a celebration being hosted Feb. 28 by the delancyhill law firm and the Little Haiti Cultural Center.

Cooke will be recognized for her “trailblazing legal career and her unwavering upliftment of black history and cultural awareness in the federal judicial system,” according to a statement from Marlon Hill, principal of the law firm.

The reception will host clients, firm partners, and community leaders from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and will include cultural presentations by the Little Haiti Cultural Center, 212 N.E. 59th Ter., Miami. 

This is the ninth annual celebration of Black History Month sponsored by delancyhill which created a special award to recognized distinguished people for their “‘contributions in uplifting African-American communities, heritage, and culture of South Florida.”

A native of Detroit, Mich., Cooke is an experienced trial attorney and lawyer who has held a variety of positions in the public sector.

Prior to being appointed to the federal bench, she was an assistant Miami-Dade County Attorney and also served as the chief inspector general for the state of Florida and an executive assistant United States attorney for the Southern District of Florida, in Miami, for seven years.  Cooke is also an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law, where she teaches litigation skills and criminal law.

A graduate of the Georgetown University Edmund G. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Cooke is a member of the Board of Governors and served as the national President of the Georgetown University Alumni Association. In recent years, she has inspired the establishment of a Black History Month installation series within the Southern District Court of Florida.

“We are honored to celebrate Judge Cooke’s historical legal career and more importantly to recognize her personal upliftment of black heritage and culture in her professional jurisdiction and in the life she personifies daily,” Hill said in the statement.

Anita Darbonne, manager of the Little Haiti Cultural Center, agrees.

“It’s a great honor to recognize Judge Marcia Cooke for all her contributions and role as an African-American leader,” she said. “Our cultural advancement in society continues to enhance the future and prosperity of our people.”

Supporting partners and sponsors of the reception include Bilmor Advertising, Next Level Barbershop, Riddims Marketing, South Florida Caribbean News, Caribbean Today NewsMagazine, Circle of One Marketing, Invizio, Medium Four, FELA! The Musical, Jazz in the Gardens, Social Esquire, Prestige Beer and DavidIPhoto.

To reserve space or for more information, call Marlon Hill, 786-777-0184 or Suzan McDowell, 305-576-3790. The deadline is Monday, Feb. 25. There is no cost to attend.