Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Monday, September 9, 2013
No One Cares Until It's Too Late!!!
As I sit in my chambers between my morning and afternoon court dockets, I look at the upcoming cases and feel my normal emotion of disappointment. From people being charged with misdemeanors because they didn’t pay the bus fair to others being charged because of arguing and fighting in the streets over nothing (disorderly conduct), It seems like no one really cares about their future until its too late. Now of course I can not speak for every person and every situation. Surely some people care about the consequences of their actions, but even the best of us sometimes fall into the following traps: 1. Driving with out a license – no one cares until they are arrested. 2. Slowly riding through a stop sign or red light – no cares until they are in court facing a fine and points on their license. 3. Over reacting to a domestic situation – no one cares until they are in court charged with domestic violence.
As Judge of the East Cleveland Municipal Court, I am dedicated to being a “Cycle Breaker.” I will fight to change the careless attitude about destruction of our communities and the destruction of people’s potential and future. How will I fight? By educating people through my workshops called “Finish First” and “Emotional Intelligence.”
In addition to the training that we provide in our Court, I will utilize the power of creative sentencing to drive home the message of responsibility and accountability. Recently the local Fox 8 news station covered the actions of my Court when I sentenced a man to cut the grasses of empty lots in the City of East Cleveland as a penalty for his crimes. This man was convicted of stealing lawn mowers in the city and I decided that I had to make him physically and morally pay for his criminal activity. By sentencing him first to cut grass and then to the Drug Court program headed by Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Anita Laster Mays, I made him take responsibility for his actions while trying to get him the help he needs to fight his addiction to drugs. If he is not successful in the Drug Court program he will face 6 months in jail.
I am expecting a positive outcome and turning point for the offender, however I still dislike the fact that too many people don’t seem to care about their wasted potential or future. Instead of the man cutting grass as a sentence, he could have pursued employment in that occupation or even started his own business.
Is it true the no one really cares until its too late? Whether its an absolutely true statement or not, one too many people are getting caught in the Legal Matrix thereby destroying their future which effects us all.
On Monday night I will conduct the “Finish First/Emotional Intelligence” life skills training in the East Cleveland Municipal Court. My goal is to empower people so that they will start caring about their future and creating their best life before its too late. Speaking of creating a best life, my Chief Personal Bailiff, Maurise Sanders, was so impressed with the effort displayed by the man sentenced to cut grass that Bailiff Sanders offered to buy the man a lawn mower once he gets out of drug treatment. This way, instead of going back to stealing lawnmowers, he can use the experience of his negative interaction with the legal system as a turning point and go from outlaw to entrepreneur. That’s being a Cycle Breaker!
East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!
To receive a copy of his newsletter reach out by:
Thursday, August 8, 2013
YOUR ATTITUDE IS NOT MY ATTITUDE!
We’ve been talking about the “Cycle Breaker” movement and specifically about what it takes to be a “Cycle Breaker.” Keep in mind, it is imperative that we all become Cycle Breakers. If you care about the future of your country, you have to be a Cycle Breaker. If you care about the future of your community, you have to be a Cycle Breaker. If you care about the future of your family, you have to be a Cycle Breaker. As I have said time and time again, to sit on the sidelines and watch our youth fall behind in education, our communities become more violent or our human value to be depleted is not an option. Our success is connected. If the community is failing we are all in danger. So, let’s go Cycle Breakers with part 4: Tell negative people that “Your attitude is not my attitude.”
Everyday that I’m on the bench I hear at least one defendant say, as an excuse for his or her actions, that “I was mad because.....” or I hear “I was doing o.k. until _____ set me off.” My response is normally the same, I am shocked and disappointed that people appear in Court and face a $1,000 fine and six months in jail because they allowed someone else’s attitude to become theirs.
One of my favorite life skills programs, offered at the East Cleveland Municipal Court, is on the development of Emotional Intelligence. In a nut shell, development of Emotional Intelligence, or the ability to recognize and mange your emotions, will keep you from letting someone else determine your moods and ultimately your actions.
I know that I’m making the ability to control your own attitude in the face of negativity from other people sound easy. The truth is that it is not easy. It takes education, dedication and grit.
- Education: learning about emotionalism. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time in classes, at seminars, reading and researching on the concepts of Emotional Intelligence. I believe that you have to take the time to learn about and identify your own inner emotions in order to be able to control out side situations.
- Dedication: being able to maintain a positive attitude in the face other people being aggressively negative. Being positive, as a constant state, is hard when we are constantly surrounded by people who are negative. From the clerk at McDonald’s, when you go to get your morning coffee, to the first person to greet you in the morning, some people are purposely negative and they don’t mind spreading their negativity and putting it on you. Stay dedicated to being a person who spreads positive vibes. Being able to spread your positive attitude while brushing off the negativity will open many doors and possibilities to you and keep you out of jail.
- Grit: the ability to stay the course even when it seems no one is on the same page with you. One very important principle to remember when battling the influence of the negative attitudes is that no matter how hard you try, you can not change the attitudes of other people. We all have independent spirits and free will. If a person is set on being negative, there is nothing you can do to change them. Don’t spend your valuable time trying to change other people, just let them be. As a Judge who is a Cycle Breaker, I have to work on this principle on the daily basis. My Judicial approach is from the belief that my calling as Judge of the East Cleveland Municipal Court is for me to help people realize their greatest potential. However, there are times when I have to accept the fact that I can not force people to change. In fact, there are people who deserve the six months in jail that I sentence. So take this principle with you in your battle against negative attitudes. Don’t try to change people, just make sure they don’t infect you with their issues.
At the end of the day, we all have the potential to control our destiny. Don’t let another person’s attitude bring you down. If you allow another person to cause your appearance in my Court, to pay a fine and face the possibility of jail time, not only do you deserve the penalties you get, but you are approaching personal destruction. Don’t fall into the cycle of being negative. Instead, be a Cycle Breaker and tell negative people that “Your attitude is not my attitude.”
East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!
Judge Dawson offers leadership and life skills training every Monday at 5:30pm.
To receive a copy of his newsletter reach out by:
Thursday, August 1, 2013
GET OUT OF JAIL
Real Talk with Judge Dawson
In the East Cleveland Court I make it my business to see people who are arrested and spending time in the city jail on a daily basis. When people from the jail are brought to my Courtroom its either for the purpose of setting a bond or to move their case forward. Most of the time I hear about the horrible the conditions of the city jail. I acknowledge that jails are not the most comfortable places in the world, in fact they shouldn’t be, but I am always intrigued by the persons who come up from jail with a pleasant and cooperative attitude. I’ve determined that these people understand at least one of the principles of being a Cycle Breaker.
Cycle Breaker Truth: You can bring about the desired improved conditions in your outward life if you commit to improving your inner life. In other words, you have to free yourself from your mental jail in order to live a free and productive life.
Commit to Improvement: All of my workshops and seminars are based on the ideal that in order to change your life you have to want to change and then actually commit to changing it. So many people make a lackluster attempt to change but fail due to their lack of commitment. When a tragedy strikes people call me and talk about the Cycle Breaker/Finish First programs, but when the hype dies down no one cares to volunteer, no one is interested in self improvement and no one is concerned with helping others change their lives. Commitment to improvement is a key to breaking free from your mental bondages and jail.
Mental Discipline: In the workshops that I conduct at the East Cleveland Municipal Court, we have an exercise where we finish this sentence, “nothing great was ever achieved without ____.” I love when the answer is discipline. In order to make positive change or break free of your mental jail you have to exercise the practice of discipline every day. Start with something as simple as making the bed or reading a positive affirmation before you leave the house. Daily exercise makes your muscles strong and the discipline muscle must be strong in order to be a Cycle Breaker.
Eradicate Your Weakness: In order to make positive change, you must identify your weaknesses. Once you identify your weakness you can then fight to get rid of them. If your weakness is being lazy, get up as soon as your mind wakes up (sometimes that before your eyes open). If your weakness is poor physical health, resolve to walk during lunch. If your weakness is the opposite sex, make sure that you stay away from that temptation. Whatever your weaknesses are, you must destroy them so that you can get out of that particular mental jail.
Tap into the Spirit of Success: We are all born to be great. In order to break out of your mental jail you first must realize that you have a birthright to be free. When you meditate allow your mind to travel beyond your current boundaries. See yourself being in the places you desire to be. See yourself achieving the goals you want to achieve. When you realize and tap into this right to freedom and expand your mind, you will never allow your mind to be jailed again.
Understanding that getting out of jail is as much as a mental exercise as a physical one. I now can appreciate the people who come before me who, after spending time in the city jail, are pleasant and respectful. They understand that when your mind is free it doesn’t matter where your physical body is located. Eventually, your body will reach the level of your improved mind.
East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!
To receive a copy of his newsletter reach out by:
www.teamfinishfirst.com
Friday, July 26, 2013
Where Do We Go From Here?
We’ve been talking about the “Cycle Breaker” movement and the specifics of what it takes to be a “Cycle Breaker.” This discussion is important in the wake of the Trayvon Martin tragedy because, as a Cycle Breaker, I find it necessary to discuss surviving and thriving in this country. After the verdict, I had the opportunity to conduct an open community discussion entitled “Where Do We Go From Here?,” where we explored the Trayvon Martin story as well as solutions for moving forward.
This conversation was an addition to the regularly scheduled life skills training I conduct at the East Cleveland Municipal Court. Why do I conduct life skills trainings during my personal time? Why did I feel the need to discuss moving forward after the Trayvon Martin decision? The answer is summed up in the following quote:
“ Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why. - Bernard Baruch.
My calling as Judge is to ask why and to search for the answers. Though I extended an open invitation to the Cleveland community and though I received many “likes” about the event on FaceBook, my Courtroom was not filled to capacity. I wasn’t surprised by the low attendance because the tendency in the Black community is to rise up when either our emotions are triggered or when someone or something else is the focus but not when we have to change ourselves. We showed up at the rally’s to elect President Obama, we show up at entertainment events and we showed up to march while demanding justice for Trayvon Martin. However, we fail to show up when the subject is personal responsibility, accountability or self-improvement.
In addition to the programs that I offer at the East Cleveland Municipal Court, people are doing exciting things in every community that help to give us empowerment and education. However these events are not the popular events. Let’s ask ourselves, how many people show up at the local high school graduations to encourage the students to continue on their path of success? How many people show up when a hospital is closing in the community? How many people show up when a local Judge takes time out of his personal life to hold a conversation on surviving and thriving in our community? The answer is “Not Many.”
When the focus is on our personal accountability, responsibility and growth, we change the subject. When the focus is on obeying the law so that you don’t find yourself or your family in my Court, we change the subject. When the focus is on touchy subjects like drug use, alcoholism or unwed pregnancies and how they place challenges on parent’s and children's lives, we change the subject. When the focus is on delayed gratification as opposed to sacrificing for a positive future, we change the subject. In order to be a “Cycle Breaker,” and improve the fabric of our communities, we have to show up and have these hard discussions. We have to show up when the benefit of the gathering is self reflection and education. It’s great to rally and march for the larger causes, but when are we going position ourselves for the betterment of our own lives and the betterment of our communities?
The next component of being a CYCLE BREAKER, as set out in my manual 12 Things You Can Do Now to Be a Cycle Breaker, available on www.judgedawson.com, is making a decision to stop or break the cycle.
- After identifying the negative situation you must make the decision to stop the cycle in your life or help end the cycle in your family, community or world. “Get Up, Get Out & Do Something.”
To look at yourself and identify your own negative situations takes courage. The next step is to make the decision, the commitment to break the cycle. Marching is effective and has its place but if we are going to really improve our community the change must start with us. After the media attention dies down and the rally’s have ended, what are we going to do to keep the movement alive? I suggest that we all continue to improve the lives that are nearest to us. Take the personal initiative to get up, get out and to do something!
East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!
To receive a copy of his newsletter reach out by:
www.teamfinishfirst.com
Thursday, July 18, 2013
We Need To Re-Sensitize Our Consciousness
Cycle Breaker Pt.3
We Need to Re-Sensitize Our Consciousness
In my quest to be a Cycle Breaker, I am constantly reading, researching and studying criminal behavior and self improvement. I recently listened to a presentation where a man analyzed some of the issues in the Black community. The speaker gave the following assertions:
- Blacks have been killed at higher rates than any other group of people in America;
- Blacks have committed murders at higher rates than any other group in America;
- Blacks have the highest population in our prisons;
- Blacks are the highest number of people infected with STD’s in America;
- Blacks infect people with STD’s more than any other group in America;
- Blacks have more unwanted pregnancies and abortions than any other group in America.
In summary, Black people are 1/8th of the population but 4/8ths of the murder victims, 1/8th of the population but 5/8ths of the killers, 1/8th of the population but 4/8ths of the prisoners. 1/8th of the population but 5/8ths of those infected with STD’s.
I must admit that I feel very uncomfortable with these facts. I feel uncomfortable because first, these are the same statistics that I have heard my entire life. Though the Black community has made many advances, our negative and destructive behavior has increased. To be honest, I felt most uncomfortable with these assertions because the person giving this presentation was a White Male.
In the last article I discussed that, to be a Cycle Breaker, we have to take a look at ourselves and our community to identify changeable negative situations and circumstances. I also mentioned that when other people analyze us we naturally go into defense mode. The presentation that I listened to was an analysis of the negativity and destruction that we know exists in our community and, though it was the truth, it was hard to hear.
Here is the Cycle Breaker big picture: the reason that these statistics exist in our community, the reason that we commit crimes at a higher rate, the reason that we go to jail as a natural occurrence, the reason that we have unwanted pregnancies and all other negative and destructive behavior is because we have lowered the standards in our community. One thing that every one of us can do to avoid the travesty that was Trayvon Martin is to raise the bar of how we respect ourselves and then demand that everyone else raise the bar in their respect for us. When we accept negative and destructive behavior in our community we are adding to the problem.
I often discuss the issues of our community with people in my court and I have come to the conclusion that we allow ourselves to get distracted with the distractions. Meaning, the things we barely control become our focus while we ignore the controllable issues that devastate our lives. I compare it to being concerned about the food burning on the grill when, behind you, the house is on fire. We have become blind to the fires burning in our community, the negative and destructive behavior, but we get outraged at the issues or events that are subtopics to our major story. Our major story is to work to better the lives of ourselves and our communities.
People, we are asleep at the wheel while our cars are heading for the cliff. We spend so much time in the club, buying clothes, getting our hair done, going on date nights etc. but little to no time helping change our community. Yet at the first chance we get, we point our fingers at “racism” or the “ghetto people” as a source of the problems we face. When are we going to take action on the second step of the “Cycle Breaker” system and take a long hard look at ourselves to determine if we are part of the change we want to see, part of the problem or just sitting on the sidelines watching?
Let me shed some light on one thing, of many, that I’m doing through the East Cleveland Municipal Court to raise the bar of what we expect from ourselves and our community. First, I started by sentencing people to come to my life skills program “Finish First” aimed at stopping negative interaction with the legal system. Then I started teaching about “Emotional Intelligence” and “How to Be a Cycle Breaker.” Now I give out a pre-sentence worksheet where I have people discover and identify their values. These exercises are aimed at getting offenders in my court to re-sensitize their consciousness. Once we are able to identify our values, we will set our behavior and expectations in line with those values. When we live up to our values, our behavior, expectations and the activity that we allow to occur in our lives will change. When we change our community and raise our standards not only will everyone have to raise their level of respect for us, we will saves lives.
To look at yourself and identify your own negative situations takes courage. See 12 Things You Can Do Now to Be a Cycle Breaker, available on www.judgedawson.com. However, it’s even harder to swallow when other people analyze what’s wrong with you, either way, to live your best life, change the community and be a Cycle Breaker, we must all take a look within.
Over the next few articles I will further define and break down the principles of what it takes to be a Cycle Breaker. These articles will highlight the instructions I set out in the manual, 12 Things You Can Do Now to Be a Cycle Breaker, available on www.judgedawson.com. I believe that with the right focus and direction we can all pursue the greatness that lies within us.
East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!
To receive a copy of his newsletter reach out by:
www.teamfinishfirst.com
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Being a Cycle Breaker Part 1.
The East Cleveland Municipal Court is on a mission to be a team of “Cycle Breakers.” In fact, my life is dedicated to the calling of being a “Cycle Breaker.” My vision as a Judge is to use this position to help empower people to become the leaders that they are destined to be, but it takes work. Everyday that I sit on the bench as Judge of the East Cleveland Court I am dedicated to using this opportunity to help people change their lives and be the best that they can be. I am proud to say that I developed this desire as early as my days as a student at Kent State University when I wrote these words on my mirror: “My mission it to positively change lives and affect policy.” Though my mission has been adjusted over the years, the underlying purpose is the same, helping people live their best lives, or as my mother used to say, help people to “Better Their Lives.” It is with that background that I began my mission as a “Cycle Breaker.”
Over the next few articles I will define and break down the principles of what it takes to be a Cycle Breaker. These articles will highlight the instructions I set out in my recently created manual for the community, 12 Things You Can Do Now to Be a Cycle Breaker, available on www.judgedawson.com. I believe that with the right direction we can all pursue the greatness that lies within us.
What is a Cycle Breaker? I first heard the phrase “breaking cycles” from State Senator Nina Turner. That one phrase not only defined my life’s journey but also my life’s purpose. After meditation and prayer I came up with the following statement that I presented to my staff and then incorporated in my training material: "If you help and inspire people to better their lives, you are a Cycle Breaker. It doesn't matter how much you do or how long you’ve been doing it. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been helping change lives for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just help and Inspire people to Break Cycles." This quote comes directly from the manual, 12 Things You Can Do Now to Be a Cycle Breaker.
It’s from this statement that I will begin to define Judge Dawson’s “Cycle Breaker” movement.
Inspiring People to Better Their Lives. We are all born to be leaders. I will discuss leadership in detail in later columns but for now take my word for it. Furthermore, there is a distinct difference between “a born leader” and people who are “born to be a leader.” The distinction is important because so many people in the African American and other minority communities believe that to be a leader you have to belong to a club that is exclusive to the rich, famous and the well educated. When I hear the position that some people are born as leaders I firmly reject it. We ALL are born to be leaders but to reach that potential we must work to become that leader. We have to purposely develop the character and qualities of a leader.
One quality of a leader is the ability to inspire people to live their best lives. In fact, if you think you are a leader but you are not inspiring people then you are not truly leading. You may be a dictator or a pretender but you are not a leader. Inspiration is a key to leadership and once you become a leader, you will naturally inspire the people around you. The next level, once you inspire people to better their lives, is becoming a Cycle Breaker. Keep in mind that breaking cycles can also be a personal effort. For example, If you recognize that drug abuse has been an issue in your family but you decide to change that behavior, you are a Cycle Breaker.Whether you are inspired to break cycles in your own life or in the lives of others, you are a Cycle Breaker.
"If you help and inspire people to better their lives, you are a Cycle Breaker.”
In the upcoming columns I will further break down the principles to become a Cycle Breaker.
East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!
To receive a copy of his newsletter reach out by:
www.teamfinishfirst.com
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