Letitia James is a remarkable person who serves as the Attorney General of New York. She fights for justice, protects people's rights, and takes on powerful forces that harm individuals or communities. Her work inspires many.
1) Each day, millions of police officers do the selfless work of putting their lives on the line to protect civilians, frequently responding to or preventing crises completely with no recognition.
Every day, countless police officers bravely risk their lives to keep people safe. They handle emergencies and stop dangerous situations without expecting any praise or thanks. They are true heroes who deserve our appreciation and respect.
2) I come from a long line of very strong, tough women. We stick to our principles and stand up for what we believe in, which is fundamental fairness, which is my raison d'etre.
I come from a family of strong, brave women. We always follow our values and defend what we think is right. Fairness is the most important thing to me, and it's the reason why I exist.
3) I just try to fight for the underdog and try to fight for those who are locked out of the sunshine of opportunity.
I fight for the underdog and those who don't have the same opportunities as others. I want everyone to have a chance to succeed and be happy in life, especially those who have been left behind or ignored.
4) Being underpaid once shouldn't condemn you to a lifetime of inequality.
Getting paid less than you deserve shouldn't mean you'll always be treated unfairly. It's not fair to be stuck in a cycle of unequal pay forever. Everyone deserves equal opportunities to succeed and be rewarded fairly.
5) Only when we ensure that the mistakes of our past are not the vision for our future, will we truly have achieved justice.
True justice is achieved when we learn from our past mistakes and use them to create a better future. We must not repeat the same errors but instead strive for progress and fairness.
6) Our schools should be sanctuaries of learning, not nightmares of cruel and racist behavior.
Schools should be safe and welcoming places where we can learn and grow, not places filled with cruelty and racism. Everyone deserves to feel respected and supported, regardless of their race or background.
7) I've been independent all of my life.
Being independent means doing things on your own without relying on others. It can be empowering and liberating to take charge of your life and make decisions for yourself. Independence allows you to be self-reliant and follow your own path.
8) I've known struggle.
Struggles are familiar to me.
9) Wage discrimination lasts forever. The disparity haunts women beyond their years in the labor force, impacting how much they save for retirement and ultimately receive Social Security benefits.
Wage discrimination keeps affecting women even after they stop working. It stays with them, affecting their savings for retirement and the amount of Social Security benefits they receive later in life. The impact is long-lasting and unfair.
10) The reflex of police officers when making the decision whether to use force and on what scale, must not be a result of instinctive bias but of objective and discernible factors. As the enforcers of law and order, they have to adhere to the letter of the law and minimize the taints of biases and lifelong social conditioning.
When police officers decide whether to use force, they should base it on clear factors, not biased instincts. They must follow the law and avoid letting personal biases or societal influences affect their actions.
11) I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth.
I didn't have a rich or privileged upbringing. I had to work hard and earn everything on my own. I didn't have special advantages handed to me from the start.
12) Within New York City and the state, families in need face a confusing hodgepodge of supplemental rental assistance programs, many of which are ineffective individually and all of which are clearly ineffective in the aggregate.
In New York City and the state, families who need help with rent have to deal with many different assistance programs. Unfortunately, these programs don't work well on their own, and when combined, they still don't solve the problem effectively.
13) Our system of government works best when there are checks and balances led by independent entities that are empowered to conduct fair and rigorous oversight. These are the same principles enshrined in the founding document of our country - our Constitution.
Our government works well when different groups keep an eye on each other and make sure everything is fair. This is like having referees in a game. These rules are written in our Constitution, which is like the rulebook for our country.
14) For all the manufactured 'Republican versus Democrat' drama that dominates today's cable news and political rhetoric, the most striking feature of our present-day democracy is not the partisan divide - it's a corrupt system that protects incumbents from the consequences that real democracy brings.
Today's news often focuses on the fight between Republicans and Democrats, but the real problem with our democracy is something else. The system is corrupt and favors politicians who are already in power, instead of allowing true democracy to hold them accountable.
15) The scales of justice often, in my head, are unbalanced. And so my job is to try to balance out those scales.
Sometimes, I feel like fairness is not always there. My job is to make things fair by balancing the scales of justice. I work to ensure everyone gets treated equally and that things are made right.
16) The NYPD has taken steps to engage marginalized communities and attempts to bridge gaps between these neighborhoods and those sworn to protect and serve them.
The NYPD is making efforts to connect with marginalized communities and build trust between them and the police. They want to close the gap and create a better relationship between these neighborhoods and the officers who are supposed to keep them safe.
17) On the local, state, and federal levels, the government is working alongside veteran organizations and other stakeholders to provide services such as medical assistance, employment resources, and housing support to veterans and their dependents and survivors. However, there are still gaps in services that must be rectified.
The government, along with veteran groups, is helping veterans and their families with things like healthcare, jobs, and housing. They're working together to fill the gaps in services, but there are still some things that need to be fixed.
18) The reality is that I've been counted out for a very long time and people continue to underestimate me and I continue to overperform.
Despite being underestimated and counted out, I keep proving people wrong by achieving more than expected. It's a reality that I've faced for a long time, but it fuels my motivation to exceed expectations.
19) I've got a moral center.
Having a moral center means having a strong sense of what is right and wrong. It guides our decisions and actions, helping us make choices that align with our values and treat others with fairness and respect.
20) The Internet serves as a channel of endless information through which individuals now access the news, employment opportunities, education, entertainment, etc.
The Internet is like a magical gateway that gives us access to so much information! We can use it to read the news, find jobs, learn new things, and have fun. It's like having a whole world at our fingertips.
21) For generations America and its institutions have refused to acknowledge the true severity of the harm that domestic violence imposes on our society.
For a long time, America and its institutions have ignored how harmful domestic violence is to our society. They haven't recognized or understood just how serious the impact of domestic violence can be.
22) As a Public Advocate for the City of New York, I will be working with the Administration for Children's Services and others to bring about necessary reforms - and ensure that our city meets its most solemn responsibility - protecting the welfare of our children.
As a Public Advocate for New York City, my job is to work with the Administration for Children's Services and others to make important changes. We want to make sure that our city fulfills its important duty of keeping children safe and well taken care of.
23) Dysfunction in Washington has stalled any meaningful federal action on gun control. So it's increasingly up to big cities like New York to take bold steps to get weapons off our streets and change the national discourse.
The lack of progress in Washington on gun control has caused a problem. That's why cities like New York are stepping up to make a difference by taking strong actions to remove guns from the streets and shift the conversation across the country.
24) It's clear that the NYPD has prioritized creating a force as diverse as the vibrant city it protects.
The NYPD wants its police force to reflect the diverse and lively city it serves. They value having officers from different backgrounds and cultures to better understand and connect with the community they protect.
25) It is imperative that we set the national example and make it clear that companies seeking to do business in New York City cannot be allowed to treat their workers like second-class citizens.
We must lead by example and show that companies in New York City should treat their workers fairly. We can't let them treat employees poorly. It's important to make sure everyone is respected and valued.
26) To my dismay, inadequate signage, non-ADA-compliant ramps, narrow doorways, and poorly placed voting machines are preventing hundreds of thousands of people from exercising one of our most basic rights as Americans.
Sadly, many people are being prevented from exercising their right to vote due to problems like confusing signs, ramps that aren't accessible, small doorways, and voting machines in inconvenient places. This is unfair and stops hundreds of thousands of Americans from participating in elections.
27) Some contractors force workers to provide paybacks to keep their jobs. Others intentionally misclassify workers to underpay them - by, for example, paying a skilled construction worker as a general laborer.
Sometimes, certain contractors make workers give back part of their pay to keep their jobs. Other times, they purposely label workers as lower-skilled to pay them less. For example, they might pay a skilled construction worker as if they were just a regular laborer.
28) Telling the truth about domestic violence - and those who shield it - should not be punished.
It's important to speak the truth about domestic violence and the people who protect those responsible. We shouldn't be punished for bringing these issues to light. Transparency and accountability are necessary for change.
29) Is the truth about domestic violence and those who enable it more important than a company's corporate partnerships? I think so.
Yes, the truth about domestic violence and its enablers is crucial and should take priority over corporate partnerships. Protecting and supporting victims is more important than maintaining relationships that may compromise justice and the well-being of individuals affected by domestic violence.
30) When it comes to climate change and the environment, President Donald Trump is plain wrong.
President Donald Trump's views on climate change and the environment are simply incorrect. The evidence overwhelmingly shows that climate change is real and human activity is a major factor. It's important to listen to scientific consensus and take action.
31) Human-induced climate change is real, and the evidence is right in front of us. It threatens our shores. It promises to bring intense heat waves and powerful storms. It has the power to disrupt our economy, endanger our food supply, and imperil global stability. We must take action to stop it.
Climate change caused by humans is a real problem, and we can see the proof. It puts our coasts at risk, brings extreme heat and strong storms, and can harm our economy, food, and global stability. We need to act now to prevent it.
32) As a Public Advocate for the City of New York, I must speak truth to power and do what is best for our City and its residents.
As a Public Advocate for New York City, my job is to stand up for the truth and make decisions that benefit our city and its people. I am here to represent the residents and ensure their needs are met.
33) I say that our economic future is in the new technology that will lead to more fuel-efficient cars and cleaner energy.
I believe our economy will thrive by embracing new technology. This means creating cars that use less fuel and finding cleaner energy sources. These advancements will not only help the environment but also improve our economic prospects for the future.
34) We must simply do every single thing in our power to protect our children from abuse and help them live healthy, prosperous lives.
We must do everything we can to keep children safe from harm and support their well-being. By taking action and providing a nurturing environment, we can ensure they have a bright and successful future.
35) The Office of Attorney General should be independent and the Office of Attorney General should have the power to investigate without the approval of the governor of the state of New York. It's absolutely critically important.
The Office of the Attorney General should be its own boss and have the authority to investigate without needing the governor's permission in New York. This is super important to make sure they can do their job effectively.
36) I come from humble beginnings myself.
I started from a simple and modest background, just like many others. I didn't have a lot of advantages or privileges. But that hasn't stopped me from working hard and achieving success.
37) All of my life and particularly throughout my public career, I have been talking about the feminization of poverty. And one of the manifestations of the feminization of poverty is the issue of pay inequality in our society.
Throughout my life, especially during my time in the public eye, I have highlighted the problem of more women facing poverty. One example of this is the unequal pay between men and women in our society.
38) We have these events, 'Talk to Tish.' They're basically kitchen-roundtable discussions about issues in the City of New York because you can learn more by listening.
'Talk to Tish' events are like friendly conversations held in a kitchen. People gather to discuss important topics about New York City. By listening to others, we can learn a lot and understand the issues better.
39) I come from a family of eight on public assistance, my parents were separated. My mother struggled, and my father struggled.
I grew up in a big family of eight, and we relied on public assistance to get by. My parents were separated, and both of them faced difficulties. My mother and father had their own struggles.
40) I know what it's like to be on public assistance and to be unemployed. And I know what it's like to be evicted.
I've experienced being on public assistance, without a job, and even getting evicted. It was a tough time in my life, but it helped me understand and empathize with others who are going through similar challenges.
41) Part of the reason why I wanted to be involved in politics was to create and be a part of policy changes.
I got into politics because I wanted to make a difference by changing and shaping policies. It was important for me to be actively involved in creating positive transformations and being part of the decision-making process.
42) Like with all other crimes, we must, of course, treat the perpetrators of these actions as the criminals they are. But unlike with the vast majority of other crimes, justice is not delivered simply by punishing the perpetrator. This is because the harm associated with domestic violence extends far beyond the point of contact.
When people commit domestic violence, we treat them as criminals. However, unlike most crimes, punishment alone doesn't bring justice. Domestic violence causes harm that goes beyond the immediate incident, affecting many others involved.
43) Children of domestic violence, of course, suffer terrible consequences.
Children who witness domestic violence experience serious negative effects. It can harm their emotional and mental well-being, affecting their behavior and relationships. It's important to support and protect these children to help them heal and thrive.
44) New Yorkers would be shocked to learn of the conditions some construction workers in our city toil under.
If New Yorkers knew, they would be surprised to discover the tough working conditions some construction workers face in our city. It's not easy for them, and it's important to recognize and improve their situation.
45) Legally, many contractors are required to pay a prevailing wage. However, bad actors often find ways to get around this requirement.
Some contractors have to pay a specific minimum wage by law. Unfortunately, some dishonest people try to avoid following this rule and find loopholes to pay less than they should.
46) The workers who get hurt by corner-cutting often do not realize they are being wronged. Even when they do, they do not have the support and resources to fight back. Without a union to stand behind them, these workers are forced to stay in bad jobs or face no job at all.
Sometimes, workers don't realize they're being treated unfairly when safety shortcuts are taken. Even if they do, they may lack support to fight back. Without a union, they feel stuck in bad jobs or risk being jobless.
47) While New York City cannot prevent other jurisdictions from selling firearms, it has taken a powerful stance against guns by divesting pension funds from gun manufacturers.
Even though New York City can't stop other places from selling guns, it has found a powerful way to oppose them. It decided to take its money away from companies that make guns, showing its strong disapproval.
48) Walmart markets its gun department as 'sports and outdoors,' but let us get one thing straight: They are not just selling hunting rifles.
Walmart labels its gun section as 'sports and outdoors,' but don't be fooled: they sell more than just hunting rifles.
49) New York City must divest the hundreds of millions of dollars we have invested in Walmart for far too long, dollars that are only fueling violence and undermining the greater public interest. Once our nation's largest city does so, I know other states and municipalities will follow suit.
New York City should stop investing its money in Walmart because it supports violence and goes against what is best for the public. If the city takes this step, other places will likely do the same.
50) Under the not-so-watchful eye of ACS, children continue to die avoidable deaths. This is beyond unacceptable and betrays our moral conscience.
Even though ACS is supposed to watch over children, they're still dying unnecessarily. This is completely wrong and goes against our sense of right and wrong.
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