The Rowan County Democratic Party monthly breakfast speaker will be N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, the first African-American woman in the North Carolina Supreme Court’s 200-year history to serve as Chief Justice.

Beasley will speak Jan. 11 at Democratic party headquarters, 1504 W. Innes St. Doors open 9:45 a.m.  She has been on the state’s highest court since 2012 and was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to serve as chief justice in March 2019.

She began her judicial career as a district court judge in Cumberland County where she served for a decade before being elected to the Court of Appeals in 2008.

While she believes passionately in having an independent judicial branch that administers justice fairly, Beasley also knows the courts can play an important role in helping people better their lives. That’s why she is working to engage schools, law enforcement, faith leaders and other stakeholders in discussions about important community issues. And by implementing online services and increasing the number of specialty courts, she’s also working to make the judicial system more accessible to all North Carolinians.

Chief Justice Beasley’s commitment to fair and accessible courts extends beyond the halls of justice. She has mentored countless students and judges, lectures at area law schools, and travels nationwide and abroad to promote the rule of law, the administration of justice, the importance of an independent judiciary and fair judicial selection.

She and her husband, Curtis Owens, have twin sons in college, Thomas and Matthew.