HNM: How would you motivate Judge Marilyn Milian: “Oh God, I HNM: What is a lesson you carry
somebody to follow his or her dreams? don’t! I work in a different state. I live with you and why?
in Miami and I work in New York and
Judge Marilyn Milian: “I do a lot of that’s bad. I fly to New York 3 days out Judge Marilyn Milian: “That was the
public speaking in schools and high of every two weeks to tape. But when most important lesson that my parents
schools, and that is the one thing that I I’m gone, I’m gone and that’s hard with ever told me and taught me was to have
hold dearest to my heart, because I was three daughters, I have a 13 year old, an confidence. I guess the greatest thing
blessed with parents who never put a 11 year old and a 7 year old. It’s hard they ever gave me was that kind of con-
ceiling on me, so I feel that way for when they want to talk to me or need fidence; you have to believe in yourself
everybody. It wasn’t until I became an some advice they can only call; but otherwise you are not going have any-
adult and met different people that I under the circumstances I think it’s nice body else who will believe in you.”
realized that other people aren’t in the that I get to be a stay at home Mom
same tradition. Even my husband, who when I’m in Miami and still be able to HNM: What is your motto?
has a genius IQ, was in college and sort work. I have the best of both worlds,
of finding himself. He had a double and I think the secret to balancing fam- Judge Marilyn Milian: “You know
major in English and Philosophy and ily life and a profession is yes you can because of the profession I am in and
then remained a bartender at T.G.I. Fri- have it all; you just can’t have it all at being a mother my favorite motto is one
days. When he decided to go back to the exact same moment. You have to of the sayings that I say quite often on
school, he went to the Dean of his col- juggle and when you juggle you have to the show, my mother used to say it to
lege and asked him for a letter of rec- tolerate the sound of a plate breaking me all the time, ‘A donde tu vas, yo ya
ommendation. The Dean looked over and not overreact. Some things are just fuí me senté me tome una soda y
his transcripts and said, ‘Son, I’m very going to have to fall to the waste side.” regrese!’ Potentially it is sending the
sorry, but you are just not cut out for message that do not try to pull a roll
law school. Some people are and some HNM: What goals do you have for over my eyes. That is a pretty important
people aren’t, and I’m just not going to the future? Where do you see yourself attribute for a judge to have because
write a letter.’ My husband walked in 20 years? you spend all day long critically evalu-
away from that meeting dejected and ating what people are telling you and
upset. Ok, so, my husband calls his Judge Marilyn Milian: “¡Ay hija! you have to diametrically prove some
brother and tells him what is going on You know my life is so scripted, I can’t things and figure out who is right.”
and my brother-in-law starts yelling at tell you. When I took this job, I was tak-
him, ‘that Dean was a blank when I was ing down my office and I had spent 17 Judge Milian is no stranger to com-
in college and he’s still a blank when years in service to the state of Florida munity and philanthropic organizations.
you’re in college, and he’ll always be a between being a prosecutor and a judge. She enjoys public speaking and is very
blankety-blank! How could you let So I had stuff there from law school and dedicated to her Hispanic community.
somebody put a ceiling over you like I’m going through this stuff, some of Milian is the spokesperson for the FBI’s
that? If you want to be this, then you do this was from when I was 19 years old Safe Online Surfing (FBI-SOS) cam-
it!’ To make a story short, my husband and I’m looking at my essay and I can- paign as well as serving as an emcee for
was a federal prosecutor with the anti- not believe that at 19 I wanted to be a many charitable causes some of which
terrorism pass board at the district attor- judge and I’m seeing myself and realiz- include The Lighthouse for the Blind,
ney’s office, he was a federal prosecutor ing that my life has been so scripted and Hope for Vision, The Latino Commis-
for 17 years and circuit court judge now then I take a plunge and take a risk at sion on AIDS, South Florida’s Children
for the last six years and he’s wonderful, taking this job. When I did it, it was the Home Society and the Miami-Dade
of course he could do it! So I guess the first time in my long career that I did County Teachers Awards. She is a
short answer to your question would be something unexpected, and if there is strong supporter of education and was
to never ever allow anyone, whether it’s anything that that experience has taught the 2002 Teacher’s Making a Difference
your own parents or your teachers or me is that it is great to work hard, have campaign’s honorary judge and served
any peers around you place a glass ceil- a goal and achieve it, but it’s also really on the 2008 Board of Judges for the Tal-
ing over your head.” nice to have no clue. So the answer is I bots Women’s Scholarship Fund. In
have no idea, but the one place I want to 2003, she was an honorary host for
HNM: What is your family life like? be in 20 years is married to the same Arnold Schwarzenegger’s South Flori-
man and a great grandmother.” da Inner-City Games. HNM
WWW.HNMAGAZINE.COM Celebrating over 15 Years of Embracing Diversity 65
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84