Letitia James was hurled into the history books when she became the first African American and first woman to be elected as the attorney general of New York.
But just being the “first” is not what people should hang their hats on. James told 1010 WINS Anchor Larry Mullins, “There's a lot of firsts in politics, and in public service and in government, but I know a lot of firsts that do absolutely nothing, so I’m not really impressed with the title 'the first.'” Reflecting on something her mother told her, James said, “What do you do with your title? What do you do with your success? How do you improve the life of others? How do you fight for others?” Because she doesn’t believe the hype, she says, “I just do the work!”
James grew up in a family of eight in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and was taught at an early age to “never be afraid to challenge the system,” and so she became a lawyer and went into a life of public service, eventually becoming a member of the New York City Council and public advocate before becoming A.G.
There were those, however, who doubted her ability to do the job. “When I ran for office it was difficult. I was running against major forces who did not believe in my ability to serve as the chief law enforcement officer of New York. All of those individuals, I’ve disproved them of this notion. We are working hard and on top of our game and engaging in litigation.”
James told Mullins: “Every day I wake up with this fire in my belly. I walk into the office and I’m just amazed I’m here.” As an admitted workaholic, she even works on weekends, and while people in the city know her, she is going to other parts of the state so she can get to know them.
There are many issues that her office tackles and champions, but a significant amount of her time is spent “defending the state of New York and states’ rights,” James said. And so when Washington rolls back rules, “I have a duty and a responsibility to stand up and that’s exactly what we’re doing. It’s not personal, it’s about the rule of law!”