<p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">🚨 <strong>Please note: starting in February 2026, all Third Thursday trainings will have individual Zoom links for registration rather than a recurring link, so you will need to register each month.</strong> </p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">A Black History Month celebration honoring the legacy, leadership, and lasting impact of Black prosecutors who have shaped the justice system and continue to guide its future through excellence in service and stewardship of the public trust.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class=""><em>Eligible for 1 Hour of General CLE Credit in CA</em>. <em><em><a href="mailto:Arcelia@ProsecutorsAlliance.org">Email Arcelia Hurtado</a> regarding credit in other states.</em></em></p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class=""><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Speakers</span></strong></p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:image {"id":6967,"width":"173px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"0.6687869150386188","sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --></p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prosecutorsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Diana-Becton-2025.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-6967" style="aspect-ratio:0.6687869150386188;width:173px;height:auto" /></figure> <p><!-- /wp:image --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class=""><strong>Diana Becton</strong> is the District Attorney of Contra Costa County, the first woman and first person of color to hold the office since its founding in 1850. Among fewer than 1% of African American women serving as district attorneys nationwide, she leads an office of over 240 staff dedicated to fairness, transparency, innovation, and public safety.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">Appointed in 2017 and re-elected in 2018 and 2022, Becton previously served 22 years as a judge and was elected Presiding Judge of the Contra Costa Superior Court. She is a Past President of the National Association of Women Judges and Past Chair of the State Bar’s Council on Access and Fairness.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">A native of Oakland and a graduate of Golden Gate University School of Law, Becton also holds a Master of Theological Studies from the Pacific School of Religion.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:image {"id":6968,"width":"183px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --></p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prosecutorsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Congressman-Bell-Official-Headshot-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-6968" style="width:183px;height:auto" /></figure> <p><!-- /wp:image --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class=""><strong>Congressman Wesley Bell</strong> was born and raised in North St. Louis County and grew up in a union household that instilled in him a deep appreciation for public service and the dignity of hard work. A proud graduate of Hazelwood East High School, he earned his Bachelors at Lindenwood University and earned his law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. He began as a public defender in St. Louis, where he witnessed the barriers to fair treatment in the criminal justice system.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">In 2015, Wesley was elected to the Ferguson City Council, where he played a key role in implementing police and court reforms. His efforts helped bring about stronger police training, officer body cameras, pay raises for law enforcement, and an overhaul of the municipal court system. In 2018, he made history by defeating the incumbent to become the first Black person elected as St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">As both a prosecutor and now a Member of Congress, he has championed policies that address the root causes of crime while ensuring law enforcement has the tools necessary to keep communities safe. In Congress, Wesley continues his commitment to public service, fighting for policies that strengthen working families, advance environmental justice, and address climate change.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:image {"id":6970,"width":"194px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"0.6655900781603256","sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --></p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prosecutorsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/KimFoxx_-headshot-1.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-6970" style="aspect-ratio:0.6655900781603256;width:194px;height:auto" /></figure> <p><!-- /wp:image --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class=""><strong>Kim Foxx</strong> is a distinguished public servant who served two terms as the Cook County State’s Attorney, leading the second-largest prosecutor’s office in the United States. Elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020, Foxx advanced a sweeping reform agenda centered on transparency, accountability, and community-focused justice. She guided Cook County through one of the most consequential periods of wrongful conviction review in its history, resulting in more than 200 exonerations. Foxx was also instrumental in the elimination of cash bail in Illinois and played a key role in the legalization of marijuana, advocating for policies that addressed historic inequities in drug enforcement and ensured meaningful pathways for expungement.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">Raised in Cabrini-Green—one of the most notorious public housing complexes in the country—Foxx’s dedication to justice is deeply informed by her lived experience with poverty and systemic inequity. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Southern Illinois University and her Juris Doctor from the Southern Illinois University School of Law, grounding her public service career in both rigorous training and personal conviction.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">Foxx’s professional journey reflects a sustained commitment to children, families, and community well being. She began her career as an Assistant Cook County Public Guardian, representing children in foster care, and later served 12 years as an Assistant State’s Attorney. Prior to her election as State’s Attorney, Foxx served as Chief of Staff to the President of the Cook County Board, where she oversaw a $5 billion annual budget and coordinated major policy initiatives across county systems.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">Her civic leadership extends beyond government service. Foxx has served as Board Chair of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, on the board of the Alphawood Foundation, and as President of Free Spirit Media, demonstrating a deep and ongoing commitment to reproductive rights, arts and culture, youth development, and equitable community empowerment.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">Today, Foxx remains a nationally respected voice in criminal justice reform and civic leadership, dedicated to building a safer, fairer, and more just society.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:image {"id":6971,"width":"229px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"1.2746165264720435","sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --></p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prosecutorsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Stephanie-Morales-Headshot-e1769708220744.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-6971" style="aspect-ratio:1.2746165264720435;width:229px;height:auto" /></figure> <p><!-- /wp:image --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class=""><strong>Portsmouth Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie N. Morales</strong> is a native of the City of Portsmouth. She is a 2001 graduate of I. C. Norcom High School, a 2004 magna cum laude graduate of Norfolk State University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree and a 2009 graduate of The College of William and Mary School of Law, where she received her Juris Doctor. Attorney Morales is a wife and mother of four children and a member of the Portsmouth Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. On February 10, 2015, Mrs. Morales was the first woman to be elected Commonwealth’s Attorney in the City of Portsmouth.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:image {"id":6983,"width":"210px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"0.742594530645675","sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --></p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prosecutorsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Monique-Worrell-Headshot.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-6983" style="aspect-ratio:0.742594530645675;width:210px;height:auto" /></figure> <p><!-- /wp:image --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class=""><strong>Monique H. Worrell </strong>is the state attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida, serving as the chief prosecutor for Orange and Osceola counties. Elected in November 2020 and re-elected by an overwhelming majority in November 2024, she is the second African American to be elected state attorney in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">Mrs. Worrell made Central Florida her home in 1996 after earning her law degree from the University of Florida. She began her career as a public defender in Orange County before transitioning to private practice, focusing on criminal justice. Later, she served as a clinical law professor at the University of Florida College of Law. There, she founded and directed the Criminal Justice Center, creating opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience and specialized education in criminal law. She also developed the Your Future, Your Choice program to educate youth on their rights and responsibilities, reflecting her commitment to keeping young people out of the criminal justice system.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">Mrs. Worrell went on to lead the Conviction Integrity Unit at the Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, investigating wrongful conviction claims. This experience deepened her commitment to systemic change within the criminal justice system. She also served as the chief legal officer for a nonprofit focused on criminal justice reform.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class="">Mrs. Worrell was elected to address deep-rooted issues in the criminal legal system and remains dedicated to advancing fairness and justice.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class=""><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Moderator</span></strong></p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:image {"id":5412,"width":"183px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --></p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prosecutorsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Danielle-Smith-Headshot.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-5412" style="width:183px;height:auto" /></figure> <p><!-- /wp:image --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p class=""><strong>Danielle Smith</strong> is the Prosecutors Alliance’s Senior Counsel for Prosecutor Engagement. She previously served as Director of Diversion & Special Projects at the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where she built innovative alternatives to incarceration through community-based diversion and treatment-focused programs. She also worked as a prosecutor in the City of St. Louis and has experience in civil litigation and legislative policy. A trusted leader and mentor, Danielle is recognized for building partnerships, driving reform, and advancing equity in the justice system.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p>