Merceria Ludgood and Mary Redditt
Recorded
October 30, 2023
Archived
October 30, 2023
40:40 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
mby023247
Description
Mary Reddit (62) interviews her colleague and friend County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood (70) about her life of public service, what she wishes more people knew about the justice system, and how she would like to be remembered.Subject Log / Time Code
Merceria (M) describes what drew her to a life of public service. M says she comes from a big family and her mother was very involved in her community.
M says her faith also plays a role in her public service and reaffirms her commitment to it.
M explains why she decided to run for the seat of Mobile County Commissioner.
M expresses her approach to representing and governing everyone in her district, despite constituents' political leaning.
M says she grew up in a segregated society and that compelled her to want to pursue law and justice work.
M say she wishes more people knew that social economic class, race, and national origin make a difference when someone is standing before the justice system.
M adds that Mobile's judiciaries need to be more diverse.
M describes how in Alabama there is an tendency to criminalize things rather than to consider the root causes of issues.
M says she met her partner at law school. She says she and her partner have shared values.
M shares why she started the Mobile County Remembrance Project.
M says attending college at the University of Alabama was her first integrated schooling experience. She recalls her first year roommates' parents not letting their daughter stay in the room once they learned Merceria was African-American.
M says she is most proud of the work she's done aimed at making things better.
M shares she hopes people will stand up and give a voice to the voiceless.
M shares how she would like to be remembered.
Participants
- Merceria Ludgood
- Mary Redditt