I have had the pleasure of appearing before Judge Randa Trapp (Ret.) on a few occasions when she was on the bench. Not only is she a brilliant jurist, but she has made history by being the “first” many times throughout her extraordinary career. 

Judge Trapp was in junior high during the Civil Rights Movement, at a time when students at her school received used and tattered books and other materials. Judge Trapp joined students in a walkout to address the lack and quality of school resources and materials. “We walked out for a better education. We wanted teachers that looked like us --- we didn’t have many or have any. We wanted things to be equal,” Judge Trapp said.  

Judge Trapp’s experiences inspired her legal career and her commitment to equality, despite her having few role models at the time. She earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, and thereafter worked as a prosecutor with the state Attorney General’s Office and as in-house counsel with San Diego Gas & Electric/Sempra Energy. In those positions, Judge Trapp said that she was either the first Black attorney to be hired or only one of a couple Black attorneys. 

In 2003, Judge Trapp became just the third Black woman appointed to the bench of the San Diego Superior Court. In 2021, she retired from the bench as the first Black supervising judge in the civil division. 

Judge Trapp is a role model for young lawyers and women of color to pursue their dreams, and I am grateful that she has worked to improve and increase diversity within our community and also break barriers for those coming up behind her.