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Fashion. Beauty. Health. Lifestyle. This is what VIM Magazine is all about. But what better way to further our written conversations than through a podcast? With Love, VIM is a perfect place if you are interested and passionate about these topics or anything in between! We are here to catch you up with updates and opinions on the latest trends, news, and all to do with style at a local, national, and worldwide level. With Love, VIM is available through Impact 89FM’s website and on all major audio platforms.
With Love VIM is a podcast about fashion, beauty, and lifestyle through the eyes of college students, which is us conveniently enough.
Brandon Roberts:Hello, Justice Bolden.
JusticeBolden:Hello. How are you today? Doing well. How are you?
Brandon Roberts:I'm well. Thank you so much for joining us today. I'm so excited. I've been looking forward to this for so long. I my name's Brandon.
Brandon Roberts:I'm one of the coeditors for Vim, which is a fashion magazine on campus here at Michigan State University. And we just I have a couple of questions a couple. I have 17 written down and then a couple, like, quick ones. But we can cut any if you like or restrict, like, cut off at at 2, which is totally fine. And then yeah.
Brandon Roberts:Do you want to give, like, a little background on who you are, what you do for the magazine? Sure.
JusticeBolden:So, thank you for having me. I'm Michigan Supreme Court Justice Kyra Harris Golden. I've served on the Michigan Supreme Court now for the last year and a half after being appointed by governor Gretchen Whitmer. So my term started, January 1, 2023. I actually assumed the vacancy left by chief justice Brigette Mary McCormack.
JusticeBolden:And just a fun fact, her campaign was the first campaign I ever worked on in law school, so it was a wonderful full circle moment. Prior to becoming a justice, I was a state state legislator, for my hometown of Southfield and a few other communities as well. And then I was, before that, a civil litigator and a judicial law clerk. So I've lived in Michigan my entire life, and, honored to be in this position.
Brandon Roberts:Yeah. Ethan got an incredible resume. It's something to be jealous of just a little bit. And I actually, 2 years ago, I saw you speak here on Michigan State's campus. I went to the rally and that was it was really I mean, it was just an incredible experience.
Brandon Roberts:And so this is just like a nice little full circle moment to be able to see you in this, election cycle, which brings me to, my first question. With the upcoming election in November, what do you have to say to college students on the importance of voting?
JusticeBolden:Yeah. I can say as a former legislator and current Michigan Supreme Court justice, if you want your voice heard, if you truly believe in representation, we you know, you have to get in the game. Change will not happen with you being on the sideline. You have to exercise your right to vote. That's the only reason that people like me are able to be in positions of power.
JusticeBolden:And so if you want to see younger people, if you want to see, you know, new parents, if you want to see people in the LGBTQIA, community, if you want to see, people that are representative of the state of Michigan, you have to exercise your vote. And I will tell you that it it matters the resources that you have for your community. It determines what type of jobs you're able to have. It determines your quality of life, really and truly. And you think about the state of Michigan appropriates 1,000,000,000 of dollars, to schools, to communities for different projects and whatnot, and helps supplement the funding for college for state colleges.
JusticeBolden:Right? Yeah. All of that is very, very important. And, so when people say their vote doesn't matter, it's a small dagger to the heart because I've been at the table where who was at the table really, really mattered. Yeah.
Brandon Roberts:So your last election cycle was crazy. You were very, very pregnant. You had a lot going on. So you were just you tripped through. It was really incredible to, like, just read back on your story.
Brandon Roberts:And so I guess, how does this election cycle compare to your last one?
JusticeBolden:Oh my goodness. It's a it's a lot more difficult in some ways. Right? When I was in the in 2022, yes, I was pregnant, and I had a full time job in the legislature running a statewide race. So all of that is not easy, but at least I had, 2 terms under my belt in the state legislature.
JusticeBolden:I could do my job almost with my eyes closed. And it's a lot easier having an inside baby than an outside baby. Right? So I could carry my child with me everywhere I went. I could make sure that she was fed and nourished by feeding myself and, you know, self care.
JusticeBolden:But now that she is, 2 years old, I I have to manage a whole another human, make sure that she's okay, that she's fed, that she goes to her doctor's appointments, that she's sleeping, that she has enough water. So in a lot of ways, it's a little bit more difficult, to to try to manage and oh, and on top of the fact that I'm in a very in a new position Yeah. I'm in a very important position and and wanting to make sure I'm, giving the due attention to making sure I'm, making good decisions on behalf of Michiganders. So, very different in a lot of ways. The great thing is I have run a statewide campaign previously.
JusticeBolden:And so, you know, creating the plan for that, was probably the easy part, and just working the plan, that that we already had is is at least a little bit of
Brandon Roberts:a low. Yeah. My next question is how I so I I had an internship somewhere with a nonpartisan organization to, like, just do, like, voter education and, like, things like that. And so my question is how do you manage to remain nonpartisan in an increasingly polarizing political landscape?
JusticeBolden:Yeah. That is a very good question. A lot of people don't realize that we are prohibited not just because we're nonpartisan, but we have judicial canons, that we can be sanctioned if we if we break. You know? And as a Michigan Supreme Court justice, we're actually a part of that process.
JusticeBolden:We actually determine the sanctions for those that break our judicial canons. And so even though, you know, some things may not violate our judicial canons, I have to be extra cautious because, you know, being on the Michigan Supreme Court, we are the standard bearer for what, our other judges should be doing. And so I have really tried to explain that to people. Yeah. As they're coming from the legislature, I know sometimes people can see me or they have seen me a little bit more vocal.
JusticeBolden:So I just explained to people, you know, it's not unique to me. You don't see judges speaking their mind on any issue, because you want your judges to be neutral. You want them to be unbiased and accept the information, you know, coming to them. You don't wanna go to court and know that the judge has a preconceived notion about how your case should go. You know, I think that's a part of the having a fair opportunity to be heard.
JusticeBolden:And the one thing about me is I was a judicial law clerk before I was a litigator, before I was a legislator. So I was actually trained as a neutral, and it actually was a little bit more of mental gymnastics to try to get into the partisan. Yeah. That as opposed to, just looking for looking at cases and evaluating them on the law. So, that hasn't been difficult for me, but it does take time to explain, to folks that, you know, I'm I'm literally prohibited from speaking on certain issues.
JusticeBolden:Mhmm. Yeah.
Brandon Roberts:As a justice, what has been the most rewarding aspect of your position so far?
JusticeBolden:Yeah. So many different things. Well, I will say now I think you're my first interview since my last opinion came out. So I have, authored 8 majority opinions in a year and a half, which is, an absolute feat. And I'm thankful to the other justices, that trusted me, with being the lead voice on some very, very important decisions.
Brandon Roberts:So I'm very proud of that. I'm also very proud
JusticeBolden:of my liaison duties, and so we have task forces with the Michigan Supreme Court. I sit on the treatment court task force as the supreme court liaison as well as child welfare. And so we know that our courts are a great alternative to incarceration for those that apply. So seeing people graduate graduate and speaking at those graduations and making sure that those programs have the resources and funding that they require is definitely fulfilling, as well as child welfare, which makes sure that we have adequate representation for our children that are in our foster care system. Incredibly, very, very proud of that work that we're doing.
JusticeBolden:But other than that, I'm very, very proud of being able to stay visible and transparent. You know, just being active on social media, which is not really typical for someone in my role, but really giving people an inside look to what it's like to be a justice or at least to be me. Yeah. A justice. I can't speak for all of the justices or all of the judges, but I think we're doing something a little unique, in that space as well.
Brandon Roberts:Oh, you do have a good Instagram. I follow it. I enjoy it. So Oh, thank you.
JusticeBolden:I have to make call you back. Thanks for letting
Brandon Roberts:me know. I guess my next question would be, as a black woman, as a black mother, as, a young person in a lot in a very high court, How do you handle or fight back against the stigmas that you face, in your profession?
JusticeBolden:Yeah. I mean, I think so the number one question I get, is if I experience imposter syndrome Mhmm. Which I feel like is kind of along the same lines. And the the answer to that is no. You know, I have a track record of my work ethic in getting things done, in whatever job that I, was in.
JusticeBolden:And I think while I may be new and introduced to some people, the people that have actually worked with me, know how hard I work, to make sure that I'm doing a good job in whatever position I'm in. And that goes for being a justice, being a mom, being, you know, a good friend and a good wife. So, you know, I think it's just about bringing my entire being to the table because I think that's why I think that's why people want me there. Yeah. And to make sure that there's representation for so many different people, in so many different communities at the table.
JusticeBolden:So I don't feel pressure to change myself at all. I think I'm exactly what is needed on the court. I think that our courts and the Michigan Supreme Court should be reflective of the
Brandon Roberts:diversity, and experiences of Michiganders. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. I guess, kind of similar to this is one of, like, the last heavier, I guess, ish questions.
Brandon Roberts:What advice or is there any advice that you wish you were given as a college student navigating your future?
JusticeBolden:Yes. It's okay. You'll be fine. You know, we all go through a quarter life crisis.
Brandon Roberts:Yeah. It
JusticeBolden:it's okay. You it's okay to not have everything figured out. Right? For example, I received my degree in psychology. I thought I was gonna be a psychologist up until my senior year, And I decided, you know, it wasn't for me.
JusticeBolden:And I went to law school, and that was the best decision I've ever made. Right? And so don't, be afraid to take different opportunities, and don't be afraid of change. You know, the the worst thing that can happen is, you know, you're you're so rigid that you're not open to different opportunities and change, and then you're stuck in a place that you really, really hate. So, you know, this is your time to experience so many different things to figure out what you like and what you don't like, and it will work out.
JusticeBolden:Trust trust the process.
Brandon Roberts:K. K. Thank you. To dive into some a little more fun questions. What role does fashion play in your life personally or professionally?
Brandon Roberts:What role does Does fashion play in your life? Fashion. Oh my goodness.
JusticeBolden:You know, that's a really good question. As a state representative, there is this one random fashion blog that found me and did a whole profile on my outfit. And it was it was really cool. But now at work, we wear robes to work. So but my personal style, I always want to, make sure that I I for my specific style, I usually wear dresses, and they're usually one color because I just don't like a lot of fuss.
JusticeBolden:Mhmm. I'm usually wearing pearls. You will see pearls in probably everything, and I'm usually with the heels. So even when I was, like, 9 months pregnant going to events on the campaign trail, always had heels. So that's kind of my personal style.
JusticeBolden:I like a very, just, you know, clean, chic look. I'm starting to get into, you know, a few other, you know like, today, I have on stripe.
Brandon Roberts:You're gonna just go into it.
JusticeBolden:I guess we're matching. But now I'm kind of getting into more of a, you know, relaxed, you know, kind of dress. It's evolved, definitely. It's evolved. I asked
Brandon Roberts:it leads into my next question. Besides your judicial robes, do you have a favorite outfit?
JusticeBolden:Anything, pink or green. Okay. So I am an AKA. Okay. I'm an AKA, and our colors are peaking green.
JusticeBolden:Obviously, you see a lot of AKAs with pearls, and so that's kind of where that comes from. So yeah. I do I have a favorite outfit? I love a jumpsuit, though. Okay.
JusticeBolden:I mostly wear dresses. It's really just I like one outfit and what like, I don't like a shirt and a pants, and I have to figure that out. I just want one outfit. I love a jumpsuit.
Brandon Roberts:Very nice. Very nice. I only have one jumpsuit, and I think I've only worn it once. But maybe maybe I'll pull it back in my wardrobe.
JusticeBolden:Yeah. You just have to watch the length of the pants. That's the only thing. Yeah.
Brandon Roberts:Do you have a favorite fashion trend?
JusticeBolden:Favorite fashion trends? Oh my goodness. I love and I and I've been doing this for a while, but I love the pearls and chucks. For my wedding, actually, in 2016. I actually wore chalks under my wedding dress.
JusticeBolden:And I obviously, I wore pearls, pearl earrings. So, it I didn't start the trend, but I I will just say I've been doing that for a long time. So it's great to see that, being, widely available and accessible to everyone. Yeah.
Brandon Roberts:I liked it. I liked it. Comfortable and fashionable. It's a good one. Absolutely.
Brandon Roberts:So do you take any fashion inspiration from anybody?
JusticeBolden:Yes. I I have nobody in particular, but I really love a nice clean, like, monochromatic look. Mhmm. I really love the look of sunglasses too, but I can I always lose them? But I just, like, love the look of, like, a monochromatic outfit and sunglasses and, like, your cute hat.
JusticeBolden:I haven't really gotten, like I said, into the sunglasses and hat, but I do try to do, like, nice, simple, clean, monochromatic with some pearls.
Brandon Roberts:Gotcha. Gotcha. Okay. Yeah. No.
Brandon Roberts:I use my sunglasses all the time. But I just buy the cheap ones from Target because it's just easier. I know. Outside of fashion, what is your ideal day off for work? I actually don't know what that's like.
Brandon Roberts:So
JusticeBolden:I literally cannot remember, a time where I did not do something for work, in the last, at least, 5 years, which I know is pretty sad to say. But there you know, when you have a statewide campaign, there's always something going on. If I'm not at an event, I'm talking about the events I'm going to. Right? Yeah.
JusticeBolden:With the team. And then being a justice, so much reading, so much responding, so much editing, talking to the other justice aside from being on the bench. And so I am constantly, at least every day, doing something for work. So I'll I'll just start there. My best way to kind of unplug and relax, I love a spa day.
JusticeBolden:Okay. I love a massage. I love, water. It can be a lake. It can be a beach.
JusticeBolden:But I'm probably also looking at emails and not drawing a massage. That's like an hour I can I I get it myself? But, yes, love a water view and love a massage. Okay. What is your favorite thing about being a working mom?
JusticeBolden:Oh, my favorite thing about working mom is is really just showing my daughter, what's possible. I I truly believe it's really hard to be what you cannot see. Yeah. And you my mother worked a lot, and I don't know if I wanna work as much as she did because she worked a lot. Yeah.
JusticeBolden:But it did teach me, you know, what's possible, but, also, it taught me work ethic in order to achieve my goals. You know, nothing that comes easy is is probably worth it. Right? The the the things that are most difficult require work. And so I'm glad I got to see my mother achieve goals.
JusticeBolden:And so, I knew that I could achieve goals. And I hope that my daughter one day will know that she can achieve whatever she wants to achieve. Yeah. No. That's I like that a lot.
JusticeBolden:Being a child of
Brandon Roberts:a working mother, she she's an a middle school teacher. Middle school teacher. Thank you. For our teachers. Yes.
Brandon Roberts:Loves loves teachers so much. But being able to see your parents, whether it's your mother or your father working all the time or just working towards things that they're passionate about and what they love, it really does. Sets that example and you instills that kind of purpose to find your own purpose. So it it's working. I promise.
Brandon Roberts:So my next question is I'm assuming you already know the answer because you talked about it a little bit. But what is your favorite color?
JusticeBolden:My favorite color is actually purple.
Brandon Roberts:Okay. Not pink or green. And it's a
JusticeBolden:it's a color I don't wear at all. But I just love I love it. There's a a photo of me. I went to the NAACP Detroit dinner where I'm wearing this purple dress, and I got so many compliments. And I'm I never wear purple.
JusticeBolden:That is my absolute favorite color.
Brandon Roberts:Right. Well, maybe it's a sign to incorporate it into your work a little bit. The blending of, like, the red and blue. So, like, a good one. Absolutely.
JusticeBolden:Do you have a favorite meal? Favorite meal? Pasta.
Brandon Roberts:Okay. That no. That's a good answer.
JusticeBolden:I love pasta. I love a spaghetti. I love a chicken Parmesan. I love a cacio e pepe. I mean, just give me the pasta.
JusticeBolden:Yeah.
Brandon Roberts:Who is your favorite musical artist?
JusticeBolden:So I love Earth, Wind, and Fire. Okay. I'm an old school girly, and I still whenever Earth, Wind and Fire goes on tour, I try to catch their concert.
Brandon Roberts:Okay.
JusticeBolden:The other, artist, I guess, is maybe a little stereotypical, but I don't usually miss a Beyonce concert. Okay. Yeah. Did you get
Brandon Roberts:to go when she was here in Detroit?
JusticeBolden:I did. I did. Yes. And my roommate
Brandon Roberts:my roommate drove down to see her in Georgia, and I'm incredibly jealous. Like, a once in a lifetime. Yeah.
JusticeBolden:No. It's, visually masterful. Yeah.
Brandon Roberts:Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So Renaissance for cowboy partner.
JusticeBolden:Oh my goodness. So I will just have to say as as a Midwesterner, I'm not there there's no shade to to our southern, counterparts, but definitely Renaissance. It is gonna be summer, upbeat, fun, and I I really appreciate that album.
Brandon Roberts:Yeah. Joseph, I I also love that album so much. I have it on vinyl downstairs. Nice. Do you believe in, like, the 3, like, the 3 part act?
Brandon Roberts:And she's gonna have, like, little rock and roll album next or, like, an R and D one.
JusticeBolden:Oh, I haven't heard that.
Brandon Roberts:Yeah. And that's the I'm on I'm on little, like, Beehive Twitter, but you get in there and they talk about it. So Well, I mean, that seems to fish. She's done some rock essence songs, so that makes sense. Yeah.
Brandon Roberts:No. Because she, like, with daddy lessons in lemonade, she, like, treaded into, like, the country territory a little bit. Yes. Exactly. And then she came back with a vengeance, which I love so much.
Brandon Roberts:But Yeah. I look forward to that. And then my I have 5 questions left. And they're like, this or that. So you just pick 1.
Brandon Roberts:They do get they get a little bit dicey. I know there's some there's some hard hitters here. Okay. But my first one is flats or heels? Heels.
Brandon Roberts:K. Rings or necklaces? Ring. And then I know you so you've spent time in both, west or east Michigan?
JusticeBolden:I'll have to say east. Although I have to consider my field and I'm very west sider.
Brandon Roberts:Football or basketball?
JusticeBolden:Oh, neither. I don't like sports.
Brandon Roberts:That's okay. That's okay. And then my last one, there's there's a correct answer to this. MSU or UF?
JusticeBolden:So I am nonpartisan. I am not I am unbiased.
Brandon Roberts:So Okay. I got you. That was a good
JusticeBolden:I am neutral. I am neutral. Okay. I don't need anyone upset with me.
Brandon Roberts:Well, that was the last of my questions. Thank you so much for taking up the time on your day to talk to us. This is a project that I was so excited to work on. So thank you so much.
JusticeBolden:Well, thank you so much, Brandon. I'm following you on Instagram right now.
Brandon Roberts:Oh, thank you.
VIM:With Love VIM is a podcast and a conversation about fashion, beauty, and lifestyle through the eyes of college students. Thank you. Kisses.