U.S. District Judge Sunshine Sykes of U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

1/02/2025

U.S. District Judge Sunshine Sykes

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California 

c/o George E. Brown Jr. Federal Building and US Courthouse

3470 12th Street

Riverside, CA  92501

Dear U.S. District Judge Sykes,

My name is Matt Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in learning history, social justice, and criminal justice reform. In these subjects, I like to learn the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, expand on social justice to improve communities, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others. U.S. District Judge Sykes, the main reason why I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work when you served as Judge of the Riverside County Superior Court of California and as current U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California  to be very inspiring to me.

When you served as Judge of the Riverside County Superior Court of California from 2013-2022, I truly appreciated on how you were a strong supporter of civil rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights, pushing for strict sentencing for people who commit hate crimes to help protect minorities including people who are different, and investigating public places that practice different forms of discrimination. Supporting drug treatment programs to help drug users get the care they need to reduce drug abuse, expanding on resources to help victims of crime or victims of domestic violence get the help on dealing with their trauma,  and advocating with pushing for funds to improve DNA testing including forensic science to help solve evidence including cases efficiently while reduce sending an innocent person to jail is common sense for criminal justice reform. Also on criminal justice reform, I liked on how you worked on reforming juvenile justice like pushing for social workers including people who have expertise to help juveniles who come from poor families or have struggles with mental health or a disability to get help and advocate for the need for a mental health court to provide people who struggle with mental health to get into treatment instead of strict sentencing. Also I liked on how you advocated for the need for Native Americans to have rights and for their reservations to get help on education or other issues.  In June 2022, I was amazed on how you made history on becoming the first Native American woman to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In your current role as U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, I like on how you are a continuous strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights and criminal justice reform. Another thing that I like about your work in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California is how you continue to support protection of civil liberties like the 4^th amendment to help protect people from unreasonable searches. 

U.S. District Judge Sykes, have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advanced subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts in different settings including social settings, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability.  On Youtube “Judge and Intern Forge Lasting Bond Through Shard Native Heritage”, I enjoyed learning about your life on navigating law career as a Native American, how you work hard to overcome struggles from being poor along as a Native American where it is hard to be appreciated or when Native American rights are ignored, and many others.  Your role as former Judge of the Riverside County Superior Court of California and as current U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California helps give me motivation to continue to learn history, social justice, and criminal justice reform. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others. 

I strongly believe that you are making a great difference. I’m very proud on how you are working hard to support civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights and expand while advocate for criminal justice reform. You truly inspire me to work hard on my disability, learn about your work, and continue to learn different subjects. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to make a great difference for society.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick