 Thanks, welcome everyone. We have the honor of having with us today two of my favorite people anywhere and they should be yours too, if you pay attention. Sandra Sims, retired judge, thought leader, and just an overall fine, fine person. And I have that on good authority from her entire family. And Louise Ng, one of our leading character leaders in the bar in all respects. Hey, I don't think it's possible to think of things that disbar association and especially the women in the bar association have done. That's been really legacy building stuff that Louise has not been right in the thick of and at the forefront of. So thank you folks for being here. My softball question to you, digging deep. What from 2020 can we take and build on into 2021 that helps take us in a direction of hope and faith? I defer to the judge. I was going to defer to the thought leader, but okay, but you know, for me it's, there's some intense personal stuff involved with this as well as most of you know, we began this year with, you know, with my husband very seriously ill and undergoing treatments for cancer. And this is before the COVID kind of hit. And so we had gone through quite a bit up at the beginning of this year and he passed away. And it was just before the reality of the COVID was beginning to hit. I mean, we were able to do visits and things like that, but once the kind of COVID thing, all of a sudden visits were cut down. And in his last hospital stay was without, was going to be without the benefit of having family come and stay with him by doing those last times. And as difficult as that was, we were just getting ready for the worst of things to come. He left peaceably. And once he was, I'll just share a funny part about it, but once we had actually arranged to have a hospice at home and we were going to bring him home and have him put in the living room in a hospital setup. They were all thinking, and I was just kind of in a fall. I'm not sure how, but my kids are great about, we're gonna do this and dad, you can come home and be at home. Well, if you know my husband and Chuck, you know, and he's kind of was an avid golfer, jazz guy and dog guy and all this other stuff. And I think the day that we actually told him we were gonna bring him home and he was gonna be in the bed and the hospice at home. I think he kind of went and like, oh, hell no, I'm not going home and the living room and have you guys look at me like I'm in some zoo. And he passed that night, literally. And I honestly believe that's, so we began the year with that. And that's been hard. It's been hard. And then we go into the COVID, but what, and then the elections and all of that. But in the midst of all of this jest drama and craziness, there were always people who came forward for whatever reasons. And all the timeliness, there were always, and not just sympathetic, but just people being incredibly generous and thoughtful and kind and there through that. And also when we started getting into the, all of other people who were suffering from going through what was happening in COVID, it was like the Mr. Rogers thing, the idea that you look for the helpers and there were always helpers. In every situation that we went through this year, there were helpers. Somebody would come out of the woodwork somewhere with something kind, some thought, something. And that was very, very sustaining for me. I've had some really tough moments, yes. But even doing this and being around you folks was one of those moments of just like, oh, I'm okay, I think I can get through here and still be a responsible human being. And I don't have to crawl into a rug and roll myself down the hall. It was that. There were always these things that came along and people who just had those opportunities to connect with the real, authentic, whatever that is in me. So when we get to these elections and it's just, whoa, we got involved in that. And here we are now with more people, the highest number of people dead in this country that we've ever seen. We're moving into a new year, which can't come soon enough. And I still think there are the helpers. The helpers are still out there. There's a couple of wonderful points. There's a whole bunch of them in there, but a couple that just kind of leap out and shine. One is that in a sense, his last words were the same as the words of the American voters. Oh no, you don't. But where that really comes from. It's like a, oh hell no, exactly. You gotta know him to know. That's exactly what he was thinking. He's like, oh no. This is not gonna happen. And from where he's sitting right now, you know he's looking down and saying, well, at least you got something right. And we did. And we're going into the next year with a president who knows better than any we've ever had. What living with intimate tragedy in the family really is. That either builds you or breaks you. And Brian Schott said something about president-elect Biden that really registered with me. And he said, look, he's been there almost 40 years. Everybody knows him. You will never hear anyone say a bad word about Joe Biden personally. They may accuse him of this political leading, that political leading, this associate, whatever, but nothing personal. Because he is that well liked, respected and regarded. And that leads to the other piece, I think, of what you share. And that is in times of unexpected, unmanaged, uncontrolled, unimaginable trauma and crisis, people have stepped up. We have never ever seen the number of stories of people simply out of the blue doing things for others. The number of stories where somebody going through a drive-in, fast food line is told by, the cashier, your meal's been paid for. Somebody at a restaurant, somebody at a supermarket. This stuff, and I think those two are connected, I think standing up for yourself. And I think reaching out to others in need come from the same place. How does that connect for you, Louise? Well, that makes me feel better already, Chuck. But I would say, as you were talking, what made me think about was the fact that we've had a real, is it been a year of dissonance, probably four years of dissonance, in the sense that at the national level, there's things that just drove us crazy on a daily basis. But there's good things happening in our lives and our community. And I would say that that was what was happening in this COVID year too. Unprecedented things happening on the macro level in terms of the word pandemic becoming so widespread. And on the other hand, and are having to do the unthinkable and work from home and then all these people who are unemployed and business is closing, it's just been sad, sad. But then there have been silver linings. We've had to work from home, spent more time with family, had family come back from the mainland and spent time with them. I mean, this is the first year that I've been spending more holidays with kids that were living on the mainland for years. So that's been great. And people, as you say, helping each other. So on the community level, our sort of person-to-person business community level, there've been many bright spots. And it was just that if we can just ignore what's happening on the national level, there's hope. But now with the election, maybe we'll have less dissonance and more feeling like there is faith and hope and joy what's going on on the national level, as well as what we can do to pivot and revitalize and recover at the community level too. So many years, my Christmas card, I always choose the card that has faith, love, joy, family, that kind of thing in it. And this year I'm feeling like, well, it's taken on new meaning, joy in the little things and faith that things will get better and hope as well that 2021 will be better. And at the same time that there are things that we can appreciate from 2020. No, I think that really says it beautifully. And I think the point that connects what both of you have said is that the sense that we really are in this together. I mean, despite all the division, despite the hostility, despite the intensity of it, we almost seem to be moving into a direction where those who are trying to maintain that level of divisiveness, hostility, vindictiveness, all of that anti-people, anti-connective stuff, they're kind of shrinking down into identifiable cult groups, fringe groups. And people are uncomfortable with that. And I think that signals maybe a growing awareness that there really is a choice and the choice is meaningful. And there is a difference and it makes a difference what choice we make. Is that gonna happen in Georgia? I don't know, we've got a lot of the old stuff up against the new stuff. And that's a good thing. It is. And that's a good thing. That's a good thing. I think that's where the real change is gonna be coming from. It's the ones coming up. I know Louise and I have been involved in organizations busy with women attorneys and all that for a long time. And you're seeing this generation, this younger generation of just focusing on professional women who are just simply awesome stepping up to the plate and taking everything to just a different level even our little, I mean, I'm involved in a bunch of little organizations, our little bit good-sized organizations. And again, seeing these younger, bright, intelligent, resourceful thinking outside the box women leaders is simply, it just, it really brings joy to my heart. I mean, it's just really hopeful because my goodness, I look at them and I mean, my own daughters, I look at them and it's like, I don't think I was that smart when I was that age. I don't think I could have come up with the kinds of things and ideas and things that they are doing. I didn't have that. I don't think I did, but I'm extremely encouraged by that. Even in like the Georgia situation, several of the members of my links organization are heavily involved in Georgia politics. The mayor of Atlanta, Stacey Abrams herself is also a member of links. And so this organization, I mean, while we're not a political organization, it's heralding the support and the leadership of these incredible, incredibly bright women. It's just, I love it. You know, and that's a, I think that's a point that cannot possibly be overpraised as to its value. I think it's immeasurable. If you look at the leadership in that choice, the leadership of that choice has come from women, from black Americans, from indigenous Americans, from young people, from people who were not, not only not part of leadership, they were marginalized. They were underserved. They were disrespected. And these are the people who have stood up, and made this choice possible. And for a president to come in and designate his entire spokesperson team as all women, a truly diverse collection of women. Hey, and for the vice president elect to get up and the first words out of her mouth are, I'm here for my daughter. And all those for whom this may be possible. Is it? You cannot overvalue that. No. If that doesn't give you hope and faith, give it up. Yeah. I remember when Louise was involved in starting up the women's, you were involved in starting up the Hawaii women lawyers and Hawaii women's leader, a legal foundation. I can't take credit for either of those, but you remember it's starting. Yeah. I helped, I was early on. I was early on, but I was just a helper. I mean, we were all just, because it wasn't about a few of us. It was no reason to say no, because it was only a handful of women anyway. But I mean, if you, maybe even that, looking at the legal foundation where it's come from, and I'm not as involved in it as now as I used to be, but I mean, I know you've had it. You've still had quite a hand in what that organization has been able to do for women and organizations here in Hawaii. And maybe, you know, sharing a little bit more about what they've been doing. No, I... Go ahead, please. Oh, I was just saying, yes, going on that theme, I keep telling Ray St. Chew, who was one of the founders of Hawaii Women Lawyers, that I was a law student and thought it was very intriguing that she was, during the summer, giving a presentation about getting Hawaii Women lawyers together. Because what a thought, you know? There's not a whole lot of them. And so I saw that starting. I wasn't one of the founders, and I wasn't one of the founders of the Bar of the Women's Legal Foundation, but I was there early on. And it's been a great group that, you know, for decades, we've been working together and we see these young women and so many more women lawyers coming on and all through that, it's been a very service-oriented, you know, principled group that's worked very hard and succeeded in advancing women and just being a great support network as well. So that's how we all got to know each other, right? Right, I mean, that's how I proposed events. Was going back to those, going back to Hawaii Women Lawyers and, you know, the legal foundation. I guess I haven't been as involved as I, you know, would like to have been, but it was just even that, just kind of seeing that because they were just, yeah, I don't think we really got the magnitude of how few we were. And for Black women attorneys, I think there's what three of us at that time, Daphne. Oh my God. Daphne was an open, I forget who else it was. No, and I think. It was just, you know, and to see that grow to the point where you have the action out there, there are more women in law school now. The percentage of women in law school now is higher than for males. I think at UH it is now. Yeah, it's got to change the legal profession. Has to, has to. Yeah. In a good way. In a good, because it's funny, like, you know, we talk about all the issues that we're now having to address. Like she said, she's doing it for her daughters. And we're all thinking in terms of the contributions that, you know, women bring to the table. I will never forget one of the first trials that was on the bench during the jury trial. And I will name him a male attorney asked, because I haven't gotten permission for him to say this. We were doing our pre-trial discussions, you know, settlements and stuff. And one of the things he asked for was, he's a darn good trial attorney. He's actually gone on to do greater things. Asked, could we adjourn at four o'clock every day because he had to pick up the kids. I said, yeah, sure, no problem. So when we set out the rules for the trial, it's like four o'clock, we will adjourn every day at four o'clock. And the jurors are like, cool, we beat the traffic, we get out early. But it was because he had to go pick up the kids. And I remember thinking at that moment that when I was coming up as a, you know, young attorney, not so much here, but on the, on the mailing, to even pose that question would have been unthinkable. Don't you agree, Louise? I mean, just- Oh, definitely. Would you have even said, I've got to go and pick up the kids? And here we are. Yes, that made sense to me because yeah, I had to pick up the kids too. No, actually, my husband was picking up the kids at that time because he got up early. But yeah, it was the same. Made sense to me, you know, but just those little kinds of considerations and things that having women in the profession and women on the bench and women in politics and women in government bring that sort of balancing that we've not really seen in so much in American society, other societies, other countries recognize it. But for some reason, we didn't think that was important. And see, I think that's a really, really critically important point that what this newer, more diverse leadership is bringing is not just incredible priority, focus and honor for diversity, equality and inclusion or diversity, equity and inclusion, the DEI stuff. But there's a fourth word, the other E word, empowerment. It's not just seats at the table, it seats at the decision-making table. You're not just a junior non-equity partner, you're an equity partner in the management group. You're not just on the list of DPR, AAA, GEMs, arbitrators or mediators, you're getting picked. You're not just corporate counsel, you're the strategic planning counsel for the company. You're seeing large firms do that, you're seeing companies do it, really innovative stuff. And those innovations are coming from those diverse leaders. And the studies- I think that's a great point, Chuck, because I think what we can note from 2020 is that bad things have been George Floyd and the other people in the black community who were killed. But out of that, and we attribute it to people staying home and watching more TV, it's just a much greater energy and serious attention given to diversity and inclusion. And it's getting to all levels, corporate level. And I'm really gratified to see that element happening and to see men male leaders buying into the idea that diversity and inclusion makes your company stronger and needs to be part of your corporate culture. And I attribute that, that attention to gender diversity in our firm and in businesses, when I think about male leaders, the ones that are doing it, I really think the way I have very strong wives and they have daughters. Exactly. That really helps create balance. Exactly, exactly. That is true. That is very true. That's a good point. You know, I think there's an element there that's been not just buried, but actually disrespected and dishonored. And that's exactly what you're talking about is that those leadership qualities, abilities, strengths that women, black Americans, Hispanic Americans, indigenous Americans, LGBTQ Americans, disabled Americans and others have built individually for years and years and years. When you bring those to collaborative silos, not just individual silos, what they do is immeasurable value. Oh yeah. So you're exactly right. We have a 78-year-old, 40-year politician, white president who has prioritized diversity, equity, inclusion and empowerment in his administration. Not because he's afraid of getting sued for discrimination if he doesn't do it, but because he knows and believes from an exceptionally strong wife who has worked her way up. Exactly, exactly. That's where the strength really is. Give it a chance. And we're seeing- I look forward to seeing how this diverse team and a collaborative approach is gonna work over the next four years. I really do think it's gonna have a profound effect on the way that things get done and decisions get made and I hope it can overcome that dysfunction in Congress and that people will be serious about working together and crossing the aisle. I think so. I'm very hopeful that that's gonna occur as well, simply because of the reasons that you stated. You've got the leaders now who actually have had a history of working and being collaborative with strong women, including in their own families. So that sort of brings almost like a natural way of having to deal with things because they've always done it or had to foster that into their decisions and what happened. You didn't just operate in this silo. I am struck by the contrast and the leadership of this, of the president-elect and the past. Haven't it? I mean, you just look at those rooms. It was frightening to see those. It was just- Yes, I do. It was frightening to see. You know what we were looking at. Yeah, corrupt and destructive. It was frightening. It was frightening. I mean, and now you're like, well, we use that phrase, it looks like America is, but that's not a trite phrase. That has meaning. That has to, that is important. That we can't have all these decisions being made. I was twisting once about women. It was at one visual that had a room full of white males making decisions about what should be done with women for women. Like what? Be serious? Anyway, I digress, but nonetheless. Not really. Right on point. Yeah, not a digression at all. I was gonna say something too that I think no matter what happens in Georgia, of course I'm hoping for a certain outcome in Georgia, but that community and that state is changing. It sounds like there's much more empowered groups, diverse groups that are happening. If it doesn't change this time, it seems like change is on the way. It's changed forever. Georgia is changed forever. I think so. I mean, just a notion of, oh, go ahead, Chuck, I'm sorry. No, no, that's a really good thing. I was just thumbs up for that. Yeah, I mean, just a notion of, I mean, you look at the number of sheer volume of registered voters who are coming up, stepping up, realizing I should vote. I mean, I did some kind of work after the two 2016. I was kind of surprised at the number of people that I encountered in my own circles and in my own knowledge areas of people who did not vote. There were a lot of them. And that has changed. They did not vote. And this time, that didn't happen. Those folks got out there. There's some new ones, especially these younger folks. I mean, they got out there in droves. And I was listening to one of my daughter has me listening to these podcasts of all these characters, I guess I would say. And it's called Evelyn from the Internets. She just has a podcast that she just talks. But one of the things that she talked to my daughter had me to listen to her today. She was talking about the election. And she's a millennial. And she was talking about how that when she was growing up, she was eight years old when George Bush was elected. And she did the two terms. And she kind of watched that. And she watched that growing up. This was the view she had. And then there was Obama. She was old enough to vote. And she voted. She calls herself the Obama kids. That was the world they grew up in. That was the world they saw as young adults being in his presidency, which impacted how they see it. I guess there's a lot of those. She calls herself Evelyn from the Internets. And she just has spouses on all kinds of things. But that was one of them today. And I thought, well, that's interesting. She says, we're the Obama kids. And we're out of town, but what a great place. Bring it full circle. What we can take from 2020 into 2021 is exactly that, our choice. Stand up for it, make it defended and make it ours for all of us. People, thank you. See you in 2021. And thank you so much. Shondra, please. Safe and safe and sane remaining holiday season. We're gonna get through this. Yes. Happy holidays, happy new year to everybody. Yes. Thank you all. Okay.