BUFFALO, N.Y. — Trini Ross is making history as the new U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York.
She is also the first Black woman to oversee that office, which prosecutes federal cases. President Joe Biden nominated Ross, who recently sat down with Claudine Ewing for a one-on-one interview.
Ross: It feels surreal because I was an assistant in this office for too long. I know the court, I know the district I know the people, I know the law enforcement agencies, so that's very real but surreal to be in this role, where I'm meeting the office in the district.
In her role, Ross says she wants to make this the best community ever.
Ross: That's why I put in for this position. That's why I'm thrilled that I'm here, to let my voice as a woman from the community, from the Black community with Black family members, with friends of all races and religions and cultures and sexual orientation, to make their voices heard through me, to make my voices and my experience mean something to the community. I think it's a voice that is really necessary to be heard, especially at this moment in time, but way overdue for our voices to be heard.
Trini Ross grew on the West Side of Buffalo and lived in the Bailey-Kensington neighborhood, raising her children. Education was key in her life. A Hutch Tech graduate, it's where her Investiture ceremony was held.
Ross: It's where I learned critical thinking skills.
What stands out is that she has always had a passion for people.
Ross: I wanted to be a doer, hands-on. I wanted to do something about crime in society, not just learn about it, theorize about it, and teach other people about it.
Fast track to the University at Buffalo Law School, and she worked in the public defender's office for legal aid.
Ross: What I saw was some systemic problems in the system.
She saw that so many arrested often had the same charges.
Ross: What I wasn't able to do as a defense attorney, would not be able to do, speak (about) systemic changes where the changes needed to be made. And that's when I switch gears and realized I need to be part of the institution of prosecutors, to be able to be on the inside, saying we should question certain things when we see them.
An assistant in the U.S. Attorney's Office, she worked on about 800 cases, focusing on white-collar crime, labor trafficking, and human trafficking.
Ross: Anything that is a victim crime I'm passionate about, and that's something that this office should be focusing on, using our resources on.
Ewing asked Ross, what is your message?
Ross: My message would be if you want to take the chance to do that, in this district, I will spend all the resources necessary to make sure you cannot harm another person. Trafficking survivors are some of the most amazing women -- and in my experience, they have all been women; they can be men too -- that I have ever met. They are resilient, smart, capable, they need a chance.
Ewisg asked, what have you learned from 23 years in this office that is going to make you stand out?
Ross: I've done the work. I have an understanding and knowledge base of how it works, and the best way to work within the system. And I hope to share that, and I hope that the folks in this office listen to what I have to say, because I do feel like I have something offer.
Do you feel that you have to fight for respect?
Ross: I don't. I don't feel like I have to fight for respect, at least from the people who know me. But honestly, Claudine, I've never felt that way. I felt that if someone didn't respect me, that was their prerogative, and they had the right not to respect me. But when I got done showing them who I am, they respected me.
She was passed over in the past for this position, too.
Ross: It wasn't my time. It was Bill Hochul's time. I went to work for Bill as an assistant in his office, and Bill Hochul was the one who started promoting me, and he saw the value in what I had to give, and I thank him for that. And this time, it was my time.