Ramsey County Attorney Office
Saint Paul, MN
What do we do with our acute awareness of how power, control, and entitlement have corrupted our man-made institutions? The high-powered predatory players have been outed: the Pope and church hierarchy, Larry Nasser, Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose, Roger E. Ailes, Bill Cosby, Bill O’Reilly, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, and Les Moonves, to name a few of the growing list.
Predictable patterns have emerged from the psychopathology of sexual predators in how they mask personal insecurities through: denial, lying, deception, deflection, blaming the victims, obstructing justice, rigidity, us vs. them mentality, normalizing and minimizing horrific behavior, one of a kind vs. unique self-perception, and using legal systems and human resource loop holes to pay their way out of crimes, get big payouts, or worse yet, remain having power over others.
John Choi, in today’s podcast conversation, explains how he is using his platform as Ramsey County Attorney for the greater good; to create systemic cultural change in communities. John’s humility, wisdom, and innovative thinking is producing results.
- In 2015, he set-up a 20-month investigation that led to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office filing criminal charges and a civil petition against the Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The actions hold the church criminally accountable for its failure to protect children, provides justice for the victims, and seeks legal remedies to prevent such failures from ever happening again. Along with a swelling global movement to destroy the institutional playbook for concealing the truth, fissures in the Catholic Church structure are being visibly seen, i.e. expanding bankruptcies across Minnesota and in other states.
- When newly elected in 2011, John made a grand public policy announcement with a focus on sex trafficking. Minnesota is now known as the state and national leader in curbing sex trafficking.
Hear how the Curtis Wehmeyer case changed John’s perspective on his Catholic upbringing. John is leading cultural change through community engagement and advocacy. Tune in for the details:
- Curbing legal system bias of blaming victims,
- Not prosecuting children and teens lured into sex trafficking,
- Prosecuting traffickers and those driving the demand (the solicitors of sex with minors),
- Championing more services for victims of sex trafficking,
- Victim centered way of how crimes are investigated and why this approach is revolutionary,
- Training other offices and investigative agencies,
- Ways of ending sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and domestic violence, and
- Engaging families, faith organizations, advocacy groups, and other institutions to be part of the solution.
- Open and honest conversations.
- How do we raise boys? We’re all a part of the solution. More important and better conversations in families and how we support those victimized in our families.
- Encourage thinking differently about gender-based violence and sexual assault.
Mentoring Tips: Expand Your Intrinsic Value
After listening, do the following exercises.
- What leadership platform do you have where you can create systemic change? As an example, I am using this podcast to create profound leadership change in the world along with the other mentoring opportunities I deliver. Matthew and I co-parent Olivia so we engage in our community, embrace our vulnerabilities and inadequacies, practice loving kindness and compassion, and exercise humor every day. We have tough conversations and love each other deeply even through the messy stuff when boundaries have been overstepped and we need to course correct.
- Each day this week, have as many meaningful conversations as you can. How can you share power within your household and dismantle power imbalances through conversation? When you goto bed each night, revisit those conversations. Notice how your heart feels.
- Determine how you can increase your civil engagement by helping someone or advocating for a group in your community.
Mentoring Help
Mentoring Conversation Resources
- Stepping Out of the Linear Career Lane with Edmond Huot, Part II
- Stepping Out of the Linear Career Lane with Edmond Huot, Part I
- Embrace the New Year and seize the fresh opportunities it brings!
- Score Big in Business with These Home Run Strategies
- How to End Injustice Everywhere with Dr. Melanie Joy, Part II
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About John Choi. John Choi made history on January 3, 2011, when he was sworn in as the first Korean-American chief prosecutor in the country. Since taking office, John has become a state and national leader in the fight against sex trafficking. John’s innovative approach to holding abusers accountable, while working collaboratively with advocacy agencies to help victims, has transformed the way government intervenes in domestic violence and sex trafficking situations.
John is now determined to do the same for victims of sexual assault. He stepped up his leadership in this area two years ago by conducting a systems review of sexual assaults in Ramsey County to shine a light on the current system response and need for improvement. As a result, he worked with our City and County partners to develop trainings and immediately reallocate resources to enhance our capacity in investigations and advocacy, so we can better support victims and hold perpetrators accountable. In addition, John has been a champion of engaging men to prevent violence against women and children; successfully advanced legislation to reunite families when it’s in foster children’s best interest; implemented new performance-based outcomes for juvenile diversion programs; developed the use of lethality assessment protocols and GPS technology to keep domestic violence victims safe; created pre-charge diversion for adults; and established a Veterans Court.
Throughout his public tenure, John has been innovative in reforming and finding efficiencies in the criminal justice system. In his previous capacity as Saint Paul City Attorney, John was recognized with the International Municipal Lawyers Association’s top award for distinguished public service. Prior to his successful career in the public sector, John spent a decade in private practice, making partner in six years while focused on government relations, administrative law, municipal law and civil litigation. John holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Marquette University, a Juris Doctorate degree from Hamline University School of Law and was a Humphrey Fellow at the University of Minnesota.
John Choi
Institutional Playbook For Concealing The Truth, 6 of 7 Episode 153
Author: Nancy A. Meyer, M.A.
Nancy A. Meyer, M.A., is a seasoned entrepreneurial leader, business and life mentor/coach/teacher, podcaster, author, and certified mindfulness yoga and meditation integrator (she integrates those skill sets into everything). Nancy’s compassionate and collaborative approach reinforces resilience while maintaining accountable conversations supporting how you redefine your lead while redesigning your business. Nancy calls this “Dual Innovation Leadership.” Nancy founded WeMentor, inc. in 1992 to change the leadership in our country by providing emerging and existing business owners with mentoring in Dual Innovation Leadership. She has mentored thousands and is eager to work with you! Assert self-leadership and get started today! Clients say, “Nancy is a compelling, engaging, and ‘decipher the trees from the forest’ kind of mentor, speaker, and leader. A dedicated entrepreneurial leader and mentor who role models what she preaches. Her style and candor enrich the content she delivers and the results clients experience.” Nancy accepts people where they are while inspiring them to breakthrough into new dimensions: As an Entrepreneurial Leader (Innovator), As a Competent Business Owner (Practitioner) As a Mentor (Role Model) As a Spiritual Being and Self-Leadership Master! Start by subscribing to WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCAST. Join your peers and...
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