WS Chronicle

Judge Shonna Alexander was elected by voters in 2024 to serve in Seat 10 of the 31st Judicial District and she was officially sworn in a few months ago. Although she’s still fairly new to the bench, Alexander has been licensed to practice law in North Carolina for 25 years.  

A native of Winston-Salem, Alexander said she can remember wanting to be a judge before she was old enough to attend elementary school. “I can remember wanting to be an attorney as early as four years old … I didn’t personally know any attorneys, so television was my exposure,” Alexander explained in an interview with The Chronicle.  

A graduate of East Forsyth High School, Alexander went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in politics from Wake Forest University. From there she earned her law degree from NC Central University. After law school Alexander served as a solo practitioner for many years. She also served as a magistrate and worked in corporate law, handling compliance and ethics work for General Electric (GE).  

“I did see the need on our bench, but also felt strongly about serving members of our community who didn’t necessarily qualify to be represented by the Public Defender’s Office, but needed assistance,” Alexander said. “And in the last few years, I felt like we needed additional representation and that I would be able to serve in this capacity.” 

Last November Alexander, who is a Democrat, defeated Republican Erin Brock to win Seat 10. Alexander finished with 53% of the total vote – more than 100,000 votes.  

While law has been her passion for a quarter century, Alexander is also a registered nurse, a wife and a mother. She said she’s able to balance being a judge and her other responsibilities by prioritizing God, family and then work. “I have a nine-year-old, and my husband and I raise our 23-year-old nephew, so you learn that it takes a lot of compromise and balance,” Alexander said.  

Judge Alexander is also very active in the community, still finding time to volunteer at local Freedom Schools in the summer, participating in career days and other speaking engagements throughout the year. Judge Alexander is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and several other organizations. “I’m an Eastern Star. I’m a Top Lady, and I’m all of those capacities we are in the community,” Alexander continued.  

“And particularly we have a focus on young people, especially young ladies. I always take the opportunity to speak with them about my career … I take it as a responsibility to try to educate, expose and show young people something that I didn’t have.”  

When talking with young people, Alexander said she puts a lot of emphasis on being responsible and developing relationships. “Those are things that I talk to young people about, particularly, once they say they’re interested in pursuing a career in law. Some people think it’s too young to make a decision like that. I know my own personal situation and people like-minded, so I don’t discredit the thoughts of young people,” Alexander said.  

“I start by telling them when you got to class, make sure you turn your homework in, listen when your parents give you an assignment … I speak with them about how they present themselves in front of others, and to take advantage of opportunities.”  

Alexander said she encourages young people to use public speaking opportunities at church or school as building blocks for the future. “Those are things that build confidence, those are the things that help start giving you the things that you need to move forward. Ultimately everything is a building block,” she said.  

When asked about her legacy, Judge Alexander said she wants to be remembered as someone who worked hard and had a commitment to the law and the community. “I want my legacy to reflect embracing our community and being dedicated to making it better through service of law,” Alexander said.  

Judge Alexander said she wants her journey to inspire others to battle through challenges and follow their dreams. “I want individuals from every walk of life, including the East side of the city, the South side of the city, to understand that growing up poor or with challenges doesn’t eliminate your opportunity to excel,” she said.  

This Women’s History Month, we are honored to celebrate the accomplishments of Judge Alexander, her love for the law, and the people she serves.  

“Throughout the existence of people, women have greatly contributed to the success of our society, and lots of times that doesn’t get highlighted,” she continued. “And that’s not the goal … but during this time period, I do think that it is wonderful that people who make such great contributions to our world, operating at its highest level in excellence and compassion, are celebrated.”