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Ghenete
Wright Muir, attorney-at-law, mother of two sons, wife and active citizen of Sunrise is committed to enhancing the quality of life in
the City of Sunrise.
Civic Participation:
Ghenete is an involved resident of Sunrise
who has served on the Planning & Zoning Advisory Board of the City for the past two years. As a board member she has worked to ensure that the best
interests of the residents are served. Ghenete has volunteered as a youth coach
for the City's recreational soccer league and has been a school volunteer at
Sandpiper Elementary, where she has served as "Room Mom" and field
trip chaperone. She is also an active member of the Greater Sunrise Chamber of
Commerce. (back to top)
Legal
Career:
Since completing her legal studies in 1999, Ghenete has been admitted to practice law
in three states: New York, Connecticut
and Florida.
She first worked with a law firm in New
York where she practiced employment discrimination: representing individuals whom alleged discrimination based on their gender,
age, race, religion or ethnicity. When she relocated to Florida, Ghenete worked as a staff attorney
with Legal Aid Service of Broward County where she represented low income
individuals.
In
2005, Ghenete opened her own firm, Wright Muir P.A., which is a general
practice law firm specializing in Family Law, Immigration, Estate Planning
& Probate. Ghenete is also a Florida
Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator. In 2006, she purchased office
space in the Sawgrass
Corporate Park
to house her law firm. (back to top)
Background:
Ghenete was born in New York to two Jamaican graduate
students at Columbia
University. When she was 5 years old her parents decided
to return to Jamaica.
Ghenete was raised in Kingston, Jamaica where she attended Mona
Preparatory School and Campion College (a High School). She returned to
New York City at age 15 where she completed high
school at John F.
Kennedy High
School in the Bronx. She
completed her undergraduate studies at Amherst College
and her legal studies at Pace University School of Law. Ghenete married her
best friend, David, whom she met while in high school and they began their
family in New York City.
Ghenete and her family relocated to Sunrise
in 2002.
(back to top)
Inspiration:
Spending her formative years in Jamaica
had tremendous impact on Ghenete's desire to create change. She developed a
strong sense of social responsibility from the actions of her parents.
Ghenete's late father, Lloyd Wright, and her mother, Daphne Witter, both worked
as civil servants in Jamaica
and in the United States.
Both of Ghenete's parents hail from humble backgrounds and through access to
education were able to become successful individuals who were dedicated to
giving back to society. She inherited their passion to help others and became
an attorney so that she could be in a position to serve the community.
Ghenete’s
father, Lloyd, was an economist, dedicated to community development and her
mother, Daphne, was committed to education. Devoting decades of his life working
to develop the rural communities of Jamaica, Lloyd created projects
that produced jobs and other economic opportunities for the rural residents.
Ghenete's mother worked at identifying and providing scholarships for Jamaican
students seeking to obtain college education abroad. Her mother also worked for
many years at the New York State Department of Education towards improving the
inner city public schools. (back to top)
Personal:
Ghenete’s
husband, David Muir is a social worker, who also serves as the business manager
at her law firm. Ghenete and David are blessed with two sons, 11 year-old Masai
and 7 year-old Kairo. She credits her first involvement with the City as a result of her children's activities. The Muir boys have participated in various
city sports such as soccer, tee ball, flag football, basketball, swimming and
tennis. Both of her boys have also participated in the City's theatre program.
Ghenete
recognizes that her strong supportive family provides her with a means to
balance her professional life, family life and her community involvement. Her
mother lives in walking distance from her home and is an integral part of
Ghenete's family life. Her aunt and 95-year-old grandmother also reside in Sunrise and are part of
Ghenete's close extended family. Ghenete also maintains very close
relationships with her older brother, Richard Wright, and her older sister,
Donna Waldfogel, both of whom provide a great amount of emotional support for
her. (back to top)
Community Involvement:
While
being actively involved in the City of Sunrise,
Ghenete maintains her involvement in the legal and business community at large. She is an elected member of the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors. As a Governor, Ghenete has worked to connect the law students in the
South Florida law schools to the legal
community. Ghenete is the liaison from the Florida Bar to St. Thomas University
School of Law but has also spent significant time working with Nova law
students. She has been a speaker at St. Thomas University School of Law, Nova Southeastern
University Law
School and the University
of Miami School of Law.
Ghenete
has also served as a moderator for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses.
She is also an elected Board Member of the T.J. Reddick Bar Association and a
Board member of the Jamaica USA Chamber of Commerce. Ghenete recently became a
member of the Keiser University Advisory Board where she provides input
regarding the paralegal and legal studies program. Ghenete volunteered with the
KAPOW (Kids and the Power of Work) Program at Royal Palm Elementary where she
met with a 5th grade class during the school year to discuss positive
work-related concepts. This very involved mother also serves as volunteer
guardian ad litem to children who are removed from their homes due to abuse or
neglect.
With
Ghenete’s passion for social justice, dedication to children and families and
her strong sense of community relations and involvement, she is a well rounded
individual who has proved her capabilities both professionally and personally
as she balances both worlds. (back to top)
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