DESTINY BRYANT Judge’s work behind the bench spurs passion for behind-the-scenes service

By Gabriel Stovall gstovall@covnews.com

Though Destiny Bryant grew up in Conyers and was familiar with the Covington area she never thought that she’d make Covington her permanent place to live, work and raise a family.

That changed in 2013 when, after graduating from Salem High School, she came back to Covington to work in the Newton County District Attorney’s office after matriculating to Xavier University for college and The College of William & Mary for law school.

Her journey began in Lithonia before reluctantly moving to Conyers. But it’s in Conyers where she not only found a new network of friends, but also began to get acquainted with the place she would one day call home.

“My mom and dad moved to Covington during the time I went away for college and law school,” Bryant said. “So, whenever I came back from college, I went back to live with my dad in Covington. But I knew about Covington all throughout my high school years. I would always say, ‘Covington is in Conyers’ backyard.’ But I never thought I’d come back to live and work here, though.”

Her path to permanence in Newton County began shortly after getting her law degree at William & Mary. She was initially offered a job with the district attorney’s office in DeKalb County, Georgia. But when a similar offer came from Newton County’s DA office, it was something that she felt she couldn’t pass up.

“It paid less money, but it was still perfect for me,” Bryant said. “I don’t understand why, but I just saw myself at the time being closer to home. I saw myself living in an area I was familiar with. Working in an area I’m familiar with. Not that I necessarily targeted Covington, but since it was familiar and convenient, I just found it easier to come back home and get rooted and settled in this community.”

The next 10 years for the 36-yearold associate probate and magistrate court judge has been a whirlwind.

Her work in the courtroom is what she’s most known for. And while it’s gratifying, Bryant is quick to say that she finds an equal amount of satis faction doing other things in the community that don’t necessari ly thrust her into the limelight.

For instance, Bryant serves as president of the Covington Kiwanis Club, she’s a mentor at Newton Mentoring — a group founded by the late Judge Horace Johnson. It’s there where she spends every Friday spending time with a sixth grade girl. Additionally, she’s active in her church and participates in the NewRock Legal Society which is an African American based bar association, and she’s a member of the Newton Bar Association as well.

“It doesn’t feel like a lot of hats,” she said. “But it all comes together when it needs to. I try not to get into too many abstract things that are all over the place. I try to make sure I can get involved in things I’m already fully vested in.”

It was, in fact, her work on the bench that caused her to want to become a mentor. And her desire to serve behind the scenes in the community prompted her to connect with Kiwanis.

“I try to get involved in things I’m passionate about,” Bryant said. “I’m passionate about families. I’m passionate about children, which is why Kiwanis is important. I’m pas- sionate about the justice systems, so I devote time for whatever the bar associations need. I’m passionate about kids. I see kids all the time who don’t have any positive influences, and that’s when I decided to be a mentor. All of this has sort of been birthed out of what I do in the courtroom.”

University. I was all about medicine, and shortly before going to college, I told my parents I didn’t want to do it anymore. When I started college, I still didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I did start doing a lot of service work geared toward children.”

That work has turned into a career that impacts people both in and behind the scenes. And it’s exactly the way she likes it for now. And while still young and with a promising career ahead of her, Bryant is sort of back in that place where she’s not completely sure what the future will hold for her.

But unlike last time, she knows exactly what kind of work she’ll involve herself in.

“I don’t know for sure what the next 10 years will be, but I do imagine myself doing something in politics,” she said.

“My career has showed me that it seems like two different worlds operating. One is operated by the politicians who make the rules and the other by the people who have to live by those rules. And it’s not much middle ground where people understand each other. Sometimes the people making the political rules don’t really care about the people living out the rules, and the people living the rules don’t care to know why the rule exists.

Actu- ally, a penchant for service to families and children is what coaxed her away from her childhood dreams of being a cardiologist.

“I was that nerdy high school kid who went to medical camps during the summer,” she said. “I remember doing cadaver dissection at Brenau

“I would imagine myself being some sort of role, whether that be Senate or something where I have the ability to create policy and do things that actually impact people. I never imagined myself as a power hungry person. I don’t care about that. But I do care about doing what’s best for the interests of people I serve.”