By Kathy Groob, Publisher ElectWomen Magazine

“You can be anything you want to be as long as you are willing to work harder than anyone else.”  That’s what Yvette McGee Brown’s grandmother told her over and over as a girl in Ohio growing up the daughter of a single mom.  Although her Grandmother passed away several years ago, Yvette McGee Brown is still inspired by those words as she forges ahead in her quest to become Ohio’s first African American female lieutenant governor.

Running on the Democratic ticket with sitting Governor Ted Strickland, is no easy feat in this anti-incumbent season of political discord. McGee Brown is a bright spot on the Ohio’s political landscape; not only because her credentials are impressive, but because of her achievements and her engaging personality and driven spirit and track record of finding solutions to serious problems and challenges.

Finding a way to afford college was a challenge but one overcome by McGee Brown and she then went on to complete law school and pass the bar.  At 27 she oversaw 900 cases working for the Ohio Department of Corrections.  Seeing children locked up made an impact that moved her focus towards child advocacy and protection.  At age 32 McGee Brown was encouraged to run for judge and won her first election by defeating a sitting judge.

Yvette served as a judge in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court, from 1993 to 2002. She was the first African-American and the second woman to be elected to the court.

During her time as judge, Yvette saw hundreds of cases where she felt that the services were not available to help child victims of physical and sexual abuse.  “Our system just wasn’t friendly for child victims of abuse,” said McGee Brown.  After serving nine years as judge, she transitioned towards child advocacy and was tapped to create and become the founding President of Center for Child and Family Advocacy at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

The Center became a one stop comprehensive resource that includes a multi-disciplinary team of experts to heal, treat and support children and their families.  “The best form of prevention is helping moms in crisis”, said McGee Brown.  The Center employs 400 staff members who represent a holistic approach to treating children and families in crisis that is a model for child abuse treatment across the country.

Yvette McGee Brown was approached in January by Governor Ted Strickland to become his running mate on the 2010 ticket.  In less than a week, McGee Brown made the decision to leave her career to become a full-time candidate, crisscrossing Ohio on a daily basis.  “We are focused on job creation and economic recovery,” said McGee Brown.  “Governing is harder than campaigning, and I’m looking forward to getting to work on economic recovery.”

Polls show a tight race in Ohio.  Yvette McGee Brown beat the odds before.  If her grandmother were around to see her make history, she would most likely bet on her granddaughter to beat the odds again.

Click here to watch the video interview of Yvette McGee Brown by journalist, Vicki Prichard.