A new judge is paving the way for more diversity in our court system.

On Jan. 13, Victoria Gumbs-Moore made history.

The Wheatley Heights resident was sworn in as the first black elected Family Court judge in Suffolk County and the first black female elected to any county-wide office.

Gumbs-Moore credits several mentors with inspiring her to dream big. One of them was former New York State Comptroller Carl McCall. She was a law student when she worked in McCall's office.

After earning a law degree from Touro Law Center in 2000, Gumbs-Moore began working in the New York Court System with stints as a principal law clerk in New York Supreme Court, Kings County and Suffolk Family Court.

Now that she's a Family Court judge Gumbs-Moore presides over a range of cases, including custody, visitation, neglect and abuse.

At her official robing ceremony, Gumbs-Moore spoke about what she brings to the bench.

“The parties who appear in the Family Court need a jurist that's knowledgeable and compassionate and that jurist is me,” says Gumbs-Moore.

Gumbs- Moore is hoping her historic judgeship will pave the way for others.

Gumbs-Moore is one of the founders of the Amistad Suffolk County Black Bar Association.

It was created to foster professional development and growth among attorneys of color in the Long Island area.