As this month marks the 100th anniversary of women getting the right to vote, News 12 continues to share the stories of influential women in our communities. 

Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark made history when she was elected to that position five years ago. 

Spread out on a table in her office, beneath signs of a storied career, are snapshots of the aunts, grandmother and mom who supported her from the very beginning. 

Clark was the first in her family to go to college and law school before returning home to become a prosecutor. 

Clark lost her mother before she was sworn in as a judge, but says she has aimed to keep her activist spirit alive when dealing with those in her courtroom. 

She says fairness now guides her approach as the borough’s top lawyer. The first woman to have that role in the Bronx when she was elected in 2016. 

She is also the first woman of color to be a district attorney in New York State’s history. After being re-elected in 2019, Clark says she wants to use her influence to empower the community.