By Madeleine Broussard, Summer 2023 Collaborator at Power in Place
The only thing stronger than her deep Southern accent is Chambers County Judge Cindy S. Price herself. That much I’m sure of on August 4th as she greets me at the front of Barbers Hill Middle School North in Mont Belvieu, Texas, where she encounters yet again one of the great loves of her life: education.
Judge Price fills up the whole school with her presence. She leads me down each hallway, explaining what classrooms used to be there and what has been remodeled since she left the school, fawning over distinguished athletic coaches we look at through trophy cases boasting some of Barbers Hill’s sports teams during the years she taught. I can see the memories flooding her mind at miles per minute. They don’t overwhelm her; she’s bursting with energy, like she’s been waiting forever for the opportunity to sit down and spill all the joy and wisdom she learned here. Barbers Hill empowered Judge Price to campaign. Much of her voter base is comprised of the relationships she has built in this community.
She’s quick to tell you power isn’t her aim. She is an unquestionably strong woman, but she does not work to achieve strength or status — Judge Price is here to advocate for “the little guy.” Whether you’ll find “the little guy” struggling in the classroom, seeking representation in court to settle a family law matter, or voting in the next Chambers County election depends on where in the 40 plus-year timeline you’re looking at her lengthy career of service.
On my private tour of the school, we frequently encounter former coworkers of Judge Price’s. They squeal over each other’s hair, embrace, and chatter for a few minutes at a time. I wonder how on earth she had managed to balance principalship, law school, and the millions of friends she made here at Barbers Hill, but then I remember Judge Price can do anything she wants.
I see an especially fiery glimmer in her eyes as she recounts the circumstances of what some perceived as a clash between her job and her aspirations. “Watch me,” she said to people who told her she couldn’t juggle both law school and being the principal of a school. Judge Price is a mother of three with a long, comfortable career in a completely different field, yet she chose to make the dramatic pivot to law and then somehow manage rise to the top in that field as well. I am convinced she’s a superhero in disguise.
“It is a love that you can’t stop,” she says of education, grinning as she tells me her husband, who is in his seventies, has recently decided to go back into the field after retiring from it. Then it makes sense: of course Judge Price can do it. When you have a passion for your cause, your community, and your work, you can’t help but shoot for the stars. At Power in Place, we often find that women seek positions of political influence for much more than political influence’s sake. The typical woman in office just wants to be a force for good in the world. That’s the most inspiring thing about Judge Price: she exemplifies achievement, humility, passion, and work ethic all for the sake of the people she serves. With a Price-caliber drive, you can do anything, too.
Chambers County isn’t huge. Mont Belvieu is a tight-knit community best known for its stellar schools, many churches, and nearby petrochemical plants. Local politics are a bigger deal here, and theory-touting Mount Holyoke students like myself are few and far between. So, naturally, Judge Price doesn’t have much to say on feminism. What she does say reminds me to put my money where my mouth is.
“I just think women should be nice to each other,” she says. “Like, if you become vice president, yay! I’m happy for you. I support you. That’s how it should be.”
I’ll give an amen to that.
Madeleine Broussard is an English major at Mount Holyoke College. She is an editor for an on-campus pop culture publication and serves on a Student Government Association committee. Outside of school, Madeleine enjoys reality TV, poetry, writing Yelp reviews, and deep-fried food.