We’re looking forward to introducing you to Staci Childs. Check out our conversation below.
Staci, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day are sacred. I try to romanticize them as much as I can. Before anything else, I start with prayer, thanking God for another day. Then, I make time for a few cuddles with my dog Boseman or “Bosey” if you really know him. He’s a reminder to start soft.
Next, I open the Bible app and read the Word. Sometimes I read along, other times I let it play while I move through the house. It grounds me. On the mornings I slip up and check emails first, I notice it. I’ve learned to course-correct quickly and return to what truly feeds my spirit.
After that, I get dressed and head to the gym for about an hour. It’s my time to sweat, release, and align. When I get home, I make a smoothie and start listening to beats while I get ready. That’s usually when the creativity kicks in to handle the day!
By the time I’ve stepped out the door, I’ve already poured into myself, connected with God, and created something new.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Staci Childs. I am an attorney, an elected member of the Texas State Board of Education, and the founder of Sunnyside Legal, a Houston-based law firm I have proudly led for nearly five years. My practice focuses on criminal defense, personal injury, and school law, and each case I take reflects my commitment to justice, compassion, and community.
My path into public office began inside a courtroom. As a court-appointed attorney in Harris County, I represented countless young clients who were navigating the criminal justice system. Many of them were only 17 or 18 years old and had dropped out of school in the eighth grade. Not because they couldn’t learn, but because they had never truly felt connected to the classroom. That disconnect stayed with me. It became clear that educational gaps were often the starting point of deeper systemic cycles, and I wanted to do more than respond after the damage was done.
That realization led me to run for the State Board of Education. I wanted a seat at the table where decisions about curriculum, student support, and equity are made. Every policy I advocate for is rooted in that courtroom experience and shaped by the voices of those who felt left behind.
But my work doesn’t stop with the law or the legislature. I’m also a writer, a speaker, and a hip hop artist who goes by the name Honey Childs. I believe in using every gift God gave me to tell stories, build bridges, and inspire others. Whether I’m in the courtroom, the classroom, or on a stage, my mission is the same — to advocate, to uplift, and to lead with purpose.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I’ve been blessed to have several people in my life who saw my purpose before I fully understood it myself. My twelfth-grade government teacher, my high school music teacher, my mother, and my boyfriend all spoke life into me in very specific ways. None of them offered empty compliments. Instead, they gave me clear expectations about how I should carry myself because they believed God had called me to inspire a generation.
My mom made sure I was prepared for that call from day one. She held me to a standard that included looking sharp, speaking clearly, staying exposed to new things, and never settling for a mediocre way of life. Her belief in excellence shaped how I move through the world.
My government teacher told me I would be a transformational lawyer long before I even wanted to go to law school. At the time, I thought being a lawyer meant walking around stiff with a briefcase. So he introduced me to civil rights icons like the late Congressman John Lewis. That changed everything. He showed me I was meant to be one of the ones to carry the torch forward.
My music teacher knew I would use music to lead. Back then I thought I had to choose between the courtroom and the stage, but looking back, they both knew I was born to do both.
And my boyfriend? He keeps me grounded. He doesn’t let me speak about my life, my body, or my purpose with “low-vibrational energy”. He reminded me that if I cared so deeply about the community, I had to start by caring for myself. He helped me see that how I treat my body is often a reflection of how I value my calling.
Each of them saw the fullness of who I was becoming and I’m grateful they didn’t wait for me to catch up before they called it out.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
One of the most defining wounds I’ve experienced came in 2022 after I was elected to the Texas State Board of Education. What should have been a moment of celebration quickly turned into something heavy. I faced intense online trolling and public criticism that sent me into a quiet depression. Life didn’t slow down to let me recover. I still had to keep my law firm, Sunnyside Legal, running. I still had to show up for my clients and their cases. And I had to somehow still show up for myself.
During that time, I started slipping into unhealthy patterns. I drank more than I normally would. I stopped caring about what I was eating. I stopped moving my body the way I used to. My mind and spirit were deteriorating. I felt like I was unraveling under the weight of expectations and silence.
But God met me right there in the middle of that storm. I realized I had to re-center my life around Him. I had to prioritize healing just as much as I prioritized my calendar. I started developing better coping skills such as leaning into yoga, dance, songwriting, reading, and even debating over the Word. Slowly, I began to feel like myself again.
That season of depression changed me. It gave me a deeper empathy for others. It showed me how quickly one or two bad breaks can shift a person’s entire life. It made me more compassionate with others and with myself. I no longer see struggle as something to be ashamed of. I see it as part of a person’s refinement. And I’m grateful for every step of the climb back.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely. What you see is what you get. I’ve worked hard to live a life that doesn’t require me to switch masks depending on the room I’m in. Whether I’m showing up as an attorney, an elected official, an artist, or just Staci walking my dog Bosey through the neighborhood, I am the same woman. I talk the same, I believe the same, and I lead from the same spiritual center.
The truth is, when God calls you to something, authenticity becomes a part of your assignment. I’ve found strength in being honest about my wins and my wounds. The same way I show up online, on stage, or in a boardroom is how I show up in prayer, in conversation, and in my community. I’m not perfect, but I’m real and that’s what people connect with. I believe that if God trusted me with the platform, I have to honor Him by being myself on it. The only thing the public hasn’t caught onto yet is my amazing cooking skills–especially delicious vegan ones!
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What light inside you have you been dimming?
As a Black woman in public leadership, I’ve sometimes found myself shrinking or softening my truth to avoid being labeled as loud, angry, or ghetto. That stereotype has followed so many of us into rooms we had to fight just to enter. And so, at times, I’ve leaned too hard on being agreeable like using humor when I should have stood firm, making people comfortable when I should have been standing on business.
I’ve also struggled to fully receive affirmation. I can speak life into other people with ease, but when it comes to myself, I tend to deflect compliments instead of standing in my light. Instead of saying “thank you” and meaning it, I pivot or laugh it off. But the truth is, I am strong. I am smart. I am creative. I’m layered in a way that deserves to be seen.
I love a good thrift find just as much as I love luxury. I have a sharp tongue for the courtroom and a soft spot for gospel music. I’m articulate and deeply intelligent, and I carry a strong Southern accent that connects me to home. I know how to lead a boardroom, how to write a verse, how to advocate for a client, and how to make my people feel seen.
And I’ve realized that none of those parts cancel each other out. They are not contradictions. They are confirmations of who I’ve always been. I’m done dimming the parts of me that don’t fit into a box. God made me this way on purpose, and I’m learning to show up fully, without apology.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sunnysidelegal.com
- Instagram: @attorneystaci
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staci-%E2%80%9Choney%E2%80%9D-childs-esq-348bb327/
- Twitter: @stacifortexas
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@stacichilds7835
- Soundcloud: https://www.youtube.com/@stacichilds7835
Image Credits
austin american statesman is the only one with me on the mic (braids green dress)
