Pro Se It Your Way: Beauty Queen With A Goliath Purpose

PRO SE IT YOUR WAY: BEAUTY QUEEN WITH A GOLIATH PURPOSE

If you have heard of Malcolm Gladwell’s brilliant version of the story of David versus Goliath, it might reverse your understanding of the underdog. (1) It might even empower you to fight your own strategic battles against anyone or anything that might come across to you as intimidating. One such peaceful warrior of a woman is Anurithi Chikkerur who prefers to go by Chikki, which ironically means “little” in many languages. Get the subtle David reference here?

Chikki is no underdog and her story might just inspire you to stop branding yourself as one. She is an international beauty queen, former CEO of an oil and gas company, former commodities trader, philanthropist and children’s rights activist. She single-handedly and strategically fights for children’s rights in Texas family court battles by attempting to wield what she calls “integrative power.” “ Integrative Power calls on each party to follow what they believe to be true, maintain an open mind, and trust that this interaction would produce a result that is mutually respectful of all parties’ human needs and dignity.” (2) Drawing valuable experiences and knowledge from her own hostile custody battles (which are available in open public court records), Chikki’s company, PRO SE COURT SUPPORT SERVICES (PSCS) conducts regular FREE and paid workshops. These workshops assist parents representing themselves and their children’s best interests effectively in court battles which are often in uncharted and hostile territory for non-lawyers to navigate.

Many parents give in to the pressures of psychological court warfare, as well as the trauma and stress of hostile custody battles. In these court ballets, they are attempting to defend themselves and their children’s best interests effectively. This pain also includes the pain and trauma that comes with losing someone you love or once loved, making a parent/guardian in pain a metaphorically wounded David. One of many sad examples is the case of the Yariv Kaplan, who succumbed to the pressures of a Texas courtroom and committed suicide after shooting his nine-year-old daughter; (3) or the very public and very dramatic divorce of Alex Jones and wife Kelley Jones. (4)

Chikki draws inspiration from Malcolm Gladwell’s version of David versus Goliath as well. “Being small, nimble and strategic in any sort of battle against a power, seemingly larger than you, is an advantage – not a disadvantage. Everything is bigger in Texas but bigger ain’t better or smarter than everything y’all!! ,” she quips over a telephone interview, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, from the hip Austin town she calls home. (5)

“I am finally getting to live my life’s purpose”, Chicki stated in a matter of fact tone, “as a result of experiencing my own hostile divorce/custody battles. I have witnessed countless good mothers and good fathers lose legal access to their children in court because they just don’t know how to represent their children’s best interests like a seasoned and ethical attorney would.” (5)
“Unethical opposing sides and sometimes even unethical judges value money more than the most valuable resource that we all take for granted – our children,” Chikki states and pauses, with tears in her eyes. “ What I certainly want is as many children (including mine) growing up to be happy, healthy adults contributing to this planet’s growth in positive ways. How can we achieve more amazing things as a human race if we have a generation of abused, traumatized children growing up to become adults and caretakers of this beautiful planet?”

This is why Chikki is the David that can tackle one Goliath in her town – but there are Goliath’s in every town. So in your version of the story of David versus Goliath, who or what is your Goliath and who is bound to be victorious? That is a question we must all ask ourselves.

  1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziGD7vQOwl8
  2. https://mettacenter.org/definitions/gloss-concepts/integrative-power/
  3. https://www.kxan.com/news/crime/father-9-year-old-daughter-killed-in-apparent-murder-suicide/
  4. http://politics.blog.mystatesman.com/2017/07/20/case-closed-judge-naranjo-issues-final-orders-in-alexkelly-jones-child-custody-case/amp/
  5. Interview, Anurithi Chickerur by Katherine Fry, September 22, 2019.
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