Above: President Barack Obama announces his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court
If you’re a fan of uniquely American stories, the story of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who was nominated today to fill the seat being vacated by Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court, will be right up your alley.
Sotomayor’s journey began in a housing project in the Bronx, but by applying her brains and her determination, she rose to the highest levels of the judicial system and now stands at the threshold of becoming the first-ever Hispanic Supreme Court justice:
Judge Sotomayor, 54, grew up in the Bronxdale Houses, the child of parents who moved to New York City from Puerto Rico during World War II.
Her father, who worked as a welder, died when she was 9, leaving her mother to raise her and her brother. In speeches to Latino groups over the years, Judge Sotomayor has spoken of how her mother worked six days a week as a nurse to send her and her brother to Catholic school, purchased the only set of encyclopedias in the neighborhood and kept a warm pot of rice and beans on the stove every day for their friends.
Reflecting on Sotomayor’s journey, our chair, Anna Burger, says she’s “an extraordinary choice” for the Court:
Some choices are made for today; others are decided with the future in mind: this choice is right on both counts.
President Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court is an outstanding choice no matter how you look at it. This president has again proved that he understands the importance and long-term significance of his decisions, and working women and men all around this country recognize that President Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the nation’s highest court represents a strong stride forward in this country’s commitment to justice and excellence.
There are few people with Judge Sotomayor’s legal acumen and accumulated wisdom. But beyond her brilliance, her three-decade career in the law and her distinguished record, Judge Sotomayor’s personal story of achievement has given her a rare insight into the lives of people who get up and go to work each day to make a better life for their families. Her journey from a public housing project in the South Bronx, to the most respected institutions in this nation, to courthouses, to the President’s side, this woman has seen the best of what this country can offer and she is dedicated to keeping that dream within the reach of all Americans.
The daughter of a nurse and a factory worker who instilled in her the value of hard work and giving back, she is a woman who has always earned her way to the top of the class and found ways to use her accomplishments to enhance the lives of others. Judge Sotomayor would bring more federal judicial experience to the Supreme Court than any justice in 100 years and more overall judicial experience than anyone confirmed for the Court in the past 70 years. She is an extraordinary choice for this moment and for the future challenges this country will see.