Latina, Woman, Of the High Court

"Each day on the bench I learn something new about the judicial process and about being a professional Latina woman in a world that sometimes looks at me with suspicion. I can and do aspire to be greater than the sum total of my experiences but I accept my limitations” (“Sonia Sotomayor”).

          She worked for five years as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan and for eight years as a commercial litigator with a New York law firm. In reviewing the nominee report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Judge Sotomayor was speculated to be the first Hispanic to sit on the United States Supreme Court and only the third woman (“Report of the ACLU…” 1). Indeed, Judge Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed in August of 2009, by a vote of 68 to 31 ("Sonia Sotomayor"). For the underserved population of Latino people, her sworn duty to the United States was historic. According to the ACLU, generally Judge Sotomayor’s judicial opinions exhibit precedence and factual details (“Report of the ACLU…” 1). Many people are quick to criticize her advocacy, saying her work for minorities is impartial and it should disqualify her from a seat on the Court; nevertheless, if that had been applied, some of our most prominent justices, including Thurgood Marshall, would have been removed (“Report of the ACLU…” 2). Being subjected to such unfair opinions, is an all-to-common standard for Latina women of this country.






Figure 3: Nadel, Adam. Judge Sotomayor Donning Her Robe. 1998. Photograph. New York Times. Associated Press, 26 May 2009. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. < http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/05/26/us/20090526-SOTOMAYOR_8.html >.

Figure 4: Justice Sonia Sotomayor Loves Our Country and a Good Manicure. Photograph. Polichicks. 11 Nov. 2009. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. < http://www.polichicksonline.com/2009/11/justice-sonia-sotomayor-loves.html >.