The Life of Sonia Sotomayor
Through her hard work and dedication, Sotomayor has become a role model to follow for all Hispanics who are trying to get an education and a great career. For Sotomayor, it did not come easy, but she made success a necessity not an option. She is living proof of the American Dream.
Sonia Sotomayor
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Early life
Sonia Maria Sotomayor
Puerto Rican decent
Born on June 25, 1954
Bronx New York
Parents: Juan and Celina Sotomayor
She is the oldest of two children
When she was nine her father died from heart problems, leaving her mother to raise Sonia and her younger brother Juan on her own
Her desire for becoming a judge came from watching an episode of Perry Mason
Did you know?
She loves baseball and she threw the first pitch in a Yankees game in 2009!
At the age of 8 she was diagnosed with diabetes. That affected her choice of why not to have children , but also as " an important motivation for how I've lived my life"
Do you think that Sonia's early life influenced the Hispanic culture on following their dreams despite of economic status?
- No
- Yes
Sonia'sAccomplishments
Sotomayor became the youngest judge in the Southern District and the first Hispanic federal judge in New York State. She became the first Puerto Rican woman to serve as a judge in a U.S. federal court. She was one of seven women among the district's 58 judges.
Career
Career
Began working as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan
In 1984, she entered a private practice where she specialized in property litigation and was also on the board of New York's Purto Rican Defense and Education Fund
In 1992 she was appointed to U.S. district judge for the Southern District of New York City by George W.Bush
On October 3, 1998 she was elevated to US Second Circuit Court of Appeals by Bill Clinton
School
School
Graduated from Spellman Cardinal highschool in the Bronx in 1972
Went to Princeton University and graduated from there in 1976 where she was awarded the Pyne Prize
Went on to Yale University Law School and passed the bar in 1980 and received her law degree
Significance
Taught adjunct law at NYU in 1998 and at Columbia Law School in 1999
On May 26, 2009 President Barack Obama announced his nomination of Sonia for Supreme Court Justice
This made her the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in U.S. History
Legacy
"I do believe that every person has an equal opportunity to be a good and wise judge, regardless of their background or life experiences.”
– Sonia Sotomayor
With all her achievements and recognition, Sotomayor has also been highly criticized and had the majority of Senate Republicans oppose her nomination for Supreme Court Justice. She was under close observation and was attacked by critics when she remarked, “Personal experiences and gender have a lot to do with judges’ decisions.” She was also, at one point, criticized for being racist when she made the comment, “I would hope a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”
But that belief she has sustained throughout her life is what has allowed her to be where she is today. She has always been true to her word and has defended what she thinks is right. As many people have agreed with her, “Personal experiences affect what judges choose to see,” and there is nothing wrong with that because it allows for a fair decision.