President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden applaud as Judge Sonia Sotomayor delivers remarks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, May 26, 2009.
Political leaders, business people and Hispanic legal professionals applauded the U.S. Senate’s recent confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Sotomayor became the first Latina to hold the position, sparking praise for her, the Senators who voted to confirm her in the job, and President Barack Obama for nominating the daughter of working-class Puerto Rican parents to a seat on the highest court in the land.
Here are some reactions from around the Latino community across the U.S.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis: “I want to congratulate Judge Sotomayor for this achievement and for her grace and virtue under fire as she had her record closely scrutinized over the past 10 weeks. Not only did she handle herself with poise, but with her keen intellect and impeccable record, she won over the hearts and minds of members of Congress.
“This serves as an inspiration to us all. She is the daughter of working-class Puerto Rican parents who grew up in public housing in the Bronx. Driven by her mother, she believes in the power of education and her unrelenting work ethic, she excelled in school and won a scholarship to Princeton University and later attended Yale University. Today she is one of the most qualified and experienced justices sitting on the Supreme Court. Her story demonstrates that everything is possible in this wonderful country and that the American Dream is alive and well.”
U.S. Representative Joseph Miro, a Democrat from Delaware who also serves as president of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL):
“[This is] an especially sparkling moment for Latinos, women, and all communities who have worked to achieve full representation in American civic life.”
Carlos Loumiet, chairman of the board for the New America Alliance (NAA):
“This is a historic moment for all of the Latino community in the United States. We are proudly grateful to all of the Senators who voted for her, Democrat or Republican, but we feel we should particularly acknowledge the Republican Senators — Alexander, Bond, Collins, Graham, Gregg, Lugar, Martinez, Snowe, and Voinovich — who opened their hearts to vote together with the Democrat majority to support this outstanding and experienced judge.”
Ramona E. Romero, president of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA):
“Judge Sotomayor is proof positive that Americans are committed to putting aside our differences and judging based on merit,” said. “It is also a reaffirmation of the promise of equal opportunity that has attracted so many to our country over the centuries. As lawyers, we are proud and sure of the fact that Sotomayor has the intellectual rigor, impartiality, commitment to the rule of law and independence that makes the judiciary power the ultimate ’safe place’ for all Americans.”
Nora Alicia Estrada is a writer for Impulso.
Photo from whitehouse.gov
