Until we reach equality in education, we can't reach equality in the larger society. Sonia Sotomayor More Quotes by Sonia Sotomayor More Quotes From Sonia Sotomayor 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 wise opportunity believe You always wonder whether the attacks on my capabilities came from an honest evaluation of my accomplishments or from stereotypical presumptions that we, people of color, just can't do it, for some reason. This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life. Sonia Sotomayor accomplishment color people The challenges I have faced - among them material poverty, chronic illness, and being raised by a single mother - are not uncommon, but neither have they kept me from uncommon achievements. Sonia Sotomayor achievement challenges mother I am a New Yorker, and 7:00 A.M. is a civilized hour to finish the day, not to start it. Sonia Sotomayor civilized new-yorkers hours I want to state upfront, unequivocally and without doubt: I do not believe that any racial, ethnic or gender group has an advantage in sound judging. 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 wisdom wise believe Every lawyer, no matter whom they represent, is trying to help someone, whether it's a person, a corporation, a government entity, or a small or big business. To me, lawyering is the height of service - and being involved in this profession is a gift. Sonia Sotomayor lawyer helping trying I have never had to face anything that could overwhelm the native optimism and stubborn perseverance I was blessed with. Sonia Sotomayor optimism perseverance blessed A role model in the flesh provides more than inspiration; his or her very existence is confirmation of possibilities one may have every reason to doubt, saying, "Yes, someone like me can do this." Sonia Sotomayor role-models inspiration doubt I don't believe we should bend the Constitution under any circumstance. It says what it says. We should do honor to it. Sonia Sotomayor constitution honor believe We apply law to facts. We don't apply feelings to facts. Sonia Sotomayor law feelings facts There are uses to adversity, and they don't reveal themselves until tested. Whether it's serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, difficulty can tap unexpected strengths. Sonia Sotomayor financial-hardship adversity simple To me, lawyering is the height of service - and being involved in this profession is a gift. Sonia Sotomayor involved profession height You make your life choices understanding that you might and do have to work harder to prove yourself. Sonia Sotomayor hard-work understanding choices I realized that people had an unreal image of me, that somehow I was a god on Mount Olympus. I decided that if I were going to make use of my role as a Supreme Court Justice, it would be to inspire people to realize that, first, I was just like them and second, if I could do it, so could they. Sonia Sotomayor justice inspire people My diabetes is such a central part of my life... it did teach me discipline... it also taught me about moderation... I've trained myself to be super-vigilant... because I feel better when I am in control. Sonia Sotomayor taught discipline feel-better The truth is that since childhood I had cultivated an existential independence. It came from perceiving the adults around me as unreliable, and without it I felt I wouldn't have survived. I cared deeply for everyone in my family, but in the end I depended on myself. Sonia Sotomayor independence childhood adults You know, failure hurts. Any kind of failure stings. If you live in the sting, you will - undoubtedly - fail. My way of getting past the sting is to say no, I'm just not going to let this get me down. Sonia Sotomayor hurt way past The dynamism of any diverse community depends not only on the diversity itself but on promoting a sense of belonging among those who formerly would have been considered and felt themselves outsiders. Sonia Sotomayor outsiders diversity community I have always been actively involved in my community, belonging to organizations that promote the interests of Latinos. But I also know that the issues we confront are the same issues, in many respects, as the larger community. So what we do helps not just us but everybody. Sonia Sotomayor latino community helping Personal experiences affect the facts that judges choose to see. Sonia Sotomayor latina-women judging facts
