Sotomayor Speaks

On Wednesday, January 28th, the University of Utah and Jon M. Hunstman Center was fortunate to host U.S.Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor.  Sotomayor was at the University participating in the MUSE Project (My University Signature Experience).  The reason Sotomayor was at the University this year, as opposed to others, is because the MUSE theme for this year is “justice.”

Sotomayor is a groundbreaking Justice, in that she is only the third woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, and she is the first Hispanic Justice.  She was born in the Bronx, to a lower-class Puerto Rican family.  However, she ended up attending Princeton undergraduate and Yale Law School.  She was nominated for the Supreme Court in 2009 and has been serving since then.

After being introduced by the President of the University, Sotomayor began talking with Utah’s own Supreme Court Justice, Christine Dunham.  Durham is groundbreaking in her own right, in that she is Utah’s first woman Supreme Court Justice.  Sotomayor answered questions from Durham about education and primarily how she got into the justice system.

“I went into the law because I’m passionate about the law,” Sotomayor said.

After answering some of Justice Durham’s questions, Sotomayor began answering questions from prepared Univeristy students.  These students asked questions about Sotomayor about her childhood and how growing up in the Bronx shaped her.   She explained that as as a minority there are many obstacles that minorities face, and that it takes more to become successful as a minority.  Sotomayor also said that “it is harder for minorities now, then when I was growing up,” regarding minorities becoming successful.

After talking to the university students, Sotomayor did something clearly not on the script, she entered the seats where basketball patrons normally sit, and where the elementary through High School students were sitting.  This clearly made her security nervous, but Sotomayor did not care as she continued to address Justice Durham while taking pictures with smiling children and teens.

“Please vote,” Sotomayor said addressing the students.  “It’s sad to see the small amount of people deciding such fundamental issues.”

Voting and reading literature were two issues Sotomayor focused a lot of attention on.  She related stories of growing up reading Nancy Drew, which sparked her love of reading.

“Start with a subject you like, and then just go from there,” Sotomayor said regarding getting into literature.  “Don’t forget the value of the pictures words paint.”

After encouraging all to read and vote, Sotomayor dismissed all the adults and college students so she could address the students directly.  It is clear that she loves and cares very much about students, and in a broader sense, the future of this country.