Sonia Sotomayor

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Justice For All

 "Although I grew up in very modest and challenging circumstances, I consider my life to be immeasurably rich. I was raised in a Bronx public housing project, but studied at two of the nation's finest universities."(TIME Swampland, ed.). Being a hardworking and determined person, Sonia Sotomayor is idealistically represented in this quote. Born in Bronx, New York Sonia Sotomayor grew up in a public housing program with her mother and younger brother. At the age of eight she was diagnosed with type one diabetes and at the age of nine her father died suddenly of a heart attack. Faced at a young age with challenging obstacles Sotomayor developed strong determination, that later helped her succeed. Sonia Sotomayor graduated Valedictorian of her high school and got a full scholarship to Princeton. She graduated from Princeton in 1976 with Summa Cum Laude. Later on she went to Yale, received her law degree and became a lawyer for the district of New York courageously defending those in need. After many years of advocacy for the innocent, the U.S. Supreme Court elected Sotomayor as a Supreme Court justice and she went on fairly evaluating cases. A hero is someone who possesses rare traits and applies them to help others. Sonia Sotomayor acquired rare traits at an early age due to all of the challenges she faced; she put those traits to work in order to succeed. Sotomayor achieved her goals when everybody thought she wouldn't be able to. Sonia Sotomayor deserves to be recognized as a hero because of her fair judgment, her fierce courage in representing others and her undeniable determination in achieving her goals and becoming the first Hispanic woman to be elected to the U. S. Supreme Court.

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Sonia Sotomayor possessed the trait of fairness, and applied it daily. Sonia Sotomayor, a Supreme Court justice, was faced with difficult judgment calls that needed to be decided upon fairly: "I want to state up front, unequivocally and without doubt, I do not believe that any ethnic, racial 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." (Encyclopedia of World Biography). In this quote Sonia Sotomayor states: "I do not believe that any ethnic, racial or gender group has an advantage in sound judging." This shows that she didn't base her decisions on looks or beliefs, but rather on what was right or wrong. This quote portrays Sonia Sotomayor as someone who believes everybody deserves an equal opportunity to make the right decision. Sonia Sotomayor not only had fair judgment, but she had fair reasoning. "No matter how liberal I am, I'm still outraged by crimes of violence. Regardless of whether I can sympathize with the causes that lead these individuals to do these crimes, the effects are outrageous." (Newsmakers. Vol. 4). Sonia Sotomayor believed that the crime mattered more than the person doing it. It didn't matter if the person was was going through a hard time; the crime committed was the determining factor of their sentence. Sonia Sotomayor also stated that she was "outraged by crimes of violence." This shows that she believed everybody deserved to be treated well, and deserved to be punished for their actions. Sonia Sotomayor in her daily life used her fair judgment to better others.

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Many people in modern day society are only willing to stand up for themselves and not others. Sonia Sotomayor defied this concept by standing up in what and who she believed in. Somewhere along Sonia Sotomayor's career she represented baseball players against the owners of the team and helped them get justice: "Ruling from the bench, Sotomayor chided baseball owners, saying they had no right to unilaterally eliminate the 20-year-old system of free agents and salary arbitration while bargaining continues. With those provisions reinstated, striking players have promised to play ball this season under the terms of the previous contract while the two sides try to hammer out a new deal." (Encyclopedia of World Biography). Representing baseball players against the owners of the team took courage because Sotomayor was endangering her place in society by challenging a well-respected organization. By using her courage Sotomayor was able to get the players to agree to play for the team while deals were being negotiated. As a Supreme Court justice, it was Sonia Sotomayor's duty to try those who were guilty and help those who were innocent: "Her court cases showcased the darkest parts of society: child pornography, murder, and police brutality." (Newsmakers. Vol. 4). Even though it was Sotomayor's job to rule over cases, it took courage to rule over such sensitive matters and to expose things knowing that others could potentially oppose her decisions. As stated above "her court cases showcased the darkest parts of society," having courage is one thing, but using your courage to aid others is another. Sonia Sotomayor used her courage to help others come to justice, and that is heroic. Sotomayor used her courage to bravely represent those in need without expecting anything in return.

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Sonia Sotomayor's remarkable determination played a great role in her success. Through hard work and determination Sonia Sotomayor was able to fulfill her goals. At a young age focusing on one thing and putting all of your energy towards that shows extreme maturity and determination. Sonia Sotomayor not only grew up in modest conditions, but she faced many different obstacles that didn't succeed in holding her back: "...at the age of eight she was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, and began a lifelong dependence on daily insulin injections. A year later, her father died of a heart attack" (Encyclopedia of World Biography). Knocked down by health issues and the loss of her dad, Sotomayor stood right back up and became more motivated to succeed. As stated in the quote Sotomayor "began a lifelong dependence on daily insulin injections," she was faced with responsibility no child should have to overcome, but she did, and when she overcame her fears her thirst for success deepened. Sotomayor did not live in the most reputable environment; however, with her determination and hard work, Sotomayor was able to reach new heights she did not think were possible: "Once I focused on becoming a lawyer, I never deviated from that goal." (Newsmakers. Vol. 4). This quote depicts the determination and motivation of Sonia Sotomayor; when she said "I never deviated from that goal," this shows her determination and strive to reach her goal. What also shows determination is that fact that Sonia Sotomayor focused on being a lawyer, and she didn't waste her time thinking about other things. Thanks to her unfaltering determination, Sotomayor not only obtained her goal, but also learned to face challenges.

Sonia Sotomayor is a fair, courageous, and determined individual who uses her traits to better the lives of others and can therefore be considered a hero. Sotomayor was born and raised in modest conditions that showed her the hardships of life; this led her to develop the determination and the hunger to succeed. Sonia Sotomayor not only worked hard her whole life to achieve her goals, but she used her fair judgment to succeed and get noticed. Faced with many challenges in her life Sotomayor developed her fierce courage that enabled her to not back down when challenges came her way. Sonia Sotomayor is an example to society because she shows that hard work pays off and that helping others without expecting anything in return gives you a sense of accomplishment and allows you to succeed. Society portrays a hero as someone with superpowers that prances around in tights. To me a hero is someone who works hard every day of their life to accomplish something good, someone who helps those in need, and lastly someone who doesn't let tragedies knock them down. Sonia Sotomayor inspires me because she is proof that this type of person exists. Sonia Sotomayor falls in the category of a hero because she made her life rich utilizing what little resources she had.