On August 14, Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor will visit Alaska and will speak at the Alaska University Fairbanks. This event is important not only because a Supreme Court Justice is coming to Alaska, but because Sotomayor is the first Latina to sit on the Bench.
Born in the Bronx from Puerto Rican parents, Sotomayor brings a breadth of experience, a brilliant intellect and diversity to Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). In his nominating speech, President Barack Obama highlighted some qualities that are essential to sitting on the highest court of the nation: a rigorous intellect, mastery of the law, respect for precedent and the will to faithfully apply the laws to the facts at hand. In addition, President Obama nominated Sotomayor because she has, like so many other Americans, “Experience being tested by obstacles and barriers, by hardship and misfortune; experience insisting, persisting, and ultimately overcoming those barriers. It is experience that can give a person a common touch and a sense of compassion; an understanding of how the world works and how ordinary people live. And that is why it is a necessary ingredient in the kind of justice we need on the Supreme Court.” The conversation with Justice Sotomayor will take place at 4:00, in UA Fairbanks Davis Concert Hall. Admission will be free. |
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