31 Sonia Sotomayor Quotes The Associate Justice Making History

Moumita Dutta
Dec 12, 2023 By Moumita Dutta
Originally Published on Feb 18, 2021
Edited by Jacob Fitzbright
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Law Judicial Knowledge

Sonia Sotomayor, a fearless, outspoken woman who later became the first Latina US Supreme Court Justice, is an inspiration for many.

A woman who hustled through her struggles and turned them into triumphs. Sonia Sotomayor, a determined and energetic woman who turned her dreams into an inspirational success story.

Sonia Sotomayor is mainly known for her life story that is how a young girl born to Puerto Rican immigrant parents, made fo herself all her dreams come true even when the wind was against her.

Unfortunately, her father died when she was just nine; in addition, she was diagnosed with a major illness, diabetes; at the age of nine itself, this little girl got the spark of her dream from a TV show called Perry Mason.

The start to her magnificent career was in 2009 when President Barack Obama nominated her to the Supreme Court of the United States, where she became the first Hispanic justice and the third woman in the court's history.

Here are some of her most inspirational quotes, which talk about her success story and her life experiences bout how a person or a little teen turned the tables with her determination.

If you like what you are reading, check outThurgood Marshall quotes and civil rights quotes.
 

Sonia Sotomayor Famous Quotes

These are some of the most inspirational and famous quotes from Sonia Sotomayor that are very impactful.

1. "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, 'My Beloved World'.

2. "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."

-Sonia Sotomayor.

3. "I've spent my whole life learning how to do things that were hard for me."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

4. "The first case I sat on was Citizens United. Talk about being thrown in. Needless to say, if I was scared before, I was terrified."

-Sonia Sotomayor.

5. "This wealth of experiences, personal and professional, have helped me appreciate the variety of perspectives that present themselves in every case that I hear."

-Sonia Sotomayor.

6. "Although I grew up in very modest and challenging circumstances, I consider my life to be immeasurably rich."

-Sonia Sotomayor.

7. "A career is something that you train for and prepare for and plan on doing for a long time."

-Sonia Sotomayor.

8. "I firmly believe in the rule of law as the foundation for all of our basic rights."

-Sonia Sotomayor.

9. "I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences."

-Sonia Sotomayor.

10. "Books are keys that unlock the wisdom of yesterday and open the door to tomorrow."

- Sonia Sotomayor, 'Turning Pages: My Life Story'.

Sonia Sotomayor 'My Beloved World' Quotes

Sonia Sotomayor Supreme Court Justice

Find some amazing Sonia Sotomayor quotes, which are all gathered from her book 'My Beloved World', a memoir where she talks about her childhood, education, family, and career.

11. "I felt like everyone's second choice, which is why a compliment could catch me off guard."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

12. "Good people can do bad things, make bad decisions. It doesn't make them bad people."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

13. "You can't say: This much love is worth this much misery. They're not opposites that cancel each other out; they're both true at the same time."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

14. "I have come to believe that in order to thrive, a child must have at least one adult in her life who shows her unconditional love, respect, and confidence."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

15. "Dressing badly has been a refuge much of my life, a way of compelling others to engage with my mind, not my physical presence."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

16. "Although wisdom is built on life experiences, the mere accumulation of years guarantees nothing."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

17. "There are no bystanders in life. Our humanity makes us each a part of something greater than ourselves."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

18. "Many of the gaps in my knowledge and understanding were simply limits of class and cultural background, not lack of aptitude or application as I feared."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

19. "You've got to get your education! It's the only way to get ahead in the world."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

20. "I think that even someone who got into an institution through affirmative action could prove they were qualified by what they accomplished there."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

21. "A surplus of effort could overcome a deficit of confidence."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

Inspirational Quotes By Sonia Sotomayor

These Sonia Sotomayor quotes are all picked from her various sayings and is for everyone who wants to find about her life story and dreams.

22. "Remember that no one succeeds alone. Never walk alone in your future paths."

-Sonia Sotomayor.

23. "There are uses to adversity, and they don't reveal themselves until tested. Whether it's a serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, the difficulty can tap unexpected strengths."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

24. "Personal experiences affect the facts that judges choose to see."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'A Latina Judge's Voice'.

25. "Don't mistake politeness for lack of strength."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

26. "I have never, ever focused on the negative of things. I always look at the positive."

-Sonia Sotomayor.

27. "Experience has taught me that you cannot value dreams according to the odds of their coming true. Their real value is in stirring within us the will to aspire."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

28. "I'm young at heart. I'm young in spirit, and I'm still adventurous."

-Sonia Sotomayor.

29. "Until we get equality in education, we won't have an equal society."

-Sonia Sotomayor.

30. "As you discover what strength you can draw from your community in this world from which it stands apart, look outward as well as inward. Build bridges instead of walls."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'My Beloved World'.

31. "My hope is that I will take the good from my experiences and extrapolate them further into areas with which I am unfamiliar. I simply do not know exactly what that difference will be in my judging. But I accept there will be some based on my gender and my Latina heritage."

-Sonia Sotomayor, 'A Latina Judge's Voice'.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Sonia Sotomayor quotes then why not take a look at lawyer quotes, or women's history month quotes.

Article image credit: K2 images / Shutterstock.com

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Written by Moumita Dutta

Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management

Moumita Dutta picture

Moumita DuttaBachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management

A content writer and editor with a passion for sports, Moumita has honed her skills in producing compelling match reports and stories about sporting heroes. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta University, alongside a postgraduate diploma in Sports Management.

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