Sonia Sotomayor Quotes that Will Inspire You to Fight for Equality

Sonia Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, appointed by President Barack Obama in May 2009.

She is the first Hispanic (broadly refers to the people, nations, and cultures that have a historical link to the Spanish language or the country of Spain, depending on the context) and Latina as well as the third female justice in US Supreme Court history.

During her tenure on the Supreme Court, Sotomayor has been identified with concern for the rights of defendants, calls for reform of the criminal justice system, and making impassioned dissents on issues of race, gender, and ethnic identity.

In May 2015 she received the Katharine Hepburn Medal from Bryn Mawr College. The Katharine Hepburn Medal recognizes women who change their worlds: those whose lives, work, and contributions embody the intelligence, drive, and independence of the four-time Oscar winner and her namesake mother, an early feminist activist.

Through her memoir “My Beloved World” written by it itself about her childhood, education, life and through children’s literature she has been inspiring both, children as well as adults.

Here are some of her most encouraging quotes to get you inspired to fight for equality:

“Until we get equality in education, we won’t have an equal society.”

“I strive never to forget the real world consequences of my decisions on individuals, businesses, and government.”

“I’ve spent my whole life learning how to do things that were hard for me.”

“I think that the day a justice forgets that each decision comes at a cost to someone, then I think you start losing your humanity. “

“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.”

"It was the most electrifying moment of my life ... a moment in which you sit and realize that you've gone further than any dream you ever had, that you've reached something that never seemed possible. It is an overwhelming moment."

“I do know one thing about me: I don’t measure myself by others’ expectations or let others define my worth.”

“I want to state upfront, unequivocally and without a 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.”

“I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences. Today is one of those experiences.”

“We apply the law to facts. We don't apply feelings to facts.”

“If the system is broken, my inclination is to fix it rather than to fight it. I have faith in the process of the law, and if it is carried out fairly, I can live with the results, whatever they may be.’’

"None of us can afford to be bystanders in life."

"Those people who believe that everyone must pull themselves up — they don’t believe that people are entitled to help. For those of us who understand that sometimes no matter how tall the heel on your boot is, the barrier is so high that you need a small lift to help you get over it — they will understand that the inequalities in a society build that barrier so high. Unless you do something to knock it down or help that person up, they will never have a chance." "There are two questions I ask myself every day. One is: what have I learned today?... The second is: who have I helped today?"

"If we give up hope, we have nothing left to live for. There’s too much at stake for the people I love. For the community that is such an integral part of who I am. For the children who want to grow up and have the world I want and the future, I imagine for them. My life is worth my effort, and so is yours."

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