Puerto Rico The White House Office of the Press Secretary describes Sonia Sotomayor as being an exemplar of the American Dream. While it may be described as a rags-to-riches tale, there is more to the story of Sonia Sotomayor because she has channeled her energy and intelligence into the field of law and the pursuit of social justice. As such, Sotomayor is certainly one that may inspire others who grow up disadvantaged due to social class status, race, ethnicity, and gender.

Now one of the most powerful and influential people in the United States as a Justice of the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor was raised in a public housing project in the South Bronx. Yet Sotomayor remained undeterred. She read a lot as a child, and was "driven by an indefatigable work ethic," (White House Office of the Press Secretary 1). Sotomayor graduated from high school at the top of her class, and earned a scholarship to Princeton University.

Sotomayor is also one of the most powerful modern Puerto Ricans, and certainly among the most powerful Puerto Rican women. Her parents were both born in Puerto Rico but moved to New York during World War II. Her father was a factory worker "with a third-grade education," (White House Office of the Press Secretary 1). He died when Sonia was only nine years old. Sonia has a younger brother, Juan, who became a doctor. Clearly, the Sotomayor family understood the power of hard work and a solid education in pursuing the American Dream.

The reason why...

Because of that, Sotomayor is determined to help those who, like her, could have succumbed to institutionalized racism and gender discrimination. Growing up Puerto Rican, and in a housing project, could have prevented Sotomayor from achieving her goals. Moreover, Sotomayor was diagnosed with childhood diabetes at the age of eight, and had to learn how to inject herself with needles at a young age (Sotomayor). The disease, she notes, "inspired in me a kind of precocious self-reliance that is not uncommon in children who feel the adults around them to be unreliable," (Sotomayor 13).
What is also remarkable about Sotomayor's story is the fact that she retained her culture, even while achieving the American Dream. She did not assimilate in the way that erases the past. Spanish was spoken in her household, and many of her relatives did not speak any English. She recalls living with her extended family, and her grandparents were highly influential people in her life. Several people in her family and community had brought with them religious and cultural practices that helped them create and maintain a Puerto Rican identity in the middle of New York. These core elements of Puerto Rican culture and community seeped into Sotomayor's consciousness. She always felt trusting of others, which naturally led her to feel secure and confident in the pursuit…