I think that even someone who got into an institution through affirmative action could prove they were qualified by what they accomplished there.
SONIA SOTOMAYORAn alcoholic father, poverty, my own juvenile diabetes, the limited English my parents spoke – although my mother has become completely bilingual since. All these things intrude on what most people think of as happiness.
More Sonia Sotomayor Quotes
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There are no bystanders in this life.
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Diabetes taught me discipline.
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An alcoholic father, poverty, my own juvenile diabetes, the limited English my parents spoke – although my mother has become completely bilingual since. All these things intrude on what most people think of as happiness.
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Although I grew up in very modest and challenging circumstances, I consider my life to be immeasurably rich.
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There are uses to adversity, and they don’t reveal themselves until tested. Whether it’s serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, difficulty can tap unexpected strengths.
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The Latina in me is an ember that blazes forever.
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Every lawyer, no matter whom they represent, is trying to help someone, whether it’s a person, a corporation, a government entity, or a small or big business. To me, lawyering is the height of service – and being involved in this profession is a gift.
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Personal experiences affect the facts that judges choose to see.
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You can’t dream unless you know what the possibilities are.
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I’ve spent my whole life learning how to do things that were hard for me.
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I have never had to face anything that could overwhelm the native optimism and stubborn perseverance I was blessed with.
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If you’re poor, you don’t often live near a good school. If it’s a competitive public school program, our kids are not prepared to enter those programs.
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The truth is that since childhood I had cultivated an existential independence. It came from perceiving the adults around me as unreliable, and without it I felt I wouldn’t have survived. I cared deeply for everyone in my family, but in the end I depended on myself.
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Don’t mistake politeness for lack of strength.
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I don’t believe we should bend the Constitution under any circumstance. It says what it says. We should do honor to it.
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