Latino Leaders Welcome and Support the Overdue Nomination of the first Black Female Justice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release
February 25, 2022
Press Contacts:
Sarai Bejarano | Manager of Traditional & Digital Media | [email protected] | 212-739-7581
Joint Statement from Leading Latino Organizations on Nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court
Latino leaders welcome and support the overdue nomination of the first Black female justice
Washington, DC — Today, Latinos for a Fair Judiciary (LFJ) and its partners — Voto Latino, LatinoJustice, Mi Familia Vota and LULAC — celebrate the historic nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States. As the first Black woman to ever be nominated to the high court, we applaud President Biden for fulfilling his promise to make the nation’s highest court more diverse and representative of the nation.
In response to today’s announcement, leading Latino organizations – which represent prominent Latino legal and civil rights communities and leadership – look forward to the confirmation process in hopes that Judge Jackson’s appointment will ensure the Supreme Court better reflects the America it serves, upholds equal justice and protects the rights of people from all backgrounds:
“The nomination of the first Black woman to serve in our highest court is a historic moment for our country and one that has been long overdue. We are optimistic that Judge Jackson's strong background in racial and social equity and her lived experience will be vital in guiding her to approach and undertake the issues of deep concern to our Black and Latino communities,” said Lourdes M. Rosado, President & General Counsel for LatinoJustice PRLDEF. “Too much lies in the balance, voting, immigrant and worker rights, along with other priorities such as equal opportunities for our communities to thrive. We task Senators to call witnesses from the Latino community to ensure the inclusion of the Latino perspective throughout their assessment of the nominee. Perspective matters, and we will be vigilantly watching the process to ensure Judge Jackson is committed to championing equal rights for all.”
"Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States is an incredible moment in American history. We look forward to learning more during the confirmation process about Judge Jackson’s commitment to advancing racial and social equity and how she will approach the multitude of legal issues that affect our communities — including voting rights, labor issues, criminal justice, immigration, along with many others,” said Héctor Sánchez Barba, Executive Director and CEO of Mi Familia Vota. “Judge Jackson’s extraordinary breadth of experience in the nation’s second-highest court makes her a strong and qualified nominee. We will watch the confirmation process closely and advocate for Senators to assess Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court so that she may apply her perspective, professional experience, and fidelity to the law and the lasting impact she will have on the next generation of Latinos and all Americans."
“Judge Jackson is extraordinarily well qualified for a seat on the Supreme Court. Just as importantly, her nomination represents a profoundly important step towards creating a court that reflects the diversity of this country. I remember distinctly how proud I felt when President Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor to become the first Latina to become a Supreme Court Justice. I’m overjoyed for the millions of Black women and little girls who I know are experiencing a similar sense of pride today,” said Maria Teresa Kumar, President and CEO of Voto Latino, in a statement. “The issues before the Supreme Court will have a profound impact on the Latino community, from voting rights and immigration to our ability to be treated fairly on the job and access critical health care. The choice of a new justice is a profoundly important question that will shape our lives long after the president who named them leaves office.”
“This is a historic day in America when we witness the very first African American woman nominated to serve on the nation’s highest court. First, she has more than eight years of experience on the federal bench and is a graduate of Harvard Law School. She also has worked as a public defender and has stated that public service is at her core. Judge Jackson understands the historical inequities in the criminal court system and can bring a significant new voice to the Supreme Court,” said Domingo Garcia, National President of LULAC. “If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Judge Jackson would be the first person who has worked on the public defender side of the system to ever sit on our nation’s highest court. LULAC strongly believes that only when our courts reflect the growing diversity in America can we have a fair and impartial judiciary that affords all men and women who come before it the true justice to which they are entitled under our Constitution. We urge the Senate to move without delay to confirm Judge Jackson.”
“President Biden's nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson — a former public defender and supremely qualified jurist who would also be the first Black female Justice — is a milestone for a nation still reckoning with the wrongs and inequities of its past. If confirmed, Judge Jackson's appointment wouldn't immediately rebalance the Supreme Court, but it would bend the arc of history by expanding the Court's collective knowledge and lived experiences,” said Andrea Nill Sanchez, Executive Director of Latinos for a Fair Judiciary. “In addition to conducting a fair confirmation process, we urge the Senate to strongly consider Judge Jackson’s commitment to advancing racial and social equity — including the many issues being litigated in federal courts that affect the ability of Latino communities to thrive.”
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Latinos for a Fair Judiciary (LFJ) provides Latino leaders across the nation a platform and voice in matters related to our nation’s judicial system. We are a nonpartisan group with a mission to raise public awareness around the pressing legal issues Latinos are facing and call attention to the significance of the federal judiciary. As part of our work, LFJ partners with elected officials, legal, civil rights, labor, academic and political leaders who care deeply about the impact that federal courts have on the Latino community. For more information about LFJ, visit www.latinosforafairjudiciary.org.
About LatinoJustice
LatinoJustice PRLDEF works to create a more just society by using and challenging the rule of law to secure transformative, equitable and accessible justice, by empowering our community and by fostering leadership through advocacy and education. For nearly 50 years, LatinoJustice PRLDEF has acted as an advocate against injustices throughout the country. To learn more about LatinoJustice, visit www.LatinoJustice.org.