< Sotomayor: Latino Law Students Look Forward

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Heard on Tell Me More

August 10, 2009 - MICHEL MARTIN, host:

I'm Michel Martin, and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Coming up, my thoughts on why Paula Abdul's decision to quit "American Idol" actually matters. That's my Can I Just Tell You commentary, and it's in just a few minutes.

But first, a supreme achievement, read one Puerto Rican newspaper headline last Friday, referring of course to Judge Sonia Sotomayor's historic confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. She is the third woman and the first person of Latino heritage to serve on the high court. And of course, he journey from the Bronx to the Supreme Court is being celebrated as another milestone on the path to a colorblind America.

But how does Justice Sotomayor's story look to the many young women following in her footsteps? We decided to check in with a group of up-and-coming Latina law students to find out.

Julia Longoria(ph), she recently finished law school at the University of Texas and is waiting for her bar exam results - yay. She is working for Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid. Also joining us from Culver City, California, is Elizabeth Santano(ph). She's about to start her second year of law school at Yale, and she's just completed an internship with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. Also joining us from Berkeley, California, is Aida Marcedo(ph), a second-year law student at the University of California at Davis, and Aida's also co-chair of the law school's La Raza Law Student Association. Welcome, ladies, and congratulations to all of you on your accomplishments so far.

Ms. JULIA LONGORIA (Attorney, Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid): Thank you.

Ms. ELIZABETH SANTANO (Law Student, Yale University): Thank you very much.

Ms. AIDA MARCEDO (Law Student, University of California, Davis): Thank you for having me.

MARTIN: Did any of you watch the swearing-in? Elizabeth, I think you did.

Ms. SANTANO: I did. We don't have cable at home, but I was able to watch it online and kind of gathered my mom and brother around. And it was definitely a special moment, just getting to see her finally reach a process that had been going on, you know, for a couple of months now. It was definitely an exciting moment, a heartwarming moment.

MARTIN: What did it mean to you? Do you remember, what were you feeling?

Ms. SANTANO: So much excitement, I mean, really being proud of her and just seeing that she - she just signifies, I think, so much for the Latino community, and she's really an inspiration to my generation, I guess, to current law students. It's really a validation for woman and Latinos in the law. So it's incredibly exciting, and I think it just opens more doors for us.

MARTIN: I want to hear more about that, but Julia, Aida, did either of you watch the swearing-in, as well?

Ms. MARCEDO: I did take a glimpse at it, and - I'm sorry - I did look, and I think, you know, it does bring a sense of hope for Latinas with similar life experiences. And it's funny because my mom actually watched it, too, and I was speaking to her over the phone, and she's like wow, you know, maybe you can be a judge one day. And it's funny that she said that, you know, because she knows the importance of this. And I think for a lot of us Latina law students, it does bring a sense of, you know, empowerment to see the first Latina judge on the Supreme Court.

MARTIN: And that Aida? Who was that?

Ms. MARCEDO: Yes, Aida.

MARTIN: That was Aida. Julia, you were going to say something.

Ms. LONGORIA: I was just going to say it's all been a very emotional experience for me, as well, as I'm sure the other girls will also echo. And just seeing it happen in our lifetime is, it is very empowering, and it's inspiring. And like Aida, my mother, who usually doesn't follow these sorts of things, was extremely proud and excited. And I remember having a conversation with her and her asking me how I felt about it, and her, you know, being really excited that, you know, this could be something that could also happen for me.

MARTIN: Julia, I wanted to ask you, and also Aida, because you've been very active in student organizations and civil rights organizations. Julia, you served on the board of the Chicano-Hispanic Law Student Association and of the National Latino-Latina Law Student Association. You also interned with Malda(ph). How did you react to the arguments that Judge Sotomayor was an activist, and part of what was pointed to as evidence was her participation with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund. Did that give you pause at all?

Ms. LONGORIA: Well, I think for a minute, anybody in the legal profession will always question how your - what activities or what groups you're involved in now will affect your career later. And I think it was actually really edifying to realize that there was somebody who was, you know, a very, very - a very impartial and very strong judicial person who didn't let her interests and activities affect her ability to be a fantastic judge. And I think her response to those accusations and also her strength actually really made me feel good about the decisions that I've made in my legal career so far.

MARTIN: Aida, what about you? You're the incoming co-chair of the law school's La Raza Law Students Association. Same question to you.

Ms. MARCEDO: Yes. I agree. I think, you know, it shows a lot of, you know, her development as a judge. And I think you do think about what, you know, what activities to take part of and you think, how is this going to affect me in the future? Am I going to be criticized over this?

And I've been very active in a lot of civil rights organizations and worked for a civil rights organization this summer, Public Advocates here in San Francisco. And I think having that background and that experience, you know, adds to being your experience as a judge. And I think when she was attacked, you know, for being part of the board of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund, it was unfortunate that she wasn't - I think for me it kind of said, you know, well, look at her, she's had this experience working with these civil rights organizations and she still made it up this far and she's made it this far.

And think you know it's important that it shows some of her character and it kept her grounded that she was still involved with the Latino community. And for me it was encouraging to be like, she did some of the similar things that I'm working on and she still has made it this far.

MARTIN: Elizabeth, I wanted ask you because you also went to Yale.

Ms. SANTANO: Yes.

MARTIN: And, as did Judge Sonia Sotomayor. And I wanted to ask, you know, I said in the introduction to the piece that there are many young women following in her footsteps. But are there many? I mean, I know she was, we've talked about what a trailblazer she was and how she was one of the few and the proud when she left the Bronx, first went to Princeton, then went to Yale Law School. But do you feel, do you still feel part of the few and the proud? Are you still - do you feel there's critical mass of people who share your background where you are now?

Ms. SANTANO: I don't think that there's necessarily a critical mass, especially at, you know, more Ivy League institutions. We're still, Latinas are still - in laws schools are so congregated more, you know, in the West and in the South. Those numbers definitely should go up. I do feel that we have communities, you know, at the institutions we're at, at Yale, at Harvard, but the numbers could definitely be getting higher. And I know that there are qualified, you know, applicants and the numbers should definitely be getting larger.

MARTIN: Do you feel, I guess, do you still feel kind of like a trailblazer, if you will?

Ms. SANTANO: For my family, yes. I mean I think that there's many of us are still breaking firsts for our communities, from where I'm from. I feel like I'm part of that experience but I know that there's many people that have gone on before me. And I don't take pride only from what you know Latinas accomplish, but also women of color and minorities generally, I feel like I'm a part of that greater experience. So I do feel like I'm a part of firsts, but I know that a lot of progress has already been made.

MARTIN: I'm going to ask a sensitive question and I know it's a sensitive question but I'm going to ask it because I think this is something that a lot of young women think about anyway. Judge Sonia Sotomayor, for all her accomplishments is divorced, has no children. And I wonder whether some young women see that as much as they admire people who - of those first generations of people who broke barriers, do they feel in a way that their sacrifice was too great?

We see in the law firms today there are - and law schools, for example, a very strong presence of women. But we still see in law firm partnerships a distinct minority of women. And we hear that many women are leaving the profession because they cannot have the kind of complete life that they would like to have, that they see their male peers having. And I wanted to ask any of you, is that a concern for you? Julia, can I ask you?

Ms. LONGORIA: Yeah. Actually, I'm glad that you asked that. It's a question that a lot of people I think are afraid to ask because of the implications of, it's like a sacrifice I think that women have been forced to make since they joined the workforce, you know, or at least feel they have to make.

Do you want the career? Do you want the family? And I think particularly in the Latino community there's a great emphasis on the importance of family. And I know that some, that I've had questions from my family and even from people who are just, you know, in my community asking me if I feel like I've had to choose. And I'm definitely already you know in my mid-20s and still very focused on my career.

And actually seeing role models who make those decisions and who still seem - who are very happy and fulfilled, I think it's inspirational. But I don't think that the two are mutually exclusively. And I think as we break grounds in this field that it's going to be possible not just for women, but for men also to experience both a rich home life and a very fulfilling career as well.

MARTIN: Julia, can I just tell you? You're in your mid-20s. Please.

(Soundbite of laughter)

MARTIN: Please.

(Soundbite of laughter)

MARTIN: I mean, I put you on the spot because you're the first of our group here to graduate and we're happy for you. But please.

(Soundbite of laughter)

MARTIN: But Aida what about you? You and Elizabeth are both second years.

Ms. MARCEDO: Yeah, I think definitely there is that concern for many of us women and I think the profession is getting better, from my sense. You know, I'm new. I just finished my first year of law school so I just had my first summer, but it seems like there is a movement to balance that, you know, professional life with your personal life and not sacrifice everything. And for me that's important because I would like to have a family some day and have a balanced life.

And, you know, I hope that it's, that the profession is changing to that direction, although I know it's going be, you know, an uphill battle. But you do see a lot of the role models of women now that are at the top that don't have a family or don't have children, and you know, for me I hope it changes so that I could have that balanced life.

MARTIN: But you don't think it's changed yet.

Ms. MARCEDO: Not yet. No.

MARTIN: Elizabeth, what about you?

Ms. SANTANA: I'd agree with the comments made prior. I mean, I've heard that law firms and other employers are trying to be more flexible. There's, you know, paternity leave that's being encouraged. So there's definitely, there's movement towards it. And if anything I think it's important. I think Justice Sotomayor has perhaps helped, maybe will help spark a discussion and get more interest.

We've seen, the nation sees what sacrifice it took to get her where she is and hopefully that could bring about some change. And it's just important for us to continue the discussion and to go into this profession knowing kind of what we're getting ourselves into but, of course, working to improve the experience for women, for families.

MARTIN: Elizabeth, I wanted to ask you because I think many people would say well, my goodness, you went to Stanford, you're at Yale Law School, your opportunities would be infinite anyway. But do you feel a sense of even more doors opening because of this accomplishment? And I don't want to put words in your mouth but so many people are saying that this is what people feel. I wanted to know if people like you actually do.

Ms. SANTANA: I mean, you're right. I've been very grateful to have many opportunities and go to these amazing institutions, but you know, until you go through it yourself you are kind of cautious. You are timid about what assumptions perhaps are being made against you. Whether it's because of, you know, your economic background or your ethnic heritage. And at the very least I feel like there won't, perhaps there won't be that assumption against me.

You're right. My educational markers perhaps clear that path but if only more so it just hopefully wipes away that doubt and that initial presumption perhaps against Latinas and other students of color is more cleared now because of her appointment.

MARTIN: Julia, I'm going to give you the last word since you're the first one out of the gate from our group. Congratulations on that.

(Soundbite of laughter)

MARTIN: And we know that you'll do well.

Ms. LONGORIA: Thank you very much.

MARTIN: Not that you need it but I'm sure you did fine on the bar.

(Soundbite of laughter)

MARTIN: So final thought from you. Do you feel doors opening even wider for you?

Ms. LONGORIA: I think at a minimum I feel that my own confidence is raised, which I think will open doors. I think that as Elizabeth said, at least feeling for myself that when I walk into a room people look at Latinas with a sense of equality more so than before. Even if it's my own confidence that's being exuded because I feel that my background education is reinforced by such positive role models from our community. I do feel that it's opened more doors and I'm really excited about the future right now.

MARTIN: Julia Longoria was kind enough to join us from KUT in Austin, Texas. She finished law school at the University of Texas in May and is waiting eagerly for her bar exam results, and we are all going to keep a good thought for that.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Ms. LONGORIA: Thank you.

MARTIN: She currently works for Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid. Elizabeth Santano spoke to us from NPR West in Culver City, California. She's a second year law student at Yale. And Aida Marcedo is a second year law student at the University of California at Davis. She's also the co-chair of the law school's La Raza School Law Students Association and she joined us from the Journalism School at the University of California at Berkeley. Ladies, thank you all so much and good luck to each of you.

Ms. LONGORIA: Thank you very much for having us.

Mr. SANTANA: Thank you.

Ms. MARCEDO: Thank you.

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