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Sotomayor shares wisdom and humor during Field House chat

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor speaks to students, faculty and staff, as Chancellor Andrew D. Martin looks on, April 5 at the Field House. (Photo: Joe Angeles/Washington University)

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor still draws upon inspiration imparted by her mother and grandmother, she told a crowd of more than 3,000 students, faculty and staff during a question-and-answer session April 5 in the Field House at Washington University in St. Louis.

“Like my grandmother, my mother taught me to look at the good in people,” said Sotomayor, who was born in the Bronx, New York, to a Puerto Rican family.

She said she relies on that advice when dealing with difficult cases and challenging people during her time on the court.

“These days, there is a lot of screaming between people and among people,” Sotomayor said. “And it’s sometimes hard to get past that. With my colleagues, with whom I have very divergent views with many, probably the majority right now, I try very, very hard to see the good in them, because I know there is good in every one of them.”

Sotomayor, who was introduced by Arts & Sciences junior Sarah Del Carmen Camacho, was very relaxed while answering questions from Chancellor Andrew D. Martin and four students in the audience. She left her seat and mingled among the crowd, hugging, shaking hands and taking pictures with students.

Read full story in The Source