For young Latinos, Sotomayor may be new Obama (Feature)

By Daniel Leaderman Jul 16, 2009, 1:46 GMT

Washington - Yes, we can, too.

That was the mood outside Sonia Sotomayor's Senate confirmation hearings, where many young Latinos said that her nomination to the US Supreme Court was as inspiring to them as President Barack Obama's election last year was for young African-Americans.

'The fact that she's a Latina motivates the Latino community all over the country,' said Alex Garcia, 19, a California State University student who was in Washington for a leadership conference. 'There is hope to move on and do better. ... Just like Barack Obama did for the black community, she'll do for the Latino community.'

Sotomayor, a former prosecutor and longtime federal judge at the trial and appellate levels, is set to become the first Hispanic justice on the highest US court, and her personal history has been hailed by Obama as an example of the 'American dream.'

The daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants, she grew up in a public- housing project in the South Bronx, a poor district of New York City. Her father died when she was 9 years old.

'I teach in a largely Latino community, and my students were very excited,' said Ann Kennedy, 47, who teaches government to 11th and 12th graders in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 'I don't think its important so much that she's a Latino as much as she's someone who's like them, who can relate to their experience. The background that she has was impressive to them.'

Obama's pick of Sotomayor has sparked a heated debate about the role of race and ethnicity in US society. During three days of hearings beginning Monday, some conservative senators accused her of showing a bias toward racial minorities.

Most controversially, Sotomayor once said she hoped a 'wise Latina woman' would make better judicial decisions than a white male. She was referring to discrimination cases, arguing that women and minorities would bring different experiences to the legal issues.

Sotomayor has called it a 'rhetorical flourish that fell flat' and part of an attempt to inspire young Hispanics to enter the legal profession. Those who waited Wednesday outside the US Capitol for a chance to observe the Senate hearings seemed unconcerned with the controversy.

'I think, looking at her past record, (her background) hasn't necessarily influenced judicial decisions,' Richard Borden, 33, of Michigan said.

He said that Sotomayor's nomination would bring much-needed diversity to the Supreme Court.

Hispanic groups lobbied hard for Obama to pick a Latino nominee. The demographic is the fastest growing in the United States and has gained steadily in political clout.

Many Republican politicians have refrained from strong attacks on Sotomayor out of fear of alienating the Hispanic community, and her nomination was cited as a frequent source of pride by Latinos and non-Latinos alike.

'This is very inspiring for my daughter,' said Maricela Gonzales, 34, a psychologist who was in Washington for a conference.

Her 8-year-old daughter, Nadia, was not with her, but Gonzalez wanted to be able to share her memories of the 'monumental' occasion, especially because Sotomayor was 'a hard worker, very dedicated. ... It's inspiring that she could get so far.'

College students were especially enthusiastic.

Jaysel Mendoza, 18, who grew up in the border town of Calexico, California and attends California State University, said she thought Sotomayor's likely confirmation would spur Hispanic participation in US politics.

That political activism will become increasingly important as the Hispanic population grows, Mendoza said, because in the coming decades demographers forecast that 'one out of every four Americans will be Latino.'