SCOTUS Justice Sotomayor in DR for first time, accepts peace award

Santo Domingo.- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic to serve on the nation’s highest court, is making her historic first visit to the Dominican Republic. While attending the XXIX World Law Congress in Santo Domingo, Justice Sotomayor was presented with the prestigious World Peace & Liberty Award.

Justice Sotomayor’s narrative – a child of Puerto Rican parents, raised in the challenges of the Bronx, navigating prejudice to reach the apex of American justice – resonates with visceral power here. It’s a story intimately understood by the large Dominican community who share similar origins and dreams forged in the crucible of immigrant life in New York. 

Her appointment to the Supreme Court was a watershed moment, a crack in the ceiling that opened possibilities for Latino communities across the U.S. In her, Dominicans see not just a judge, but a powerful reflection of their own potential and resilience.

Honored with the World Peace & Liberty Award just prior to her visit, Justice Sotomayor stressed the indivisible link between the rule of law and peace. Yet, it is her very presence in the Dominican Republic, carrying the weight of her extraordinary journey, that serves as the most impactful message of all.