What Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Confirmation to the Supreme Court Means to Me | Blue Shield of California

Ketanji Brown Jackson broke a glass ceiling this week, changing into the first Black lady confirmed to function a justice on the United States Supreme Court. 

During her affirmation hearings, Jackson talked about the significance of trailblazers – those that construct on the legacies of leaders who’ve come earlier than them, in addition to their function in inspiring future leaders. She mentioned, “It isn’t essentially simple to be the first, nevertheless it’s a possibility to present individuals what is feasible.” 

As the first Black lady common counsel of Blue Shield of California, the phrases of Jackson throughout her listening to ring true for me as we speak. When you see somebody like your self succeed, it makes you are feeling like something is feasible.

I spent my earliest years touring the world with my Air Force household earlier than settling in South Jersey, not removed from Philadelphia. I used to be the child, with my eldest brother being nineteen years older than me.  While each of my brothers and pop have been off combating in Vietnam, and with my sisters already in class, my mother fostered my innate sense of curiosity and instilled in me her personal love of studying.

By eighth grade, I knew I wished to go to regulation faculty, having been influenced by my dad’s journey to incomes his regulation diploma from Temple University, at evening, whereas elevating a household, and dealing full time. So, I went for it, and after commencement from Bryn Mawr College, I obtained my regulation diploma from Boston University School of Law becoming a member of a widely known, established Philadelphia regulation agency.

Thanks to trailblazers like my dad and mom and siblings, in addition to the giants of the civil rights motion who sacrificed a lot, I’ve been impressed, emboldened, and empowered to obtain many firsts all through my very own life, identical to Jackson, together with changing into Blue Shield’s first Black chief privateness officer, first Black/lady chief threat & compliance officer, and first Black lady vp. When I used to be promoted to VP, the solely Black VPs had been males.

If Jackson’s previous is a prologue to her future, we will anticipate her to proceed to be a trailblazer — a staunch advocate of equal justice and equal safety below the regulation, particularly for the most weak amongst us, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic standing. In this fashion, Jackson will probably be a task mannequin for all of us at Blue Shield of California.

We ought to all maintain our heads excessive and rejoice this historic second.