U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor Visits Bronx Children's Museum: A Day of Inspiration and Learning

Children from My First Steps Enrichment Programs - 2 Inc. listen to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor talk about what makes us all unique during a field trip at Bronx Children’s Museum. Photo courtesy of Bronx Children’s Museum.

BRONX, N.Y. - On Wednesday, August 7th, Bronx Children’s Museum welcomed a group of campers from My First Steps Enrichment Programs -  2 Inc. in the Bronx, for a field trip featuring a special guest and long-time friend of the Museum, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who was born and raised in the Bronx.

Justice Sotomayor, a guest of the Museum’s Dream Big outreach programs since 2010, accompanied the children as they explored the Bronx-inspired exhibits. The children enthusiastically engaged with the interactive displays, including playing with animal costumes, launching boats down the Harlem River Waterways table, and harvesting vegetables in The Casita’s community garden. Justice Sotomayor and the children also toured the newly launched Book Bodega exhibit, browsing through the selection of children's books available for purchase. 

The Justice noted that the Book Bodega is an incredible addition to the museum. As a child, she found comfort in the library and books, which allowed her to explore different cultures and experiences. She commented that she found it heartwarming to see these kids have the same opportunity.

The children then gathered to hear Justice Sotomayor read her book “Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You.” She spoke to the campers about the various conditions the characters in the book experience, including diabetes, autism, and Tourette's syndrome. She emphasized the importance of inclusivity and understanding differences, sharing how these experiences make us unique and valuable. She then illustrated her personal experiences of being different and brave through her struggle with juvenile diabetes and the impact it has had throughout her life. 

The children were given the opportunity to ask questions, with one second grader asking, "What do you like to do in your free time?” Justice Sotomayor shared that, in addition to reading, she used to love riding her bike, and once took part in an inter-borough bike race, riding through each borough of New York City. 

"We’re so grateful for role models like Justice Sotomayor who believe that children should see mirrors of their own communities and of who they can become," said Executive Director Denise Rosario Adusei.

"Meeting Justice Sotomayor was awesome! I didn’t know she used to ride bikes,” said one of the students. “She told us to work hard, and now, I feel like I can be a judge, too.”

"This is an absolute honor for us to be here," said Tiffany Diaz, director of My First Steps Enrichment Program. 

Following the campers’ field trip, Samara Osei Asare, a 12-year-old Bronx student who emceed the Museum's gala, facilitated a conversation with the Justice during a private gathering of Museum guests. Among those in attendance was a small group of “Next Generation” teenage students, one of whom asked the Justice how to pursue a career as a lawyer and judge. The Justice commented that one shouldn’t be a lawyer, or a doctor, unless it excites them. She went on to explain that if they study hard, work hard and become a leader, they will end up doing whatever it is they set out to.

Fellow Bronxite and Museum advocate Sonia Manzano, the author and actress formerly known as  "Maria" of Sesame Street, asked what a day in the life of a Justice looks like. The Justice outlined her time of vetting cases to appear before the Supreme Court, preparing questions and writing decisions.

Born in the South Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Sonia Sotomayor grew up in the Bronxdale-Houses, a housing project in Soundview known today as the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Houses and Community Center. Sotomayor broke boundaries in 2009 by becoming the first Latina, and the third woman, to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.

In 2022, the Museum dedicated a section of its new facility to the two Sonias from The Bronx: role models Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Sonia Manzano. The cozy nook, called “Sonia’s Corner,” features an array of children’s books and provides a comfortable space where children and caregivers can connect and enjoy time reading together. Featured selections include books by the Justice including “Turning Pages: My Life Story,” “Just Help!: How to Build a Better World,” and “Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You.” Books by Manzano include “No Dogs Allowed,” “A Box Full of Kittens,” “Coming Up Cuban,” and "The Lowdown on the High Bridge."  

"Having Justice Sotomayor here today was a tremendous honor. Her visit once again highlights the significance of our mission and the positive impact we have on the community," said Adusei. "Not only has Justice Sotomayor's visit left a lasting impression on our young visitors, her words of encouragement will be remembered for years to come."