In the midst of celebrating Women’s History Month, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson returned to her childhood community in South Florida to commemorate her street renaming. During a 40-minute ceremony held on Monday in Cutler Bay, Jackson expressed her pride in growing up in the region south of Miami.
“This, in many ways, is as much a celebration of us as it is of me, and I’m saying that because I grew up among all of you.” she said. “This is where I got my start, and I really do believe that there is an important connection between my experience growing up in this area and my current position as associate justice.”
Jackson graduated from Palmetto Senior High School and recognized the teachers and coaches who, according to her, played a pivotal role in shaping who she is today.
“It was while I was studying and competing and growing up here in this community that I gained self confidence in the face of challenges,” she says. “I learned how to lean in, in spite of obstacles, to work hard to be resilient, to strive for excellence and to believe in myself and what I could do if given the opportunity.”
In addition, Jackson also added that only four previous high court justices had connections to the state. If you’re unaware, William Johnson was sent to Florida by the British as a prisoner during the Revolutionary War, John Campbell taught school in the state, and George Shiras Jr. and John Paul Stevens each retired in Florida.
