Be a Compass, Not a Watch: Justices Sotomayer, Guerrero, and Murguia Empower Law Academy Students

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Chief Justice Mary Helen Murguia, are all women of firsts; they are the first Latina women to serve in their powerful roles. Their message to high school students: “Be a compass, not a watch.”

The three justices recently held a fireside chat with several Unity Bar Associations and 100 high students from diverse backgrounds living in northeast Los Angeles. Almost half of the students attending are enrolled in the Cabrillo Academy of Law and Justice, a program that partners with the California Legal Pathways Collaborative (CLPC) to offer civics education, mentorship, scholarship, and guidance toward a legal career.

“Honestly, it felt almost like I was talking one-on-one with all of the women who were there,” says Flor Garibay, a senior at Cabrillo High School and participant in the pathways program for the past three years. “To hear from women who came from low income, immigrant households like me, to have backgrounds like me, and to now have such high positions is amazing to see.”

Garibay is a first generation American. Her parents are both from Mexico. Neither completed high school. “My mom tells me every day, ‘Education is going to be my way to life and how I change the world.’”

The stories shared by the three justices resonated with Garibay and her Law Academy classmates. “When I talk to people about what I want to do, they look down on me. These women all said that we need to expand our horizons as students, to take classes in things we don’t know about, to write our own stories, and to have our own place in life.”

California Supreme Court Associate Justice Kelli Evans served as the moderator for the afternoon discussion, hosted on the campus of Occidental College. Justice Evans is also a “first,” as the first openly lesbian associate justice of the Supreme Court of California. Evans asked each of the esteemed speakers to talk openly about their narratives of challenge and opportunity. Many of the students were unaware that the three influential public officials faced significant difficulties.

Scott Newman, Lead Teacher for the Cabrillo Academy of Law and Justice, has taught Garibay since her sophomore year. Newman earned a law degree at Indiana University Maurer Law School and worked as an attorney for several years before becoming an educator, first at Irvine Valley College, and now at Cabrillo High School. “As women of firsts, they show our students that there is a path and there is a way. Students need to be able to see people who look like them and have a similar background, even if they don’t want to be a lawyers. The justices hold three of the highest positions in the legal profession, and our students see that is it possible to reach success.”

CLPC has 25 Law Academies across California, reaching more than 3,100 students each year from homes where 50% and as high as 90% of the youth are considered disadvantaged. The goal is to provide a pathway from high school and an undergraduate education, through law school and into the legal profession. Founded by attorney Ruthe Ashley through State Department of Education legislation, CLPC today is under the umbrella of California Lawyers Foundation (CLF), the charitable arm of California Lawyers Association (CLA), the largest volunteer Bar association in the state.

“The opportunities I am able to present, the reason we are able to give students rare experiences, is because of the partnerships we make,” Newman says pointedly. “It’s the result of the support we get as a law pathway. These opportunities don’t just happen.”

Garibay calls Newman, “An awesome teacher.” She says his students know that he loves what he does and that he is a very positive influence. She vocalizes the fact that her school is disregarded by other larger, wealthier schools. “People say we don’t belong in high places. We are going to prove them wrong and show them that we are willing to fight for what we believe in. We are first generation, and we have to start changing things. Mr. Newman want us to learn, and he wants us to achieve amazing things.”

The impact of the afternoon with the three justices is impossible to measure. “When my mom learned that I was going to see Justice Sotomayer, she almost started crying. The justice is a role model for my mom, and my mom is a role model for me. It is so special to see it from my mother’s standpoint.”

Garibay has been accepted to the University of Southern California (USC) and wants to study communications and sports broadcasting. “The Academy helped me improve my writing, reading, and public speaking skills so much. My mom and dad don’t really know that much about it. They don’t understand that USC has a nine percent acceptance rate. I hope I get a financial package so I can attend. But Mr. Newman makes all of us feel like we are already at USC.” She goes on to say that, “I come to school with a purpose, and nobody can take my education away from me. When I hear these women say that at one time they felt like they were nothing, living in small cities, in tiny apartments, and now they have so much power, it gives me motivation.”

When thinking about her Law Academy work, Garibay admits that it wasn’t always easy to understand the fact that there are, “so many laws,” as she phrases it and how the laws matter to people’s lives. She verbalizes her concerns about ICE and feels, “disheartened,” particularly for her community which she describes as Latino, Black, and Asian. “We can’t dare walk away from our neighborhoods. We can’t be afraid of this challenge. I can learn about my rights and help the community that is striving to create more laws to help people in the end.”

After listening to Justices Sotomayer, Guerrero, and Murguia, Garibay has decided that their message is going to be her senior yearbook quote. “Be a compass, not a watch. That means I’m going to direct myself and where I want to go.”

To learn more about CLPC and how to be involved, please visit: https://calawyersfoundation.org/our-work/youth-initiatives/

To read more about the Cabrillo Academy of Law and Justice, please go to: https://cabrillo.lbschools.net/pathway/calj