Through reading, I escaped the bad parts of my life in the South Bronx. And, through books, I got to travel the world and the universe. It, to me, was a passport out of my childhood and it remains a way - through the power of words - to change the world.

I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences. Today is one of those experiences.

I have had positive experiences with cameras. When I have been asked to join experiments using cameras in the courtroom, I have participated; I have volunteered.

There had been questions raised about whether we could ever really unite to work together on an issue, whether we could do it with equal passion and fervor. And it happened during my nomination and I think I forever will be grateful for that love, for that support and for proving those naysayers wrong.

I got a label because I was Hispanic and a woman and [therefore] I had to be liberal.

All judges have cases that touch our passions deeply, but we all struggle constantly with remaining impartial.

You can't be a minority in this society without having someone express disapproval about affirmative action.