La Raza Judicial Reception: The Confidence to Aspire 

Last month, the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association (“La Raza”) hosted its annual Judicial Reception, its first in-person event since the beginning of the pandemic. The event honored the San Diego Latino Judges Association (SDLJA) and its members: Hon. Amalia Meza (chair), Hon. Patricia Garcia (vice chair), Hon. Ana Espana (treasurer), Hon. Kenneth J. Medel, Hon. Olga Alvarez, Hon. Marcella McLaughlin, Hon. Carlos Varela, Hon. Yvonne Campos, Hon. Enrique Camarena, Hon. Rachel Cano, Hon. Victor Torres, Hon. Robert Amador; Hon. Jose S. Castillo, Hon. Alana W. Robinson, and Hon. Esteban Hernandez (Ret.). 

Formed only last year, the SDLJA has already had an influential impact on the lives of many aspiring lawyers and judges. At the La Raza reception, Judge Meza shared how the organization is heeding the call to inspire the next generation of Latinx judges by creating a much-needed pipeline to the bench. Their efforts include a committee to mentor aspiring judges through the onerous application and appointment process, as well as a committee tasked with reaching out to members of the greater community and young students who may not realize that it is possible to reach a judicial position as a Latinx. To broaden its reach, the SDLJA has partnered with other organizations like La Raza, Latinas in the Law, and the California Latino Judges Association, which all have the shared goal of creating a bench that reflects the community it serves. With only about a year under their belts, the SDLJA is already making a strong impression on our community. 

The August 26 judicial reception — which was spearheaded by La Raza president George Rios, vice president Brenda Lopez, and board director Guillermo Escobedo — was a much-needed breath of fresh air and a great opportunity to reconnect with beloved colleagues. This was no ordinary event, however. Something felt different. It wasn’t the masks. It wasn’t the hand sanitizer, or the elbow bumps. It was something more compelling, more engaging. We all knew that the world had changed and that we had changed along with it. We were there with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. 

Almost exactly a year before, UCI professor Michele Bratcher Goodwin spoke at an SDCBA event about how a lack of minority representation in positions of leadership has a damaging impact on other members of that minority: “In other words, when you see someone that looks like you in a leadership position, you are validated to aspire to reach similar positions. If faces similar to yours are absent, then you will be unconsciously discouraged from pursuing such positions.” This lesson was not disregarded. Our Latinx legal community heard it, internalized it, and is now taking action. 

For first-year law students Stephanie Alvarez and Virginia Richards, this year’s judicial reception was their first introduction to San Diego’s legal community, and it did not disappoint. For Alvarez, it was “refreshing to see and meet many individuals that not only look like me, but whom I aspire to be.” Similarly, Richards shared: “Going to the judicial reception was eye opening. It gave me the confidence in myself that I was needing.” They both left the event feeling inspired and with the knowledge and assurance that they too could aspire to reach higher.   

Like the law students, many lawyers also left the event with a renewed sense of empowerment. Immigration attorney and La Raza board director Maricela Amezola shared that “Honoring the Latino judges and listening to their stories was inspirational.”   

These poignant reflections validate Professor Goodwin’s lesson, and they inform us of our responsibility as lawyers, judges, and legal professionals to continue pursuing our dreams and striving to reach higher positions. Students, young people, and the communities we come from are watching us, and they see themselves in our own struggles and successes. Let’s give the next generation of legal professionals the freedom to aspire for something greater by reaching for our own individual and collective greatness. As Judge Meza said, “When the doors open, you must walk through them.”