On her second stop in the Virgin Islands, the newest Supreme Court justice shared the keys to achievement with people who gathered to meet her. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson met with judges, the higher education community and invited guests for a candid conversation.
Despite Friday’s demanding schedule, Jackson said she enjoyed the enthusiasm that greeted her at every stop. The new justice — the first former public defender appointed to the high court — is the first African American woman to join the Supreme Court. “This first Black woman is very, very grateful to have this chance,” she said. “My family has gone from segregation to the Supreme Court in one generation.”
Those were among the remarks heard by those attending the District Court-sponsored forum held at the Westin Resort at Frenchman’s Reef. About 350 people filled the seats in the hotel ballroom.
Over the course of 90 minutes, that audience heard District Court Judge Wilma Lewis pose questions to Jackson about her life, her background, and how she navigated a career path that led to her judicial perch.
“Justice Jackson is a trailblazer,” said Chief District Judge Robert Molloy in his welcoming remarks. “Her words not only carry the weight of wisdom but perseverance, integrity, and a deep commitment to justice,” he said.
In her conversation with Lewis, Jackson said she decided to become a judge as a child after reading about federal Judge Constance Baker Motley in a magazine. When she learned about Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor becoming the first woman to serve on the U.S. high court, Jackson said she put the two role models together and thought there was — for her — a path to the Supreme Court.
Lewis asked the justice how she dealt with discrimination. “You have to develop a clear sense of who you are and where you are going to not be distracted by those sorts of things,” she said.
Earlier that day, on the University of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas campus, Jackson addressed leaders of the Student Government Association at a convocation event. Her appearance there set her among a series of distinguished speakers, including fellow Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock.
“Your journey, Justice Jackson, embodies the very principals we hold dear; your journey is proof that education is the gateway to transformation,” said St. Thomas Association President Zeidan Bass.
At that event, Jackson said she was surprised by the number of students who approached her, asking for advice to help navigate their futures. The justice offered three suggestions: work hard at anything they aspired to do, hold an unshakable belief that anything is possible, and never underestimate the power of kindness.
Communication skills are key, she said, urging students to develop top-notch written and spoken abilities. And drawing on a story from her own experience, Jackson pointed to the value of discernment — learning when and how to speak up and when to resist the urge to speak.
As she wrapped up her remarks, UVI President Safiyah George and board of trustees Chair Henry Smock presented the justice with an honorary doctorate degree in a brief formal ceremony. Student leaders took a moment to reflect on what they had heard.
“For me, her remarks stood out about humility; it’s good to remain humble about everything you go through, and that’s one of the principles that I live by,” said Bass.
For St. Croix Student Government Association’s Brianna Thomas, Jackson’s word of the day was kindness. “I think we live in a very harsh world and kindness is rare to find, unfortunately. It’s one thing that I’m reminded of and through my mother that being kind never hurt anybody,” Thomas said.
