by Jasmine Colón
What a beautiful and intimate memoir! Sonia Sotomayor’s My Beloved World
Sotomayor begins her story with how she had to learn self-reliance at the age of 7 when she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. She quickly realized that she “couldn’t afford to waste time” which set her on her journey of triumph. This is the beginning of some of the heartbreak she would endure throughout her life. She discusses in great detail the love and anger she has for her alcoholic father and her absent mother. She brings to light the disbelief from a teacher who could not understand how a girl from the Bronx could be capable of outperforming her fellow students. From each of these experiences, Sotomayor built her foundation, which allowed for her to push through new frontiers.
What is remarkable about Sotomayor is she takes that old adverb “When life gives you lemons…” and turns it on its’ head. She is not a Pollyanna who will always see the good in situations that are bleak, but she recognizes the life experience she can achieve when she is presented with a scenario she is not accustomed to. She proves to her audience that all of life’s moments, big or small, great or upsetting, all have lessons to learn from. It is from these lessons that she learned how to be the person she is today.
Sotomayor’s memoir needs to be shared with everyone. Her story demonstrates strength, resilience, and gratitude. She recognizes that she is exceptional because the right people recognized her talents at the right time and she was given a one-in-a-million shot from family members and mentors. What a woman!
Jasmine Colón grew up in the Central Valley of California where she suffered through hot summers and foggy winters. Hiding from the local elements, she was often found in her school library with her nose in multiple books. Exchanging extreme temperatures for a more mild setting she headed off to the beaches of Santa Cruz where she earned her B.A. in Literature from U.C. Santa Cruz. Moving on to San Jose, she found a renewed love for libraries and earned her M.L.I.S. (Master of Library and Information Science) from SJSU. Jasmine is employed as a part-time academic librarian and adjunct instructor at two Bay Area community colleges. She is currently trying to beat her personal best of reading 95 books in one year.