OPINION: Black representation in our courts matter

After hours of intense questioning, plenty of racial tension and deliberation over her character, the final round of confirmation hearings are complete for Supreme Court Justice nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.  Brown Jackson will make history not only as the 116th justice to be confirmed but also as the first Black woman to hold a position in America’s highest court. Brown Jackson, a democrat nominated by President Joe Biden, will serve as a symbol and role model to Black women across the nation. Jackson also received a bi-partisan vote in the senate.  But what will her confirmation mean for us and what makes her nomination so important?

Brown Jackson is one of the most qualified justices to be confirmed in recent American history. Out of the nine current Supreme Court Justices, Brown Jackson is the only to have attended an Ivy League Law School, serve as a Supreme Court clerk, serve on a sentencing commission, serve as a district and Court of Appeals judge and is the only of the nine justices to have served as a public defender, according to the Washington Post.

Her numerous years of experience in serving the people makes her an ideal candidate and a fair interpreter of the law. Compared to her soon-to-be peers, Brown Jackson is one of two other justices to have attended public high school. Growing up in the public school system gives her a broad perspective of how a majority of our nation has grown up. She is also the mother of two young women who are now in high school and college, respectively, giving her insight and insider information on what it’s like to be a struggling young adult in America.

Aside from being the first Black woman to be nominated for a position, Brown Jackson is only the third African American to be nominated to the Supreme Court. After the election of Kamala Harris as the first ever Black vice president, the United States has made great strides in ending the gatekeeping that once — and still — surrounds positions of power.

Brown Jackson’s background, experience and fresh perspective will bring a welcoming and much needed change to the mostly white Supreme Court. Her perspective will bring representation that will act in the benefit of those struggling most in our nation. She will not only advocate for minorities but also provide “independence and neutrality”, as well as decisions made without “fear or favor” as stated on the first day of her hearing, according to NPR. I have no doubt that her impartiality, respectful yet firm nature and extensive experience will make Brown Jackson a fantastic addition to the Supreme Court.