A Wise Latina": Sonia Sotomayor’s Journey to the Supreme Court (A

This case set uses the example of Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) Justice Sonia Sotomayor to discuss issues of communicating identity at work and to explore possible options for impression management over the course of one’s career. As a law student, attorney, and lower court judge, Sotomayor leaned into her Latina identity, often referencing it as an important part of who she was. When then President Barack Obama nominated Sotomayor for SCOTUS, she faced scrutiny over past comments, some identity related, that were construed to be evidence of judicial bias and that, in the eyes of some, made her unfit for the job. Sotomayor is faced with various options as to how she should respond in her nomination hearings before Congress. This case recounts Sotomayor's early life, education, and career history, as well as the controversy surrounding her nomination. Opponents were disturbed by her "wise Latina" comment, interpreted as Sotomayor advocating for individuals' past experiences to shape their judicial decisions. This case offers an overview of conversations about Sotomayor in the political, legal, and public arena leading up to her nomination hearings. This case set examines the choices that many professionals, particularly those who are underrepresented in a professional space, face at various career stages when managing their identities at work. To what extent should individuals adjust their self-presentation if they are receiving signals of disapproval? Might identity-communication strategies vary depending on one’s career stage? Students have an opportunity to proactively ponder how they want to present themselves at work while uncovering the benefits and costs of trying to merge aspects of their authentic selves with expected professional standards. This case series would be appropriate in courses on gender and leadership or ones about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) more broadly. The cases could also be used in a leadership communication course to discuss how individuals communicate aspects of themselves in professional settings.