I recently finished reading Lovely One by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson—a book I originally bought for my daughter, who dreams of becoming a lawyer one day. I hoped it would serve as both inspiration and guidance for her. What I didn’t expect was how deeply it would move me as a parent, an immigrant, and a citizen who still believes in the promise of justice in America.
This book is more than just a personal story—it’s a powerful message to young people, especially young first-generation immigrant children, that no dream is too big, no path too unlikely. Justice Jackson’s words are warm and empowering but also grounded in the realities she had to overcome—from her family’s legacy of resilience during segregation and the Jim Crow era, to her own experiences rising through a system not always designed with her in mind.
What makes this even more meaningful to me is that I recently had the once-in-a-lifetime privilege of being in the same room with Justice Jackson, hearing her speak. It was electric—humbling and inspiring at the same time. I sat there thinking of Alexander Hamilton and his words in Federalist 78, laying out a vision for the federal judiciary, never imagining that one day, centuries later, a Black woman—descendant of enslaved Africans, daughter of two people raised in a segregated America—would sit on the highest court in the land. But here she is.
Justice Jackson’s journey is living proof that history can be bent toward justice—not easily, not quickly, but with determination, grace, and unshakable dignity.
I will keep this book close—to remind my daughter, and others like her, what’s possible. But Lovely One isn’t just for aspiring lawyers or young readers, it’s for all of us who need to be reminded of the quiet strength it takes to rise, and the beauty of staying grounded while doing so. Justice Jackson is not just a symbol of progress, she’s a voice of wisdom, and this book is a gift to the next generation. I’m proud to share it with my daughter. And I’m even proud that we both get to witness this moment in history.