FV@W Applauds the Confirmation of Justice Jackson to the SCOTUS

Family Values @ Work is thrilled that Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is now the first Black woman confirmed to the Supreme Court of the United States. Her confirmation is a testament to the power of organizers and Black leaders who have long fought for representation across all areas of leadership, including government elected and appointed positions. And it makes good on President Biden’s promise to boost minority and female representation on the nation’s federal courts and is a triumph for women, mothers, wives, and the Black community.

Justice Jackson has long served populations most affected by systemic racism. She’s a defender of labor rights and her past decisions signal that she has a favorable position on reproductive health and justice. Her appointment caps off a confirmation process that illustrated a maxim in the Black community that we must be twice as good as white people just to qualify for the jobs they’re often handed. But, even under those circumstances, Justice Jackson’s diverse experience shone through, making her the most qualified justice on the bench. 

Beyond her professional résumé, we celebrate Justice Jackson’s humanity. In a nation that often maligns BIPOC community members, Justice Jackson sits at the intersection of Black and woman, amidst a society set up to make white men successful. This is a woman from a working-class background, raised in a nation that systematically undervalues women––especially Black women––who has reached the pinnacle of the legal profession with great character and integrity. She’s also a caregiver, as a wife and mother. This is significant because this country was built on the backs of Black women, who literally nursed and nurtured their oppressors as unpaid caregivers. 

For all that Justice Jackson’s confirmation means, it doesn’t absolve this nation of its responsibility to show up for us––BIPOC communities and caregivers––and to take the side of working people and the vulnerable. So the FV@W Network will continue to fight and to organize to see that the shared prosperity that we have earned, including living wages, access to healthcare and child care, and paid sick days and family and medical leave that allow us to heal, take care of our loved ones, and protect public health, one day becomes a reality.

Justice Jackson’s appointment is both a celebration and a charge: There is still much work to do to realize gender equity, economic security, and racial justice for all in this country. This news re-energizes us for the fight.

Photo

• CC BY-SA 4.0
• File:Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson – Wikimedia Commons.jpg
• Creado el: 24 de febrero de 2020