TAMPA — Vivian Corvo hears President Barack Obama talk about how Sonia Sotomayor was raised by poor Puerto Rican parents who taught her the power of education and she can relate.
Corvo's parents came from Cuba and instilled upon her a similar message.
"You can live in a country where they can take everything away from you," Corvo recalled. "They can take your liberty, they can take your property, they can take away your family, but they can never take away what you learn and what you know."
Corvo, 50, became Hillsborough County's first female Hispanic state court judge in 1997. She took pride Tuesday in the selection of Sotomayor, who would be the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.
Growing up in Tampa, Corvo never thought Hispanic women could reach such heights because lower rungs on the judicial ladder seemed out of reach.
"There wasn't a Hispanic woman as a judge," Corvo said. "How would I think it was possible?"
Corvo's father worked as a butcher. Her mother was a nurse. Neither spoke English. She was just one of two Hispanics in elementary school. When a new kid from Colombia enrolled, teachers stuck him with Corvo because she knew Spanish.
Corvo hated speaking Spanish at home. She told her parents not to speak their native language publicly so she wouldn't get embarrassed. She wouldn't invite friends to her house because she felt her culture was too loud, the food too different and the language foreign.
It wasn't until years later she realized how valuable it all was to her life and career.
As a judge, she understands Spanish-speaking defendants and witnesses, as well as the cultural context behind their words.
With Hispanics growing in population, having someone on the nation's highest court with similar knowledge is important, Corvo said. But she stressed the overarching significance of Sotomayor's legal qualifications. Like Corvo, she served in the "pit" as a state prosecutor, earning the respect of judges, attorneys and law enforcement.
"When I was running, my issue was I was qualified and I'd do a good job and I think I brought a different perspective to the bench," Corvo said, "and that's what's exciting about Judge Sotomayor. She's very, very qualified."
Justin George can be reached at (813) 226-3368 or jgeorge@sptimes.com.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Local reaction to Sotomayor's nomination
Arturo Rios,a St. Petersburg attorney and Puerto Rican who specializes in immigration litigation: "It's very comforting to know that I have somebody at the court that can understand some of the issues Hispanics face."
"When you have such a large community that has evolved now in this country … I think it is important that the community has a voice on the court. Why? Because there's cultural perspective that needs to be considered when they make landmark decisions."
Myriam Irizarry,a Clearwater Bar Association board member and member of the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Florida:
"We are just super-excited that she has been nominated. To see a Puerto Rican woman be nominated for our highest court, I mean this is just such an honor.
"All of us in the Puerto Rican Bar Association are celebrating this, even though we know she has a very long road to travel."
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