Haiku Jumble: Ketanji Brown Jackson

Merciful gavel,

accomplished and qualified,

admirable stature.

Image from Whitehouse.gov

My personal reflection on Ketanji while watching the days of hearings:

While I have not watched all of her entire hearing yet, I am taking my time getting through it to carefully examine the verbiage of the criticisms, Ketanji's answers to some exceedingly tough questions, and actively listening to her report by the review committee who did her background check on her reputation and competency. Hearing such positivity in positions she's worked in that were tough and then also following procedures by the book every case she's worked in with the law to back her up, is jaw-dropping and yet, inspirational. Having to be a woman of color and being a rule follower, my reputation at times, can be tossed to the ground and then stomped on. But for Ketanji, the defendant, probation office, AND the PROSECUTOR all had such wonderful things to compliment her and gave genuine feedback on her work performance. How she did that, I do not know. But this is a recognizable achievement that hit me like a ton of bricks that is hard not to think about her color during that moment. Yes, we shouldn't consider everything that she is of the Black race. But I cannot help but notice how important it's to do the exact opposite and recognize that this woman has nothing, but remarkable things mentioned about her and she's a Black woman. She's achieved so much as a Black woman. This is not to be ignored. That itself is so fascinating and then you get to see her in the hot seat and how she dealt with that. Then to hear her speak, taking her time to make sure she has gathered herself before responding to questions at times, what seemed like insults. I commend this woman for all that she is, what she does, and how she carries on her work. She gives me hope for the possibility that my problems can turn around in the court of law someday which may encourage me more to report unlawful behavior done to me in horrible situations. While there is still such a long way to go. She's the glimmer that's not going away. And I know this having heard her record of how many times she's been confirmed on that very floor in the Senate House. How many times does someone have to be there and still get questioned like that and still not lose her patience? She does something that I don't think I could even do in those toughest moments. She truly is amazing and that is why I chose the word admirable to describe her in the haiku.

Her record is like a polished diamond that sparkles.

Image from ABA Journal

She is currently in the waiting period for confirmation as Associate Justice in the US Supreme Court from the Senate. Her hearings were on Monday, 3/21 - Thursday, 3/24/22. There are many all over YouTube. One will be listed below to help you catch up.

10 Fun Facts About Ketanji Brown Jackson:

Born in 1970 as Ketanji Onyika Brown in Washington D.C. to parents, who were educators.
At 4-years-old, her family moved to Miami, Florida for her father to enroll in the University of Miami School of Law.
Jackson is the first generation in her family to "benefit from the Civil Rights Movement Legacy," meaning she did not have to live within the challenging times of our segregated nation when it was considered lawful. (Part of her quote from the hearing)
She was elected Mayor of Palmetto Junior High and student body president in Palmetto Senior High School (1988).
In her senior year of high school, Ketanji was awarded the national oratory title at the National Catholic Forensic League Championships in New Orleans. This tournament was the second-largest debate competition in the US.
At Harvard University, she studied government and led a protest against a student who displayed a Confederate Flag in his dorm room window.
During her first year of college, she was a reporter for Time Magazine and later, was the Editor of the Harvard Law Review.
Jackson graduated in 1992 with an A.B. magna cum laude. For her senior thesis, she wrote a piece titled "The Hand of Oppression: Plea Bargaining and the Coercion of Criminal Defendants".
In 2005, Ketanji worked as an assistant federal public defender in Washington, D.C.
Nominations from The White House: In 2012, President Obama nominated her to be in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. On February 25, 2022, President Biden nominated her to be the 116th Associate Justice in the U.S. Supreme Court.