2009 could possibly be called the year of miracles.  First, the election of President Barack Hussein Obama, the Orlando Magic are in the NBA playoffs and now the nomination of Justice Sonia Sotomayor.  Somebody quick, hand me another tissue.

The tears of joy that I cry are for all of the pregnant women who step out in faith, not knowing what the future holds for their unborn children.  Out of humble wombs emerge some of our greatest gifts and it never ceases to amaze me.  As a physician who once lived in a New York City housing project (the same former home of entertainment mogul, Jay-Z) I can attest to the inordinate amount of courage, tenacity and stamina it takes to excel in an Ivy League institution.  Thank you Columbia University and BU School of Medicine for believing in me.  Sotomayor’s ascent from the South Bronx to Princeton and Yale makes her nomination to the highest court in the land that much sweeter. She will not render justice with an inflated sense of entitlement.

As a public health servant, I have dedicated my professional career caring for the least among us who deserve the most.  My patients are from every corner of the globe and while some may be “undocumented,” all are carrying jewels.  We thank the mothers of President Obama and Justice Sotomayor for giving us such sacred gifts. 

The Latino presence was clearly felt during the 2008 election and as the landscape and demographics of America continues to change, we celebrate its diversity.   We are a blended family bound by a desire for the common good of all. 

Thank you Justice Souter for holding down the fort.  Please enjoy your well deserved retirement.  The spirit of Thurgood Marshall can finally rest in peace.  Who is Sonia Sotomayor, CNN asks?   She’s a Latina from the Bronx who will definitely watch our backs.