SoniaSotomayor2_TomokoBason-2Justice Sonia Sotomayor - Texas Book Festival - October 2019 SoniaSotomayor6_TomokoBason-2Justice Sonia Sotomayor - Texas Book Festival - October 2019

By Michael Lewis | ATX Digital Media | Austin, Texas

U. S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor spoke at the Texas Book Festival in the State Capitol House Chamber on Sunday, October 27, 2019.

We were honored to welcome United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to the Texas Book Festival with her wonderful recently released picture book, “Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You.” The book encourages young readers (and all of us) to embrace our differences and love who we are.

In the picture book, Sotomayor encourages others to “Just Ask” when they meet someone different from them.

Sotomayor mentioned when a woman saw her putting away her needle after an insulin injection in a small restaurant restroom, Sotomayor later heard the woman whisper to her companion as she was leaving, “ she’s a drug addict.” Sotomayor said she was diagnosed with juvenile diabetic since she was 7 ½ years old. Sotomayor asked the children in the audience to calculate how long she has had diabetes after she told them her age of 65.  Somomeyer she has been giving herself insulin shots her entire life. Sotomayor said she was ashamed for many years because of the insulin shots.

Sotomayor said this incident inspired her to write this book. Sotomayor had been thinking about this book for over 30 years, but she had another day job. It has taken Sotommeyer over 30 years to figure out how to do it.

Sotomayor appeared in conversation with Newbery Medal-honoree Meg Medina.

Somomeyer answered hand-written questions from children read by Medina. Sotomayor later decided to get closer to the audience and walked around to hug the children in the audience. She gave the children that asked the questions she answered, the opportunity to be first in the book signing line.

Sotomayor answered questions and told life stories for a little over an hour in House Chamber.

© 2019 Michael Lewis Global Photography, All Rights Reserved

Images courtesy of Tomoko Bason