S1: It's the best place ever to have grown up and something that I really wouldn't change for anything. What do you do when you're in a situation like that? When you do , you feel like you stand out or do you just walk away from it because there aren't people who are like you who are there to service their mentors? Well , no , there has to be somebody who is the first. And just because there aren't people who are more senior than you , who went through the same experiences as you. It doesn't mean that you don't belong. I think that you can make it because you're from the valley , not in spite of the fact that you're from the valley.
S2: From the Imperial Valley to the highest court in California.
S3: Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero's story is one of resilience , family , and representation.
S4: In this episode of voices , we talk about growing up in the valley.
S2: Being first generation.
S4: And learning how your roots can become your greatest strength.
S5: This is voice has been by you.
S1: Thank you. I'm so happy to join all of you. I'm Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero , also from the Imperial Valley. Well , I grew up , as I mentioned , at the same place as all of you. I actually was born in Brawley , but I grew up in Imperial. I'm born and raised in the Imperial Valley , and my parents came to the Imperial Valley from Mexico , different places in Mexico. But that's where they landed. And I have an older sister , um , also just very close connections and ties to the Imperial Valley. But basically I went from there to now being chief Justice of California in charge of the largest court system , really in the world. So , um , maybe not something that I would have anticipated at your age , but it was something that I couldn't have done without the support of my family and my friends and a lot of people from the Valley.
S4: For people who grew up here , the valley becomes part of who they are.
S1: It's the best place ever to have grown up and something that I really wouldn't change for anything. So why do I say that? Well , there's really so many reasons why that's true , at least for me. But primarily it's the people. So I have lifelong friends that I have known since kindergarten , uh , who I grew up with and I'm still in contact with. And many of them are still in the valley. My husband also is from the Imperial Valley. He's actually , like you guys , a Spartan from Central Union High School , which I am not an Imperial High School go Tigers. But he always holds that over my head because it's a bigger school , as you know. Uh , so I met him when I was in high school as well. And then just large extended family. I'm sure this is true of many of you as well. That's what I really remember. I remember gatherings with great food , um , great music. I remember it being very loud and all these gatherings. Um , which is a good thing , but it was for me. I always liked some quiet space too , so I had to , like , get away from all of the noise , which was sometimes challenging , but , um , fun. And it was really a supportive , close knit community. Maybe when you're in the middle of it , you feel like there's not a lot to do there. Growing up , and I see a lot of you nodding in agreement. But I think there are things that you find things to do in the Imperial Valley. I actually don't know a lot of people who swam in canals when they were growing up. Despite despite what Dippy Duck might say. And the Valley people know who Dippy Duck is and and just having places to hang out with your friends marked a lot by physical landmarks. So the trees , Thompson's crossing the wall , the sandy. I don't know if you probably have found your own places to hang out , but it just was a really unique experience growing up in a rural community , but also a border town close to Mexicali , a major metropolitan area. And my mom grew up in Mexicali , So we spent a lot of time there , visited every weekend , all holidays. And so when we were older , we'd go to the forum in Mexicali. As a parent , I wouldn't want my kids doing some of the things that we were doing. But because we grew up with that kind of culture , rich culture , a large Hispanic community , which is what the Imperial Valley has , it just was a special , special place.
S3: Her parents didn't have access to higher education themselves , but they made sure their daughters understood the value of opportunity.
S1: Neither of my parents had much. Would I describe a formal education? Both very intelligent , but they didn't complete a lot of school. My father was , you know , pulled out of school when he was in Mexico in fifth grade to start working at a very young age. He started working and then was pulled out to help really just feed the family. And my mom completed , uh , elementary school , but didn't complete high , middle school their equivalent , but didn't complete high school. But they. My mom loved reading. She always had books around for her in particular. They really she really emphasized the importance of an education. They wanted us to know that we had an opportunity and the ability to do really what we decided. My sister and I decided , because of the educational opportunities that we have in the United States , and that really was the whole reason that they came to the United States. So not expectations , but just awareness of opportunities and the values , yes , the values that they instilled through their own examples. And so when I think of each of my parents , I think of different things. When I think of my dad , um , he was a cowboy. Is a cowboy still a retired cowboy? Maybe. Um , but he worked hard , you know , manual labor in the valley. He which you guys know what that's like. And so from him I learned the importance of hard work. Um , perseverance. He always worked long hours without complaint. Um , so I've mastered the long hours. I haven't quite mastered the without complaint component of that , but I'm trying to do better. And then when I think of my mom , um , I get a little bit emotional because she passed away. It's now been five years , but to me , a little over that. But it feels still really close. But I , I always remember her compassion and , um , her generosity with others. And she was a babysitter for local children. What stands out to me when I think of her is just it's again , as a parent , it seems a little strange because the kids would cry when they would leave my mom , perhaps instead of being And upset when they were being dropped off. And I don't know that we must have been hard for the parents , but I think that just shows how loving she was and caring and nurturing , but also just independent. And so seeing her as the a role model of really what it means to be independent with something that I also carry with me in terms of the values that I relied on in following my my education.
S2: Leaving the valley meant entering spaces where very few people looked like her.
S1: Well , I was for sure underrepresented. Just if you look at the numbers. But clearly there were very few. I went from law school to practicing at a big , they call it a big law firm , one of the top firms with , you know , offices nationwide. And in terms of if you look at the statistics for Latinas who are equity partners at such major law firms will. There's still very few , if you like , 2%. So in terms of the numbers statistics , I yes was underrepresented. But how I felt about that , I guess it's a little bit more complicated. So what do you do when you're in a situation like that. You do you feel like you stand out or do you just walk away from it because there aren't people who are like you who are there to serve as your mentors? Well , no. There has to be somebody who is the first. And just because there aren't people who are more senior than you who went through the same experiences as you , it doesn't mean that you don't belong. And I had mentors who were nothing like me , senior partners who were instrumental in my career. Even after I left the firm that I was practicing at and joined the the court and have continued to be supportive of me. And so you develop , I think you develop bonds and based on like they only cared about the work that I was doing. So as long as I was doing good work , they were willing to promote me and support me and help me , even if they had a life that wasn't anything like mine. Um , but at the same time , there are periods of self-doubt when you're in these foreign settings and you're forging path that's different for you. You mentioned before that you don't really have a lot of people to talk to who who are close to you. You did develop professional mentoring relationships , but you may not have somebody in your family who has gone through those things. That wasn't the case for me. I didn't know any lawyers growing up. I certainly didn't know any judges growing up. But I don't think there's anything wrong with those periods of self-doubt. I think it's healthy. I mean , I think it would be more worrisome if you go into every situation thinking , you've got it now , then you're arrogant and I don't think that that is a good approach. So I think it's normal to have these periods of self-doubt when you have backgrounds like ours. And the only way really to combat that , I think , is to do it. I learned from my father. Work hard and you're more prepared than other people around you. And so in private practice , you learn that the people who are senior to you will see your opposing counsel , will see that you know more about the case than they do. And so you just have to , you know , unfortunately , it may not sound fair , but you have to be willing to work harder when you're faced with these types of barriers.
S4: She says some of the people who changed her life were teachers who simply believed in her potential.
S1: I think back to elementary school and , well , first I'll say , Mr. and Mrs. Brault , I guess that's the answer. I don't know if you guys know them , but Mrs. Rawls , with my third grade teacher in elementary school. And I think from her the grammar lesson , I just always remember the grammar lessons. I learned so much from her. Even my second grade teacher really loved reading. We used to be able to read in a bathtub if we finished our work filled with pillows. And so that was our I spent a lot of time in that bathtub , not asleep , but actually reading , but. So they would always tell me , you really like to argue. You might want to consider you would be a good teacher or a lawyer , but maybe a lawyer would be more financially lucrative. I actually , I maybe I shouldn't confess this part , but I think Mr. Rawls tried to at one point , make a deal with me that he would get a portion of my income as a lawyer. Now , I know that that's not binding. So I circled back with him on that. And then , um , I had a principal in elementary know in junior high when I graduated from college. Junior high. From middle school. Who? We had valedictorians. I don't know if you still do at that time , even from middle school , but. So he sat down with me and the co valedictorian. And I just always remember this conversation. He just told me that , um , or us that you're doing really well so far. If you continue to work hard and get good grades , I expect you to go to a really great school , like blank or blank. Um , and I didn't know that much about those either of those schools , really , but they stood out in the back of my mind. I actually ended up going to the two schools , I think , um , grateful that he steered me in the right direction or else I don't know if he could have said something else. I had gone down a completely different path. But , um , I mentioned that because people who are there for you and who are encouraging it could be small things , Small words of encouragement or small suggestions that really have an impact on your life in ways that they may not understand or may not fully appreciate. And so I just am grateful for the support of people like Mr. and Mrs. Rawls and and others who really had an influence throughout my life. And so I'm grateful.
S3: Years later , those lessons would follow her all the way to California's highest court.
S1: I was appointed to the Superior Court. There are three levels of California courts , and the Superior Court is the initial level. We have the trial court proceedings , and I was appointed there in 2013. And and so my kids were really young. And then I was appointed to the intermediate court , which is the Court of Appeal , in December of 2017. And then I was elevated and then , excuse me , appointed to the California Supreme Court , which is the highest court in our Um , state , and I was appointed to the California Supreme Court. And God , I should know this better off the top of my hat. But this part is now a blur because of all my responsibilities. But in March of 2022 , shortly after I was appointed to the California Supreme Court , the former Chief Justice decided that she was retiring. So five months into being a Supreme Court justice , I was then picked to be the Chief Justice of California , which is in charge then of the entire California court system. And I've been in this position since my confirmation and swearing in January of 2023. And every time I walk in , I think of my parents sitting there , and I always look to where they were seated. When I was sworn in for my Court of Appeal and my family was there , my husband. And it just reminds me of where I am from. And my mom didn't make it to the Supreme Court confirmation hearing , but I just feel like they're there with me and just a reminder of where I come from , and that I'm proud of where I came from. And I am proud of , as you say , the roots in the valley. And then just all the people that I represent from the Valley and other places like it. But again , just the lessons that I've learned are something that I keep with me.
S2: As Chief Justice. Guerrero says her experience is growing up bilingual and first generation still shaped the way she thinks about justice.
S1: That is something that is the underlying purpose of our court. To provide equal access to justice and to do it in a fair and impartial way. And I do think of people in the Valley and experiences they've had and experiences that my parents have had and others like them. And I think actually in different settings that I think of , again , I'm just thinking of my mom a lot. I guess I think of her a lot , but the experiences that they've had in that she had , in particular in medical settings where were foreign to her and didn't understand a lot of the details of it or maneuvering through it and the treatment that she received. It's something that wasn't a positive experience , and it sort of talking down to people like her , just making assumptions because her English isn't perfect , although she understands probably more than the doctor. But anyways , it was something that I don't want to have occur in the California court. So I think of the importance of treating people with dignity and with respect , and to ensure that they feel that they're welcome in our court system , that we explain the proceedings to them so that they have a complete understanding and they feel heard , and they understand that we're doing the best job possible to ensure that they're treated fairly. And and so that comes in some examples with language access issues for the court , the importance of making sure that we have our forms and proceedings that are explained to them in languages that , you know , Spanish is a predominant language. We have translations in Spanish. We have interpreters who are available for that. We call them self represented litigants. These are parties that go to court that don't have attorneys , that the process is explained to them in terms that they can , you know , fully appreciate and understand. And again , the purpose is , as you say , to ensure that there is fairness and equal access to our court system. And I do think my perspective is shaped by my upbringing and the experiences of people that are also. Um , it doesn't have to be from the valley. We represent people and I am the the chief for the whole state. But I , you know , there's people like the ones that I've described in different parts of the state as well. And so we're focused on making sure that everybody is heard.
S4: Before the interview ended , we asked her what she would say to students growing up in the Valley today.
S1: Well , I would say actually that where you come from and specifically from the Imperial Valley does matter , but it may not matter in the way that you think. It isn't an obstacle. There will be obstacles. But actually , I encouraged you to look at instead , your experiences growing up in the Valley as the foundation for future success. And so think of what you learn growing up there. The grit. Determination. Dedication. Perseverance. Resilient. I would say don't discount the value of where you're from and the unique insight that you have , the poise that you have because of it. I would encourage you to recognize that you have a lot to contribute in whatever career you find meaningful. Um , I'm hoping that there are future judges and lawyers among you , but it doesn't have to be. It could be whatever you choose. And I would also encourage you , I would say try not to make excuses or expect things to be easy. You know , life is not easy. But I do think that you have the ability to overcome the obstacles that you may face , and you probably already Have. I really would like to thank each and every one of you for giving me the opportunity to meet you and be here with you , and share the time with you and the work that you're doing. It's important to highlight , I think , people from the Valley I appreciate. I'm very proud to have been and be from there. I still , like I said , my dad and family members down there , and I mentioned when we talked earlier , when you were telling me about what your plans are for the future , how exciting that is , and and how I mentioned hope that I have. Well , I see hope when I see you. And so I look forward to your careers too. So keep in touch. If you're ever in the court system or just want to come by and visit , we have sessions all over. So please stop by.
S3: Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero's story reminds us that leadership can come from anywhere.
S4: Including small towns throughout the Imperial Valley.
S2: And for students growing up here today , her message is simple. Your background is not a limitation. It's your strength.
S4: Thank you for listening to voices , Del Valle.
S6: You're from where? Featuring California Supreme Court chief Justice Patricia Guerrero. Hosted by Luke Cesar , Stephanie Portillo and Sal Cuevas. Edited and produced by Luke Cesar and Doctor Thomas. Tacky. Episode music by Emmanuel Twilley and Spartan Sound Productions. Credits. Music by Emmanuel Twillie. Technical and operational support provided by KPBS. Technical producer sound designer Adrian Villalobos , KPBS audio operations assistant Rebecca Chacon , and KPBS Director of audio programming and Operation Lisa Jane Morissette. This programming is partially made possible in part by the KPBS Explore Content Fund.
