Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month: Judges Recall Lessons From Youth

May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, and video profiles of three U.S. judges, two of whom are naturalized American citizens, show how their diverse experiences prepared them for careers on the federal bench.

The videos are part of the U.S. Courts’ “Pathways to the Bench” series, and are highlighted on the Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month page. The profiled judges are:

Lorna Schofield was raised by a Filipino war bride whose marriage ended when Schofield was 3. Appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in 2012, Judge Schofield encourages teenagers to focus on a better future, even when they face difficulties growing up.  

Jacqueline Nguyen's family fled to America from South Vietnam in 1975. Appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2012, Judge Nguyen recalls how her parents’ humility and work ethic taught her lasting life lessons. 

Denny Chin is a Chinese immigrant who grew up in a Hell's Kitchen tenement in Manhattan. Judge Chin, who joined the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 2010, notes how he displays his own citizenship papers when he naturalizes new Americans. 

The “Pathways to the Bench” series shows brief video profiles of how federal judges overcame personal and character-building challenges. The videos and other educational materials can be found in the Educational Resources section of uscourts.gov. The site also has information on annual observances honored by the federal courts.