WASHINGTON (April 7, 2022) — The Black Public Defender Association (BPDA) Executive Director and Board Chair Heather Pinckney issued the following statement in response to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s historic appointment to the Supreme Court:
BPDA celebrates Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for becoming the first Black woman and first public defender confirmed to the Supreme Court.
“For the first time in history, Black women, Black public defenders, and the perspective that they exclusively can bring to the bench are being seen by the world. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has served in service to those most ignored in this country and she intimately knows the ramifications of the law on our most vulnerable and marginalized communities. Her voice has long been needed on the high court,” said BPDA Executive Director Heather Pinckney.
Judge Brown Jackson’s appointment sends a clear message that our most vulnerable and marginalized deserve representation in our courts around the country. We look forward to seeing the impact that her fresh, new, and experienced perspective can make on future decisions.
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The Black Public Defender Association aims to improve the quality of defense provided to low-income communities across the United States by creating and maintaining a national network of skilled Black public defenders that identify with and are committed to the populations they serve.
