Sonia Sotomayor

Sonia Sotomayor's appointment to the Supreme Court in 2009 was a historic moment, marking her as the first Hispanic and third woman to ascend to the nation's highest judicial body. Born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, her upbringing in a housing project and subsequent rise through the legal ranks is a testament to the American Dream, albeit one that probably didn't involve gefilte fish.