The First Fifteen : How Asian American Women Became Federal Judges

In 1998, an Asian woman first joined the ranks of federal judges with lifetime appointments. It took ten years for the second Asian woman to be appointed. Since then, however, over a dozen more Asian women have received lifetime federal judicial appointments. This book tells the stories of the first fifteen. In the process, it recounts remarkable tales of Asian women overcoming adversity and achieving the American dream, despite being the daughters of a Chinese garment worker, Japanese Americans held in internment camps during World War II, Vietnamese refugees, and penniless Indian immigrants. Yet The First Fifteen also explores how far Asian Americans and women still have to go before the federal judiciary reflects America as a whole. In a candid series of interviews, these judges reflect upon the personal and professional experiences that led them to this distinguished position, as well as the nerve-wracking political process of being nominated and confirmed for an Article III judgeship. By sharing their diverse stories, The First Fifteen paints a nuanced portrait of how Asian American women are beginning to have a voice in determining American justice. "When Susan Oki Mollway became a federal judge in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii in 1998, she was surprised that she was the first Asian American woman to be appointed on the federal bench in the United States. She would remain an exclusive member of Asian American women who are federal judges until a decade later when Kiyo A. Matsumoto was appointed to the federal bench for the Eastern District of New York. Since then, membership of this small group began to grow in number and in diversity. The First Fifteen recounts the experiences of how the first fifteen Asian American women became federal judges, such as Jacqueline Nguyen who fled Vietnam as a child and Pamela Chen, an openly gay Asian woman, and how they succeeded. The women were interviewed by Mollway herself and the book was written by her as well which offers a unique perspective into these women's lives. Mollway discusses their upbringing, their backgrounds, and their attitudes which contributed to their successful navigation through the appointment process"-- Provided by publisher Diversity in the federal judiciary -- Bridging the Gap -- Susan Oki Mollway (D. Haw.) (1998) -- Kiyo A. Matsumoto (E.D.N.Y.) (2008) -- Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen (C.D. Cal.) (2009), (9th Cir.) (2012) -- Dolly Maizie Gee (C.D. Cal.) (2010) -- Lucy Haeran Koh (N.D. Cal.) (2010) -- Leslie Emi Kobayashi (D. Haw.) (2010) -- Cathy Bissoon (W.D. Pa.) (2011) -- Miranda Mai Du (D. Nev.) (2012) -- Lorna Gail Schofield (S.D.N.Y.) (2012) -- Pamela Ki Mai Chen (E.D.N.Y.) (2013) -- Indira Talwani (D. Mass.) (2014) -- Jennifer Choe-Groves (Ct. Int'l Trade) (2016) -- Karen Gren Scholer(N.D. Tex.) (2018) -- Jill Aiko Otake (D. Haw.) (2019) -- Neomi Jehangir Rao (D.C. Cir.) (2019) -- Continuing Growth -- Timing of growth -- Demographic factors -- Attitudinal factors -- Why aren't these other Asian women Article III Judges? This book tells the stories of the first fifteen Asian women appointed to federal judgeships. In a candid series of interviews, these descendants of a Chinese garment worker, Japanese Americans held in internment camps during World War II, Vietnamese refugees, and penniless Indian immigrants reflect on both the personal and professional experiences that culminated in this distinguished position.