Richmond High Students Transfixed and Inspired by Jackson Confirmation Hearings

RICHMOND (KPIX) -- A group of students at Richmond High School were riveted by Monday's Senate Supreme Court confirmation hearings, finding inspiration and encouragement in the example set by nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

"Someone who looks like me who's going to be on the highest court is inspirational since a lot of my family members didn't go to college. Seeing that actually makes me think I can succeed at that level," said Richmond High senior Starr Williams.

Richmond High School Law Academy and Mock Trial Coach Ellen Rosenbluth watched and discussed the Senate Hearings with her classes Monday. She encouraged students to savor Judge Jackson's history-making nomination to the Supreme Court and to learn from her example as a woman and person of color.

"As a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer. And I always looked at people in law professions and I was like, 'OK, that's someone I can look up to.' But I've never seen a woman of color where I was like, 'That's me,'" said  Richmond High School Mock Trial President Kaylee Barron.

Many of the students at Richmond High say they've often allowed self-doubt to narrow the vistas of what they dared to do or hoped to become. But in Judge Jackson, they say, they found a set of trailblazing footsteps to follow.

"It's good not only to see a woman of color but a woman in general in a high position. You can't help but notice, 'This person looks like me and they're in this position.' And when I grow up, I'm going to be right where she's at," said Black Student Union Vice President Destiny Ndeke.