First Latina federal judge in California's Eastern District daughter of farmworkers

The Fresno Bee reports today on the investiture of Ana de Alba as the first Latina federal district judge in California.  The headline for Juan Esparza Loera's story is "It’s official. Daughter of farmworkers makes U.S. District Court history."  Here's an excerpt from this very inspiring story:

Ana Isabela de Alba – the 42-year-old daughter of Mexican immigrant farmworkers who grew up in South Dos Palos using a sleeping bag until she was 15 – became the first Latina judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California on Friday afternoon. 

Accompanied by her mother, Ana Celia de Alba, and about three dozen relatives and supporters, the Fresno County Superior Court judge took the oath of office from U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd less than six months after being nominated for the post by President Joe Biden. 

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“Judge de Alba watched her mother and grandmother struggle with unfair treatment, as they worked together in some of the hardest jobs in the world,” said [U.S. Senator Alex] Padilla [at de Alba's confirmation hearing]. 

“She decided that one day, she would become a lawyer to help families like her own.” 

Padilla, who noted that de Alba established a workers’ rights clinic for low wage workers, called her “dedicated, fair and universally respected by her colleagues.” 

“She will bring a deep knowledge of the Central Valley, and a passion for equal justice informed by her own family’s story,” said Padilla.

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Her mother also ended de Alba’s days of working in the fields. 

“I worked in the fields with my mom until about the fourth grade,” said de Alba, who by then was starting to get improper comments from male field workers.

Her mother said, “You’re not going to work here because you’re too little. I don’t want you exposed to that.” 

De Alba kept working, but not in the fields. She put her reading and English skills to work as a paid tutor. In high school, she worked for an insurance company across from the high school before getting a job at the hospital her final two years.

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De Alba’s idea of becoming a lawyer came when she was 6 years old and accompanying her mother and grandmother while they were picking tomatoes and getting paid by the bucket. 

“My job was basically to go get the water so they wouldn’t have to stop there in the middle of the row,” said de Alba. One day, she complained the water was dirty. 

“The mayordomo (foreman) made an example of me. He said, ‘Oh well, if we’re all going to complain, we might as well call the media!’” 

De Alba got upset. “I didn’t do anything wrong. This guy is not letting us have drinking water. There’s nothing wrong with that.” 

That evening while recounting the experience to Fernando, the oldest of her three brothers, he responded, 

“Well, you’re pretty mouthy, so you should become a lawyer.”

“What’s a lawyer do?” 

“They fight for people’s rights with their words. They argue all day.” 

“Oh, sounds like a dream job for me.” 

That sparked her career choice. 

“My mom is very strong-willed. She’s very intelligent; one of the smartest people I’ve ever met,” said de Alba of her mother who only got a second-grade education in Jalisco, México.” 

Earlier this year, Patricia Guerrero became the first Latina to sit on the California Supreme Court.   Guerrero, too, grew up amidst farm work, but in the Imperial Valley, on the Mexico border, rather than the Central Valley.