"We all bring with us to the court or to any task we undertake, our own lifetime of experiences and background, " she told CNN in a May 2003 interview.

CNN: A sensible justice

Characteristics such as race, ethnicity and sex should not be used as crude proxies for how people think or what their background and experiences are.

ECONOMIST: Letters

This strongly suggests that one's background and experiences, what we might call culture, does indeed contribute to bad behavior.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Students were given new experiences to build background knowledge and practice social skills.

WHITEHOUSE: Finding Opportunities to Make a Difference

White judges are also shaped by their background and experiences.

CNN: Commentary: Judge Sotomayor is not a racist

Unlike so many judges who by virtue of being white and male simply assume their impartiality, Judge Sotomayor recognizes that all judges are affected by their background and their life experiences.

CNN: Commentary: Judge Sotomayor is not a racist

In 2010, she wrote a critically-acclaimed memoir The Next Big Story: My Journey through the Land of Possibilities, which chronicles her biggest reporting moments and how her upbringing and background have influenced these experiences.

CNN: Anchors & Reporters