Adrienne Nelson has made history as the first Black woman to become a federal judge in Oregon, per Face2Face Africa.
The history-making achievement comes after President Joe Biden nominated her for the federal post last year. In February, Nelson was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a 52 to 46 vote.
“I approach each case with an open mind and treat everyone fairly, impartially because to the litigants their case is the most important case in the world. I try to communicate all decisions clearly so that they can be understood. And if I’m so fortunate to be confirmed, I would continue to do that,” Nelson told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee at a hearing in October.
A Kansas City native, Nelson graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and earned her law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Nelson moved to Portland, where she started her legal career as a contract attorney and public defender.
Governor Ted Kulongoski later appointed her to the Multnomah County Circuit Court, where she served as a judge for over a decade.
Nelson credits her ancestors for helping guide her to where she is today.
“I would like to acknowledge the spirits of my late father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends who are no longer with us here on earth, but who are always with me. I feel their presence in the room today. I hope to make everyone proud,” she previously said.
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