No one arrives at the highest of heights on their own. Also, the vision precedes the passage. – Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

When I decided to read Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s memoir, “Lovely One,” I had no idea that, as a reader, I was embarking upon a journey that was deeply personal, introspective, and inspiring because many memoirs are descriptive of their subject’s accomplishments but lack soul.  Justice Brown Jackson’s memoir captures her achievements and showcases the passion, will, and determination that brought her to the Supreme Court.

I did not know that this book would fuel my personal rebranding and relaunching of my life. As I read her story, something awakened inside of me. For several years, I have felt aimless and like wandering in the proverbial wilderness as I contemplated career transition and dealt with crushing “life quakes.”

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is refreshingly authentic.  She tells her story with vibrancy and vulnerability that is captivating for readers.  Justice Brown Jackson is a woman of substance, depth, and excellence.  Her career trajectory demonstrates the importance of keeping one’s eyes on the prize and adapting to life’s ever-changing circumstances.  There is a love story component for the romance fans, but make no mistake, it is not a fairy tale.

“Lovely One” by Ketanji Brown Jackson is a must-read for anyone who needs to be reminded of what’s possible

Her memoir fueled me as I embark on my life’s rebrand and relaunch

I am currently rebranding and relaunching my life. In 2024, I experienced a sudden and deeply personal loss that reminded me that our time on Earth is finite and that it is vital to live with intention and minimize regret. As I expand my vision and capacity, I gravitate toward content that inspires and challenges readers to aspire to more. “Lovely One” by Ketanji Brown Jackson hit the mark.

When I started reading this book, I felt something awaken in me. I had awakened the sleeping giant of possibility in my life. I have lived a small, limited, and confined life for the last several years. It is fair to say that the past few years have been anything but normal. The COVID-19 pandemic shattered our usual way of life. The growing economic and political uncertainty hasn’t helped matters as we all wait with bated breath for the next shoe to drop.

Tough times call for inspirational stories like Justice Brown Jackson’s “Lovely One” memoir.  When Justice Brown Jackson was a baby, her family discerned that God chose and favored her for a significant purpose and assignment. Her assignment is to serve on the Supreme Court, interpreting our nation’s laws and upholding the Constitution to protect the centuries-long experiment in democracy that we call the United States.

I do not aspire to be on the Supreme Court, but I want to fulfill my life’s purpose and assignment.  In this first volume of my life, my purpose and assignment were to motivate people to live better in their minds, bodies, and spirits through exercise.  I don’t think my purpose will change, but the vehicle may not just be exercise.  I promised my Spin Class that we will still be getting low on the spin bike in our 80s and 90s.

Refreshingly Authentic

“Lovely One” painstakingly traces the roots of Justice Brown Jackson’s maternal and paternal family history. This gives readers context to understand the significance of Justice Brown Jackson’s historic appointment to the Supreme Court one generation removed from segregation.  

Both sides of her family endured hardships and challenges, but like many Black families, they instilled values and pride in their culture into their children.

As a Black woman who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, I remember watching documentaries like “Eyes on the Prize” and reading books by Black authors who chronicled our struggle but let us know that as Black people, we have been mistreated, but still we rise. During this time, Black intellectuals and leaders encouraged us to take pride in being Black despite what society said and encouraged each generation to take it further.  Justice Brown Jackson’s parents instilled this same cultural pride in their daughter. They gave her the African name Ketanji Onyika, which means “Lovely One”

A woman of substance, depth, and excellence

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is no empty vessel or empty robe who goes whichever way the wind blows.  She is a woman of conviction willing to stand on those convictions even if she would have to pay a price for doing so. In “Lovely One,” Justice Brown Jackson recounts how she appeared before Congress on the federal sentencing committee.  She stated her conviction about sentencing laws and wrote that by stating her belief, she knew it could have impeded her chances of becoming a judge. Still, like Queen Esther in the Bible, she had an “if I perish, I perish” moment when she testified before Congress.  Her standing on her convictions didn’t impede her chances of becoming a judge.  It helped her by getting her name out there as someone to watch.

As I read the book, I thought, “This is someone who has had to work hard and earn every single one of her accomplishments.”  Whenever she had a new challenge in her career, she detailed the hours of study and preparation she put in to meet it. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson isn’t a woman who has been able to skate through on mediocrity and “vibes.”

Career Trajectory

Justice Brown Jackson was also candid that sometimes she took jobs because she needed the money.  She and her husband, a prominent surgeon, Dr. Patrick G Jackson, are parents of two girls. With demanding careers, they had to pay for childcare, student loans, and mortgages. Even the most talented people have to take jobs for the money to pay the bills.

Ketanji Brown Jackson dreamed of serving on the Supreme Court and carefully shaped her career to achieve that goal. She strategically pursued opportunities that honed her skills, expanded her network, and built her reputation. After earning her undergraduate degree from Harvard, she took a professor’s advice and spent a year in journalism before attending Harvard Law School. She credits this experience with strengthening her writing and research abilities, which later helped her craft clear and well-reasoned judicial opinions.

While I don’t have any lofty career dreams now, Justice Brown Jackson’s story inspires me to think about not limiting myself but taking different opportunities to build my skill set. I have been taking writing courses, and then I stumbled into copyediting. I realized I enjoy editing as well as writing, so that is something I am exploring. Adding copyediting to my skill set will improve my writing work and may lead to opportunities I have not considered yet.

A realistic love story for romance fans but no fairy tale

“From Healthy and Loving Unions, goodness ripples out into the world, expanding and deepening the circle of human kinship”- Ketanji Brown Jackson

I enjoy a love story, and I enjoy a love story when it involves brilliant, ambitious women and brilliant, supportive men!   Dr. Patrick Jackson believed in Justice Brown Jackson’s dream of sitting on the Supreme Court and was willing to make sacrifices in his career to see that happen.  Dr. Jackson is a brilliant surgeon in his own right, and he was offered a prestigious job at one point. Still, he turned it down because he knew the family needed to be close to Washington D.C. if Justice Brown Jackson would begin her journey to the Supreme Court.  He would tell people, “Ketanji will sit on the Supreme Court one day.”

Dr Jackson was all in on her dream with her and was her true partner in every sense of the word.

Their story is not a fairy tale where everything goes perfectly. Justice Brown Jackson details their challenges as a couple who both have demanding careers, are perfectionists, and are parents of an autistic child. She writes transparently about their struggles navigating their daughter’s challenges.  Her willingness to admit her own mistakes and struggles due to her daughter’s autism is something so many parents can deal with, whether they sit on the Supreme Court or not.  

We need more uplifting stories of healthy, loving relationships that transparently acknowledge challenges but ultimately showcase the strength and power of love.

Stories of Phenomenal Women always add fuel to my fire.

As a teenager and young adult, I loved to read about influential women leaders.  Something about reading about women who push past barriers and defy stereotypes gets me fired up.  “Lovely One” brought me back to my younger self who believed that women were just as capable as men of strong and substantive leadership and that incredible things happen when great men and women leaders work together.

Justice Brown Jackson shares the inspiration behind her decision to pursue law and become a jurist. When she came across a photo and article about Judge Constance Baker Motley, the first Black woman to serve as a federal judge, she sensed her destiny calling. Before reading Justice Brown Jackson’s memoir, I had never heard of Judge Motley—despite her prominence as a Civil Rights attorney! Eager to learn more about this unsung hero, I immediately ordered Judge Motley’s biography, Civil Rights Queen, by Tomiko Brown-Nagin, after I finished Justice Brown Jackson’s book.

As I relaunch and rebrand my life, the stories of phenomenal women inspire me and reaffirm the promise of the United States. While the ultimate glass ceiling—leading our nation as President—has yet to be shattered, I am confident I will witness it in my lifetime. Justice Brown Jackson’s memoir is a powerful testament to the value of hard work, excellence, and preparation—proving that you must be ready to step up when your moment comes.