Judge Cathy Bissoon Never Let Circumstances Limit Her

U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon grew up in an impoverished New York City neighborhood in the 1970s, believing in the American Dream. Her parents, immigrants of Hispanic and East Indian descent, instilled in her the value of hard work and perseverance.

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, a new video profile explores Bissoon’s determination in pursuing a career in law. She reflects on the challenges and pressures that came with being the first Hispanic female Article III judge in Pennsylvania, the first Asian American Article III judge in Pennsylvania, and the first South Asian American female Article III judge in the United States.

“It has been the honor of my life to really hold those roles and to have carved a path for others like me, who look like me, and who might have grown up in a similar situation to me,” said Bissoon, who was appointed to the Western District of Pennsylvania in 2011, and serves in Pittsburgh.