Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made history when she was nominated by President Joe Biden on February 25, 2022, to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. After being confirmed by the Senate, she took office later that year, becoming the first Black woman and the first former federal public defender to serve on the nation’s highest court. Her legal achievements and trailblazing career are well-known. Still, a profoundly personal side of her story has recently come to light through her memoir, Lovely One, where she reveals her journey as a mother to a daughter with autism.

A Personal Revelation: Talia’s Autism Diagnosis

In Lovely One, Justice Jackson opens up about her family’s struggles, particularly when it came to understanding her eldest daughter, Talia, who was diagnosed with autism in 2012 at the age of 11. She candidly reflects on how difficult it was to reconcile Talia’s needs with the high academic expectations that came naturally to her and her husband, both of whom are academically accomplished. For years, they had pushed Talia to meet the same benchmarks they had set for themselves, only to realize later that her neurological differences required a completely different approach to parenting.

The diagnosis, as Jackson describes, was both a relief and a turning point. It allowed her and her family to finally understand why Talia seemed to struggle with the traditional methods of learning and communication.

This realization was not easy for her, whose career was skyrocketing at the time. The demands of her role as a mother to a child with additional needs, coupled with the pressure of excelling in a high-powered legal career, created immense personal challenges.

Balancing Motherhood and a Legal Career

In a recent interview with CNN, Justice Jackson shared more about the emotional toll that came with raising a child with autism. She expressed feelings of inadequacy as she struggled to balance her career and her daughter’s needs. Jackson admitted that had she known the extent of Talia’s challenges earlier; she might have considered stepping away from her demanding legal work to care for her daughter full-time.

Like many autism parents, she grappled with feelings of uncertainty, often questioning whether she was making the right choices for her daughter and whether she was meeting expectations both at home and at work. For years, Jackson and her family didn’t have the answers they needed, and the uncertainty only added to the emotional weight she carried as both a mother and a legal professional.

The Broader Impact of Autism on Families