Now in the third decade of the new century, persons of color continue to break barriers. Although Texas has the second highest Latinx population in the United States, prior to 2021, it did not have a Latinx judge organization like those found in California, New York, and Illinois. That barrier was broken on May 5, 2021, through the creation of Texas Latinx Judges, or TLJ. One of the first associations of its kind in Texas, TLJ is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association focused on empowering current and future Latinx judges. It fosters a pipeline for future Latinx judges with the goal of enhancing diversity, inclusion, and excellence in the judiciary so that equal justice is provided to all.

Another legal first in 2021, El Paso lawyer Sylvia Borunda Firth became the first Latina to become president of the State Bar of Texas. Borunda Firth’s experience as a former city attorney and her service in different leadership roles with the State Bar helped her garner support from lawyers statewide during the 2020 president-elect race. When elected, Borunda Firth stated, “It is an honor and a big responsibility to represent my culture and my gender … and bring more diversity to the State Bar.”