At the Movies: A Job in the Shade

Kevin R. Johnson

10 Sep 2026

A Job in the Shade: The Emily Vasquez Story

Directed by filmmaker Douglas Harris Jr., this inspiring documentary chronicles the extraordinary life of Judge Emily Vasquez, the first Latina appointed to the Sacramento County Superior Court, in 2001.

Through intimate interviews with family members, friends, colleagues, and mentees, A Job in the Shade explores Judge Vasquez’s remarkable journey from the agricultural fields of California to the courtroom. The film highlights a lifetime of service, leadership, and mentorship while demonstrating how education can change lives and expand opportunities for future generations.

From her childhood in California’s Central Valley, working alongside her poor, immigrant farmworker parents, to her groundbreaking legal career, Judge Vasquez’s story is one of resilience, determination, and the transformative power of education.

Immigration Article of the Day: Administrative Procedural Discretion by Bijal Shah

Administrative Procedural Discretion by Bijal Shah, Cornell Law Review forthcoming Abstract The conservative Supreme Court has established maximum presidential control over formal administrative adjudication, despite the resulting impact on independence and expertise in adjudicatory process. Concurrently, a progressive public law perspective advocates for agencies to be released from procedure to

Courthouse News Service: Judge scraps Trump challenge to in-state tuition for immigrant students in Virginia

The Trump administration has challenged a number of state laws allowing undocumented residents to pay in-state tuition at public universities and colleges. Yesterday, a federal court upheld Virginia's law. Granting summary judgment for Virginia, "Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Payne found both the domicile pathway and

ACLU/AFL/CIO Report: Trump’s Deportation Agenda Is Making the Affordability Crisis Worse

A new report from the ACLU and AFL-CIO outlines how mass deportations are damaging the economy. A broader path to citizenship would create jobs and raise wages. The report, "Citizenship and the Affordability Agenda: A Path to Better Jobs, Higher Wages, and Prosperity for All,” highlights how the Trump

Human Rights Watch – US: Victims of Nicaraguan Government Risk Deportation

Human Rights Watch reports that U.S. immigration authorities have detained at least eight Nicaraguan exiles whom the Nicaraguan government stripped of their nationality, including some with pending asylum claims. Seven of the people detained were among 222 political prisoners whom the Nicaraguan government expelled to the United States, declared

A Job in the Shade: The Emily Vasquez Story

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Immigration Article of the Day: Administrative Procedural Discretion by Bijal Shah

Courthouse News Service: Judge scraps Trump challenge to in-state tuition for immigrant students in Virginia

ACLU/AFL/CIO Report: Trump’s Deportation Agenda Is Making the Affordability Crisis Worse

Human Rights Watch – US: Victims of Nicaraguan Government Risk Deportation