On sidelines, Hispanics cheer Sotomayor

— -- At the moment of Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation as the first Hispanic on the Supreme Court, Carmen Garcia cried, hard.

She was one of several women at the FB Lounge in New York City's Spanish Harlem who saw in Sotomayor's life story a version of her own, or her parents'.

"All the obstacles she must have seen in the South Bronx, I saw in Spanish Harlem," said Garcia, 58, a hospital food-service worker whose parents brought her to New York in 1957. "Any child that looks outside the window to the fire escape and wants to become a judge, a lawyer, a district attorney, a Supreme Court (justice), and sees what Sotomayor used to see, can say, 'I can do it, too.' "

For many of the nation's Hispanics, Sotomayor's confirmation marked a proud milestone — an affirmation of their struggles and hard work, an inspiration for them and their children.

Janet Murguia, president of the National Council of La Raza, the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights organization, swallowed back tears as she waited to thank senators after the vote. "It's overwhelming," she said.

From Chicago to Oxnard, Calif., from Sotomayor's hometown of New York to Puerto Rico, her parents' home, her ascent from a housing project to the high court has galvanized Hispanics' hopes. Said Murguia: "Her story is our story."

New York City

"I have chills down my back"

The FB Lounge in the center of New York's Puerto Rican community is designed for noise — just look at the conga drums next to the big-screen TV in this salsa club — but absolute quiet fell over the small crowd when the U.S. Senate began its roll call vote.

"Aye," whispered Agnes Rivera to Elyshia, her 3-year-old granddaughter, after each affirmative vote. When Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, a Republican and one of the Senate's two Hispanic members, voted "Aye," she called out, "You better."

As the vote wrapped up, club owner Roberto Ayala yelled "Viva Puerto Rico! Viva las mujeres! Viva el barrio!" to cheers and applause from the crowd.