sian American women have had many significant achievements in a variety of different disciplines.One such field is that of the law and the courts, and Justice Joyce Luther Kennard, who has been associate justice of the California Supreme Court since April 1989.

Kennard, born Joyce Luther on May 6, 1941 in Indonesia, is of Dutch, Indonesian, and Chinese ancestry. During her childhood she moved to Irian Jaya with her widowed mother. Her father had died in a concentration camp when she was just one year old. At the age of 14, she relocated to Holland and by 1961 she made her way by herself to the United States.

In 1945, the Japanese Imperial Army invaded West Java. Joyce Luther's family was in danger because of the mixed heritage. Her family was warned that the Indonesians would be attacking them soon. After midnight, the group was taken to a protective camp. They had to evacuate their home and leave all their possessions behind. Soon Joyce, her aunt, and her grandmother lived in very poor conditions in a private home.

After resettling in West New Guinea, Joyce attended a missionary school. She taught herself English from song lyrics from Australia. Later, when living in the Netherlands, Joyce attended a college preparatory course. She continued her education in California. She attended Pasadena City College where she excelled greatly and earned her Masters in Public Administration.

Later, Joyce became a Municipal Court Judge in Los Angeles County followed by an Associate Justice pro tempore in the State Court of Appeal. In November, she was recognized for her integrity in the decisions that she made and she still holds a reputation free of corruption or abuse of discretion. In 1988, Joyce received the position of Associate Justice to the Court of Appeal in Los Angeles. For her greatest position held, she was appointed to the Supreme Court of California where she became the second woman justice and first Asian Pacific Islander to serve.

Joyce's endurance through many hardships, including the war zone in West Java and eventually achieving a position on California's highest court, she proves that anything is possible for those with talent dedication, resourcefulness and determination.

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