Year Honored: 2022
Aida Waserstein was born and raised in Cuba. She spoke Spanish and Yiddish, but not English.
After losing her mother at the young age of 11, Aida came to the United States as an unaccompanied minor when she was 13 years old. She lived in three foster homes over a period of six years. Both she and her brother were eventually reunited with their biological family.
These life experiences gave Aida a strong desire to help others. Although her parents' education consisted of elementary school, Aida graduated from Bryn Mawr College and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She served as a Delaware Family Court Judge for 21 years before her retirement in 2017.
After retirement, she published three children's books: "My Name is Aida", "Me Llamo Aidita" (the Spanish/English version of "My Name is Aida"), "Amelia Finds her Voice, A Custody Story", and “Joey's Buddy, A Foster Care Story".
These books introduce future generations to the difficulties that many children unfortunately face at a young age. The books emphasize the value of being different and offer hope. By overcoming hardships in a positive manner, the children in the books gain strength and self-sufficiency. That, in turn, enables them to contribute to the larger society.
Aida is grateful for the help that she received from others. She hopes to influence future generations so that they will also "pass it forward" and be of service to others.
