Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away today, Friday, September 18, 2020.
I still remember learning about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was an inspiration to me and countless others who admired her strength, intelligence, and determination which led her to become one of the first women appointed to the Supreme Court.
She was a beloved icon to my friends and I, and I remember talking about her life, accomplishments, and the many collars that she wore with her robes. One day, my friend had the idea to take a bunch of tiny pictures of her and hide them all around our history classroom so that people might find a picture of the Notorious RBG on a bulletin board, on the back of a desk, or on a filing cabinet. Now I reflect on that day, and remember how much fun we had, but also how much we respected the woman whose tiny face we dispersed throughout the classroom. We never could have predicted that the tragic loss of this brilliant, heroic woman would come during an extremely tumultuous time in our history, and as our next President has yet to be decided.
The anxiety of selecting a new Supreme Court Justice is enormous. The Justice who takes her place has considerable power to sway Supreme Court decisions, and jeopardize old ones such as Roe v. Wade. Now, more than ever, our votes matter. We must continue her fight for equality and justice in any and every way we can. That starts with casting our ballots, whether it be in person or by mail. Our futures depend on it.
As I look to my own future, I now consider how much her life has impacted mine. At this moment, I dream of becoming involved in public policy and government, and maybe even going to law school as she did. I will never be able to articulate how grateful I am for the path she blazed before me so that I and other women have the opportunities we do today. Justice Ginsburg, you are deeply cherished and deeply missed. We thank you for your hard work and dedication to our country.