WASHINGTON – MARCH 03: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg smiles during a photo session with photographers at the U.S. Supreme Court March 3, 2006 in Washington DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

One of the worst feelings is taking something or someone for granted and then not having the chance to turn back time. Indeed, it is exactly because we cannot turn back time that we become ever more vigilant in preserving the legacies of those that pushed the boundaries, made history, and opened doors for others. 

It is exactly because we cannot turn back time that we become ever more vigilant in preserving the legacies of those that pushed the boundaries, made history, and opened doors for others. Share on X

On September 18, 2020, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) passed away due to complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer. RBG overcame a gender-biased education system and legal curricula as one of eight women in a class of 500 at Harvard and a graduate—at the top of her class nonetheless—of Columbia Law School. What Ruth Bader Ginsburg experienced on her academic journey, though, was only a hint of the discrimination that awaited her as a woman in the workplace in the 1960s. 

The accomplishment of becoming the second female and first Jewish Supreme Court justice inspired many, but it was Ruth’s fearless voice and principled decision making that proved her values and integrity were bigger than her own success. RBG aligned her actions and words in a way that would make a lasting impact on the future generations of women in their professional careers and their communities. One of the ways Ruth Bader Ginsburg modeled her values was when she founded the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project in 1972, 21 years before being appointed to the Supreme Court. The effort has since played a key role in systematic legal reform in areas of women’s equality and rights.  

It was RBG's fearless voice and principled decision making that proved her values and integrity were bigger than her own success. RBG aligned her actions and words in a way that would make a lasting impact on the future generations… Share on X

It is unclear who will fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Supreme Court seat, but we must aspire to have more women like her in positions central to our democracy. We must learn from RBG’s relentless pursuit of justice and immediately pick up the mantle she has handed off. We must continue the march towards equality, regardless of what comes next. We must equip future generations with the skills and confidence to reach such great heights. A great start would be heeding some of the sage advice she has left is with: 

We must learn from RBG’s relentless pursuit of justice. We must continue the march towards equality, regardless of what comes next. We must equip future generations with the skills and confidence to reach such great heights. Share on X