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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Hofstra chapter.

 

 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a one-of-a-kind woman. She rose above all standards to help create the new norms for today. Not only did she achieve so much during her time as a Supreme Court Justice, but she was making history long before that. During this past decade, RBG became one of the most well known feminist icons throughout all of America. She began her fight to equality deriving from her own experiences of discrimination.

Growing up a woman, aspiring to work in the field of law, she was one of nine women in a class of 500 at Harvard Law school. This did not slow her down or nearly intimidate her. Instead, this only motivated her to continue pushing until she created a country where women can do anything a man can. Unfortunately, on Friday, September 18 we lost a truly wonderful woman at age 87 due to complications from pancreatic cancer. As we mourn this loss, we must remember that RBG would not want us to sit in a state of depression doing nothing. She would want us out there continuing to fight the battles she never got to finish and there are so many ways we can all continue her legacy.

Fight Strongly, But Respectfully

Ruth Bader Ginsburg would want to see everyone fighting for what they believe in. She aspired to be a role model for the young generation and now without her presence here on Earth, we must not let all she has done for us be for nothing.

Ginsburg once said, “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” What she means by this is to not aggressively attack those who may view a topic differently than you. Instead, calmly explain to them why you feel such a way. This will make them more likely to listen to your perspective and possibly change their views. 

Support Her Favorie Causes

Ginsburg cared so much about making this world a better place and she did so by supporting many nonprofits. In 2019, the Berggruen Institute awarded RBG with $1 million, praising her as a constant voice for justice, equal and accessible to all. She donated all this money to dozens of nonprofit organizations.

Some of her favorite nonprofits include Malala Fund, American Friends of Hand in Hand, American Bar Foundation, Memorial Sloan Kettering cancer center, and Washington Concert Opera. Any little amount helps the organization and Ginsburg would be so proud to see donations in her honor to these wonderful nonprofits.

VOTE!!!

Voting is one of the easiest, yet most important things any citizen can do in order to make improvements in this country. Nothing is going to change for the better unless we all become the activists we were born to be and fight for equal rights for everybody.

Ginsburg fought to give women so many equal rights and we must vote in the 2020 election to prevent these rights from being stripped from us. You can go to https://vote.gov/ to register to vote. Even if you are registered already, your work does not stop there. Make sure to actually do your research on the candidates running so you can make the most educated and impactful decision when you vote.

Educate Yourself

Educating yourself is an extremely important task when it comes to activism. You aren’t going to be able to fight the good fight unless you actually know what you’re fighting for. In terms of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, there are actually two platforms in which you can educate yourself on all the good she’s accomplished. 

In 2016, she released a memoir titled “My Own Words” that includes writings of hers that date as far back as her junior high school years. The book is available to purchase on Amazon here. There is also a documentary about Ginsburg called “RBG” that can be accessed on Hulu or Amazon Prime Video.

Stop Trump and McConnell from Replacing Ginsburg’s Spot in the Supreme Court

We alone cannot prevent this from happening, but if we all come together we can express our view on replacing the seat during this election year. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s “most fervent wish is that [she] will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”

By having a vacancy in the court, Trump gets the chance to add another conservative justice to the highest court in the country. To stop this from happening, you can sign this petition in order to get across to the US Senate that America wants to support Ginsburg’s dying wish. You can also directly reach out to your own senators and express to them why rushing to fill this seat is extremely dangerous during an election year.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an iconic public figure and her name will be known for years and years to come. Without her, women would not be at the place of equality in which we are now. Nothing would be as it is today and we will forever be grateful for everything she’s done for us. I encourage you to take some time and figure out how you can honor RBG’s legacy in such a time of need.

Kayla is a junior at Hofstra University, majoring in journalism and minoring in creative writing and public relations. She has a passion for writing and traveling. A future aspiration of hers consists of becoming a travel writer, or working for a magazine. If you ever need to find her, I recommend checking the mall because she loves spending all her money on clothes that she doesn't need. When not shopping, she can be found watching something on Disney Plus(probably Tangled).
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