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

On September 18, 2020, sometime after dinner, the world got the awful news that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg had passed away. RBG was one of only four women to ever serve on the Supreme Court. She started her journey as a lawyer when women were really not wanted in that field, but up until the day she died she fought tirelessly for the rights of women and all other minorities who have had to struggle. She was and will continue to be an inspiration to women around the world to fight for what they believe and to never give up, just as she did. Here at Her Campus Hofstra, an organization filled with strong and powerful individuals mourns the loss of this trailblazer. Here are some responses from our members as to what Ruth Bader Ginsberg meant to us. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg 2016 portrait
Photo by Supreme Court of the United States distributed under a public domain license

“As a woman with a traumatic past dealing with men and rape culture etc, RBG’s role in the United States meant so much to me. She was really the one who made me have a little bit more confidence in the system, and now that she’s gone I am only worried for the future of the Supreme Court. We need to try our hardest to vote OUT the people in office and vote IN more women like RBG.” – Anonymous

 

“RBG is a pillar of American democracy. She is an inspiration of what can be done when we raise our voices like the strong, powerful women we are.” – Anonymous

 

“She was a true inspiration to all the lives that she touched, especially the young women and the members of the LGBTQ+ community that owe many of our rights and freedoms to her. She will be missed so very much by our country.” – Anonymous 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg memorial
Photo by Ted Eytan distributed under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license

“Ruth Bader Ginsberg is who women should feel thankful for on all kinds of levels today. By launching the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Women’s Rights Project. She gave women the power to have their own identity separate from the men in their life. To be seen as an individual with my own mind and rights is something I will never take for granted because of her.” – Kaitlyn Bancroft

 

“RBG is a trailblazer- she has inspired girls to fight for their passions and never give up. She has instilled a confidence in me that I don’t think anyone else could have done. I’ll always admire her fight for women’s rights in a world where men took control.” – Anonymous  

 

“RBG taught me that just because I am a woman does not mean that I do not have a voice or a place at the table. This woman fought until her dying breath to make sure we, as women and minorities alike, have a place at this table. I know that her time is up and now it is up to us to continue to do what she did and to make sure that all of her hard work does not go down the drain.” – Anonymous

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaks on the Main Stage of the National Book Festival
Photo by Shawn Miller from Library of Congress distributed under a CC0 1.0 license

All in all, Ruth Bader Ginsberg was an inspiration to all the lives that she changed and improved. She has left a whole in the hearts of many, and now it is up to us to make sure her legacy lives on. May she rest in power. 

Arianna is a part of the class of 2023 at Hofstra University. She is a biology major with a concentration in ecology and evolutionary biology. She can be found at any moment in her dorm room talking with her mystery snails, and no that is not a joke. She is probably eating ice cream and waffles with them too.