Is There a Future RBG in Your Pictures?

Need a Culture Boost?: Building Extraordinary and Adaptive Cultures Course Available Now!

What It’s About: Look at this picture of Ruth Bader Ginsburg attending Harvard Law in 1959. (She eventually received her law degree from Columbia, where she shared the No. 1 spot in her class at graduation). There she is, standing out, even though diminutive in physical stature. When one looks at the many photos of RBG in her early career days, she was often the only woman. Her journey is remarkable on so many fronts. Many pundits have done a wonderful job chronicling her legendary accomplishments relative to the law, and I won’t even try to summarize a few. This is about who gets to be in the photographs we take. It’s 2020, and we have made progress so photographs look much more diverse than the 1950's. However, we have a long way to go.

So What?: Justice Ginsburg was supremely capable in so many ways. Her intellectual prowess, fierce persistence and many victories on or before the bench, garnered her the nickname Notorious RBG. She was also an exceptional collaborator, communicator and cared for ALL people. Yes, she had tremendous support from husband/partner Marty, also an accomplished lawyer, and her family. However, the odds against this kid of immigrant parents, educated in Brooklyn’s public schools and synagogues, were immense. And you likely know about her bouts with cancer and more. Her personal attributes were essential to her legacy and overcoming individual and institutional discrimination.

Now What?: Those of us who have the advantage of privilege must find ways to help those inspired by RBG to emerge and flourish. And I’m not just talking about women. If we think and act with abundance, there is enough for us ALL to thrive. This does not mean anyone should be entitled. RBG never was. And few, if any, want to be picked on a team because they are tokens. When our group photographs look like the full community we live in, it will be one more data point that signifies we have moved forward. For those of us with privilege, we need to own it, check in with it and repurpose it to make room for anyone that we might not see without opening our eyes. Picture that, and let’s move forward from there.

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now,

- Lorne

One Millennial View: I certainly can’t recall a former Justice that has made as many headlines, or inspired as many people as RBG clearly has. While she might stand out in those pictures, it’s evident that her legacy will not fade like the photographs of old.

- Garrett

Edited and published by Garrett Rubis.

Is There a Future RBG in Your Pictures?

Search Blog Posts:

Follow Us: