Members of the Tufts community gathered on the Residential Quad on Sunday evening to mourn the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The event was organized by junior Max Price and senior Caroline Wolinsky.
“The night that the news came out was definitely a crushing blow to me and to a lot of other people, so I felt like I had to do something,” Price said.
Ginsburg died at her home in Washington, D.C. on Friday after a multi-yearbattle with metastatic pancreatic cancer. She was 87.
Price said he got the idea for the vigil the morning after he heard about Ginsburg’s passing. He connected with Wolinsky, and they worked together to spread the message over Facebook.
More than a hundred students attended the event to reflect on Ginsburg’s life, work and accomplishments.
“All that I’m trying to do is create a space for people to grieve, whatever way is appropriate to them according to their beliefs,” Price said.
At the vigil, a few students, including Price and Wolinsky, shared their thoughts on Ginsburg and reflected on what she meant to them.
“Being a Jewish American, having someone like that on the forefront of the law of justice, working towards equality, who has overcome obstacles her entire life, has broken every single glass ceiling that was set for her, it’s honestly inspiring,” Price said.
The common theme among students who spoke and were in attendance was Ginsburg’s impact, not only as a Supreme Court justice, but also as a woman who completely transformed a male-dominated field. In recent years, she has become prominent in pop culture and is widely known as the "Notorious RBG."
Ava Autry, a sophomore who plans to go to law school after she graduates, said she admires Ginsburg both personally and professionally.
“I admire her strength and her resilience, and she will always be a role model for me, especially as I hope to pursue a similar path,” Autry said.
As a key player on the legal side of the fight for women’s rights beginning in the 1970s, Ginsburg repeatedly proved she was ahead of her time.
Ginsburg's death will have great consequences for the future of the country and U.S. Supreme Court.
“Ruth was a visionary for her time, and she was the hero of every girl’s political aspirations,” Autry said.
