Ruth Bader Ginsburg

  • Title
    Associate Justice
  • Affiliation
    U.S. Supreme Court
  • Age
    83
To say it is unlikely for a Supreme Court Justice to become a cultural icon is an understatement. But that’s exactly what has happened to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Thanks to a 2015 book that in turn expanded on a law student’s fan site on ­Tumblr, she is now known on the Internet, on T-shirts, and to young women everywhere as “Notorious RBG.” Deservedly praised for her intellect, skill, resilience, and strong voice on everything from voting to women’s rights, Ginsburg’s leadership was never more on display than in the respect she showed after the passing of her colleague, friend, and ideological opposite, Justice Antonin Scalia, earlier this year. In a political season when one could question our capacity and even desire to find common ground with those having opposing viewpoints, Ginsburg serves as an example for us all in her ability to connect in the service of a mission more significant than one’s self-interest.

—Dov Seidman, chief executive of LRN, and author of "HOW: Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything"