The New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association's Statement on the Passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth

The New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association joins the nation in mourning the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. As an attorney, Justice Ginsburg was a zealous defender of women’s rights and all civil liberties. Upon her appointment to the United States Supreme Court, she not only broke barriers by becoming only the second woman to ascend to the highest court in the nation’s judiciary, she also became a fierce champion of the Constitution, civil rights, and equal protection under the law. In nearly three decades on the Supreme Court, she authored more than 400 opinions and even more memorable concurrences and dissents which revealed not only a brilliant mind for interpretation of the nation’s laws but also empathy and awareness for how the application of law affects the most vulnerable. As a result, Hispanic, Latinx/o/a, and Chicanx/o/a communities benefited greatly from Justice Ginsburg’s life of work.

New Mexicans were especially lucky to enjoy yearly visits from Justice Ginsburg, who was a patron of the Santa Fe Opera and loved our blue skies. She is a true luminary for our organization as we support and advocate for our Hispanic, Latinx/o/a, Chicanx/o/a legal community and promote education and social initiatives that promote diversity and equitable access to justice for all New Mexicans. Although Justice Ginsburg is no longer with us, her spirit and ideals live on. We must continue Justice Ginsburg‘s fight for the disenfranchised, for those who have been discriminated against, and for all without the power or means to fight for themselves.