Black women mourn death of Justice Ginsburg, vow to continue the struggle for equality

Statement from Marcela Howell, founder and president of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda

WASHINGTON — Tonight, the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was announced. Marcela Howell, founder and president of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, issued the following statement in response:

“Tonight, we mourn the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a lifelong champion of women’s and civil rights. We send our heartfelt sympathy to Justice Ginsburg’s family and friends; the country and the world mourn with you.

“With her passing, Justice Ginsburg leaves a mammoth void on the high court. The author of both monumental majority opinions and powerful dissents, Justice Ginsberg always voiced strong and principled demands for justice and equality for all.

“Tonight, we are putting the U.S. Senate on notice; we demand that no nominee be voted on until a new president is elected. We will take to the streets in protest if McConnell and his cohorts do not abide by their own precedent.

“We promise to continue Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s fight for freedom. As we mourn, we will honor her life and legacy by fighting hard to demand a worthy successor. And we will fight even harder to ensure that all votes are counted on Election Day.”