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Newsletter Updates– 1 Celebrating Women of Excellence– 2 Celebrating Women of Excellence– 3-4 Highlights & Updates-5 JMAANRUCAHR 2Y0 2201 2, 1I S, SI SUSEU 1E 4 T H E V O I C E

At age 85, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the oldest Supreme Court Justice and has also become a pop culture figure. She is the subject of the movie "On the Basis of Sex" about her struggle for gender equality as a young lawyer. CNN made a documentary on her titled "RBG".

Ms. Obama captivated many with her show of warmth, strength, and positivity as the country's First Lady from 2009 to 2017. In her role, she fought against childhood obesity and championed education for young girls. And in the face of dark political times, during her speech at 2016 Democratic National Convention , she delivered a line that still resonates with many today: " When they go low we go high". She is also the best selling author of Becoming and a podcaster JMAANRUCAHR 2Y0 2201 2, 1I S, SI SUSEU 1E 4 T H E V O I C E

Mankiller became deputy principle chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1983 on the strength of her reputation as a community leader. When the principle chief resigned in 1985, Wilma became the first female Principle Chief of the modern Cherokee Nation, the second largest tribe in the United States. In 1987 Wilma Mankiller ran for election as the principle chief in the face of stiff opposition. Her car was vandalized and her safety was threatened but she relied on her knowledge of Cherokee and Indian culture for her confidence in the ability of women to lead the tribe. In traditional Cherokee culture, women played a vital role in the social and political life of the tribe. Women’s councils were common. One Cherokee legend tells the story of Gbigau a word that can be translated as “War Woman,” illustrating that Cherokee culture embraced women in power.

In 1979 Sotomayor served as an assistant district attorney, which eventually paved her way to becoming a U.S. District Court judge, appointed by George H.W. Bush. Under Bill Clinton's administration, Sotomayor would make her way to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1997, and a little over a decade later, Barack Obama nominated her to the highest court in the land. In 2009 Sotomayor would make history as the first Latina to become a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Since then, she has built her reputation on being an advocate for criminal justice reform and women's rights.

Tammy Duckworth, the Illinois senator and retired National Guard lieutenant colonel, is responsible for an impressive list of firsts. She's the first Congress member to be born in Thailand, the first to give birth while in office, the first Asian American woman to represent Illinois' Congress, and the first woman with a disability to be elected to Congress. She lost both of her legs following a helicopter attack in the Iraq War. “People always want me to hide it in pictures," she told Vogue in 2018. "I say no! I earned this wheelchair. It’s no different from a medal I wear on my chest. Why would I hide it?”

Following the November 2020 election, Sen. Kamala Harris of California made history, becoming the first woman and first Black and Asian American to hold the title of Vice President-elect. She's also the first woman and person of color to to be district attorney of San Francisco and attorney general of California.