No one said superheroes had to wear capes.
When Superhero Day was announced at school, Michele Threefoot, an eight-year-old from Columbia, Maryland, knew exactly who she wanted to dress up as. No, it wasn’t Xena the Warrior Princess or Captain Marvel. She opted for a Wonder Woman of modern day: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Michele told her mom, Krista Threefoot, that she wanted to dress up as Justice Ginsburg when the family was discussing possible costumes. The third-grader first learned about the second female justice after her mom picked up the children’s book I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark, from a conference. When the big day came, Michele donned a thick pair of black rim glasses, a tight pulled-back bun and a name tag that read “Ruth Bader Ginsburg.” To top it all off, Michele gave that perfect no-nonsense gaze, making her the perfect mini-version of the notorious RBG.
Little did she know that her hero would see her get-up.
Photo: Krista Wujek ThreefootMichele’s mom posted it in the Facebook group "Pantsuit Nation," with a caption that read, “It’s superhero day at school. Michele has been reading the heck out of I Dissent and decided to dress as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, because she fights prejudice and injustice.” Justice Ginsburg happened to see the photo and decided to reach out.
A few weeks later, Michele received a special surprise in the mail: A letter written by Justice Ginsburg that said, “You look just like me! May you continue to thrive on reading and learning.”
Photo: Krista Wujek ThreefootMichele made sure to have her mom make a copy of the letter so she could bring it to school with her. After sharing the letter with the class, the teacher taught a lesson about the supreme court. Looks like Michele has more in common with Justice Ginsberg than just her spot on-impersonation: These two are the perfect examples of girl power. They teach us that with thought and determination, we too can make a difference and empower others, no matter our age.
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