Press Releases
10/07/2021
Lt. Governor Bysiewicz, CRT President Lena Rodriguez Honor Legacy of the Late Ruth Bader Ginsburg
(HARTFORD, CT) – Today, Lt. Governor Bysiewicz, Hartford Connecticut Renewal Team (CRT) President Lena Rodriguez, and other local officials honored the legacy of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) and other remarkable women leaders by raising awareness for the public mural at the Women’s Empowerment Center in downtown Hartford.
CRT’s Women’s Empowerment Center offers a safe and open place for women to gather the skills they need to reach their full potential. To honor the work and legacy of Justice Ginsburg, in addition to renaming the Center in her name, CRT commissioned the painting of a mural on the building that houses the Women’s Empowerment Center. The goal of the mural was to develop a dynamic, motivational artwork for public viewing that communicates and promotes women (of all ages and cultures) within the character and spirit of women’s empowerment.
“This beautiful mural portraying powerful women comes to us at a time when many of us may feel dismayed or angry at recent laws passed throughout the country that roll back the rights of women,” said Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz. “Justice Ginsburg, and other incredible female trailblazers stand before us, reminding us that the fight for equality and opportunity is never over, and that where there is determination, there is hope. I hope this installation inspires women throughout our state and beyond to recognize their power, their worth, and their strength. Thank you to CRT and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for bringing this symbol of female empowerment to the great City of Hartford.”
“I want to thank CRT, the Women’s Empowerment Center, and the Hartford Foundation for their support in the creation of this mural and Micaela Levesque for her breathtaking mural, powerfully honoring five extraordinary women,” said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. “I look forward to taking my own daughters to see this mural, and I hope that each day, young women and girls walk by, look up at those portraits, and feel inspired by the example of these courageous, wise, and powerful women who have helped to lead our state and our nation.”
“It has been just over a year since Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing – what a wonderful way to honor her legacy with this beautiful mural,” said Lena Rodriguez, President, CRT. “Justice Ginsburg and the other remarkable women leaders on the mural, I hope, will serve as an inspiration to women, and those who advocate for women-rights, gender equality and social justice. This literal vision of hope is particularly timely. Women make up more than one-half of CRT’s client population, and throughout the United States, women bore the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. This mural, a concrete symbol of our Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s Women’s Empowerment Center, can assist Connecticut’s women to aspire to be their best selves.”
“The Hartford Foundation is proud to support beautification efforts throughout the City’s neighborhoods, including the mural showcasing incredible women leaders at CRT’s Women’s Empowerment Center,” said Jay Williams, President, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. “We know that beautifying neighborhoods is critical to residents’ well-being and can attract additional investment in the area. We encourage others to join us in these efforts!”
“I am extremely proud to have been part of this phenomenal effort to install this beautiful mural in Hartford. Murals tell stories, engage citizens, and increase appreciation for the arts,” said Yvette Melendez, CRT Mural Committee Chairperson. “This particular CRT mural goes beyond these powerful objectives. It serves to raise the voice of women through the depiction of some of the most powerful, diverse and impactful women who have fought to inspire and work on behalf of all women. This mural we hope, will inspire future women leaders as well as young female artists of color such as the talented Micaela Levesque.”
“I am honored to be the selected artist to create such a powerful and female centric mural here in Hartford,” Micaela Levesque, Mural Artist. “I feel like CRT has empowered me the same way this mural will empower and inspire Connecticut women. My heart is warmed by all of the men and women who have stopped by every day to share their words of encouragement and joy seeing my mural installation. There is so much positivity generating around the creation of the mural- it makes the process and experience unforgettable.”
Who is on the mural:
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- Considered by many to be the greatest female lawyer in the country’s history, she was the second woman to be appointed to the United States Supreme Court. She was the first female member of the Harvard Law Review. A pioneer in tackling gender discrimination, she co-founded the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project where her strategy of expanding the 14th Amendment enlarged its provisions to include more groups affected by discrimination. She was the recipient of the American Bar Association’s Thurgood Marshall Award. She was the first Supreme Court Justice to be dubbed “Notorious” as a compliment.
Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris
- The first female, the first Black and the first South Asian American Vice President of the United States. As California’s first female and first African American Attorney General, she brokered a deal that gave $18.4 billion in mortgage relief to that state’s citizens.
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
- First person of Latin descent to serve on the Supreme Court. First Puerto Rican woman to serve as a judge on the U.S. Federal Court. She was termed the “Judge Who Saved Baseball,” when a day before the start of the 1995 major league baseball season, she ruled in favor of the Major League Baseball’s players’ union thereby diverting a continuation of the strike that cancelled the 1994 World Series.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama
- The country’s first African American first lady – in that role she advocated for children’s health, veterans, access to higher education in the U.S., and education for girls throughout the world. She was also the Founding Executive Director of the Chicago Chapter of Public Allies, an AmeriCorp Program to interest young people in public service.
The First Woman Elected Governor in Connecticut and in the U.S. Ella Grasso
- The first female governor of Connecticut – in fact, the first female governor in the U.S. to be elected governor in her own right. She graduated from magna cum laude from Mt. Holyoke. She was also the first female to head this state’s House of Representatives. In 28 years of public service, she never lost an election.
Contact
Chelsea Neelon
Director of Communications