Since the death of Supreme Court Justice and pop-culture icon, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, we all have a 5 foot 1-inch RBG-sized hole in our hearts. As one of her greatest fans, I know I join many others in wondering how we can honor her life and legacy beyond sporting some "Notorious RBG" merch. We want to encourage our children to get to know her and be inspired by her, not just preserve her memory.
With a breadth of work that spans over 70 years, it is hard to know where to start when it comes to sharing her story with our kids. Fortunately for us, celebrity lawyer, best-selling author, and mega-champion for women, Natalie Elisha Gold, Esq. has provided us with a great starting point.
In her new children's book, "For I am Ruth," Natalie shares RBG's message of female empowerment, leadership, and drive in a way that is sure to inspire the next generation of fearless leaders.
The book, aimed at ages 6 and up, walks us through the early life of RBG and how she found her calling to lead and change the world for the better. It allows children to see that some of the world's greatest voices were once young too. "For I am Ruth" provides the perfect introduction to RGB, her life, her work, and importantly, her call for all of us to fight for equality and smash that glass ceiling in the process.
Moms.com had the pleasure of chatting with Natalie about her new book, RBG, and how being a lawyer and a mother of two young daughters inspired her to write this book.
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(Moms): We are coming up on the one month anniversary of RBG’s death. Though her passing is a huge loss, her life was a massive gain for generations of women. Your book is a wonderful commemoration of her extraordinary life in a way that we can share with our children. What inspired you to want to honor her life in a children’s book after having predominantly written for adults?
(Natalie Gold, NG): Life works in mysterious ways! I had just finished my first children’s book, "I Love When It’s Mommy and Me," which was such a blast for me to write. I was all set to release it into the world, and then RBG passed. A week after her passing, I was on the ground playing with my two daughters, and the idea hit me like a ton of bricks. What if we could inspire a generation of girls to dream big and achieve? When an idea smacks you in the head like that, you have to go with it. I spent that evening writing and re-writing. The next day I reached out to Yuliia Valchuk, the amazing illustrator who worked with me on "I Love When It’s Mommy and Me," and I told her that she had to drop everything. We had a mission, and we had to get it out in the world and soon! And so, "For I Am Ruth" was born. I hope it uplifts, inspires, and lights a fire in the hearts of all the children (and their parents) who read it.
(Moms): As a mother of a young daughter myself, I have been failing at talking to her meaningfully about RBG in a way that she understands. I am looking forward to reading your book and using it as an inspiration to discuss RBG’s life and legacy. When you wrote the book, what message were you most hoping for children to come away with?
(NG): I want my daughters and all of our daughters to know, RBG was an extraordinary woman. She achieved because she went for it. She started her life as a girl in Brooklyn, NY. Our little girls are going to make groundbreaking, revolutionary leaders. They just need to believe in themselves. If they see themselves through Ruth’s eyes, then perhaps they will have the courage they need to get started!
(Moms): As a lawyer, what impact has RBG had on you personally and/or on your ability to become a successful female in such a male-dominated field?
(NG): Her contribution cannot be understated. Her voice was the voice of all of us. She spoke for the collective woman. I do not want people to think of this as a political book. I want people to think of what she did for women as a group. We can secure a mortgage without a man because of her. We can get a credit card today as a woman without our husband's signature because of her. Her living legacy is one of equality, and I believe that is a message that both sides of the aisle should preach.
(Moms): I remember as a young girl associating RBG most notably with her famous collars. It wasn’t until I got older that I came to realize what a significant part she played in paving the way for gender equality. Lace collars aside, what do you think is her most significant contribution to American law?
(NG): This question had me thinking about whether I should mention a particular court case. I think that would be limiting her contribution. I believe that RBG’s most significant contribution was as a freedom fighter for all women. Bouts of cancer couldn’t hold her down. The loss of her husband didn’t stop her. Her essence as a powerful woman and as a leader in the law is what is her most significant contribution. As Maya Angelou said and Oprah made famously, “Your legacy is every life you’ve touched." Is there any doubt that she touched lives? Even lawyers have trouble naming the Supreme Court Justices. I bet you that’s hard for most people to do. Her most significant contribution, then, being Ruth or should I say the Notorious RBG whose name means something to men, women, and children around this planet.
(Moms): RBG has inspired generations of women to stand up for equality and to give voice to the voiceless. How has her work impacted your life in particular? Did she play a pivotal role in your decision to become a lawyer?
(NG): When I was 15-years-old, I was horribly injured. I was crossing the street and hit by a drag racing car. There was no justice for the person who hit me –this lit my fire to become a lawyer and bring justice and equality to the world. It’s a great question because before I went to law school, RBG had not been branded as "The Notorious RBG." Don’t get me wrong, her opinions and her dissents were always my favorite to read. What really impacted me most about her was that in a petite frame, she was a giant. I wanted to write "For I Am Ruth" for this exact reason. It is not enough for people in the legal community to know about her. Women and children, of this generation and future generations, need to be able to see themselves in Ruth and understand her contribution to their lives. That is what I hope I have done with "For I Am Ruth."
(Moms): Having daughters of your own, what do you think the future will be like for them if they decide to pursue a career in law compared to how it was for you?
(NG): I had to figure out my own career path. I started my own law firm at 24 years old on Park Avenue in NYC and believe me when I tell you, a 24 year old woman speaking about wealth planning, estates and elder law rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. I was ridiculed and called “crazy” for the big dreams I had. I realized that business was not a jungle for the timid or easily broken. However, I think I got the last laugh! I have built an incredible firm that services families from coast to coast. I provide a living legacy plan to all that work for me. My law firm is now in NY, NJ, CA, CO, FL, TX and expanding to other states. I’ve written a number of best selling books. I have my own podcast and a live show, The Gold Standard, that will be distributed on Apple TV, Roku and Amazon fire. I have an amazing husband and two wonderful daughters. Thank goodness, I am blessed. It hasn’t been easy because people called me crazy because I go for it, but I can live with that. After all, didn’t Steve Jobs say that the ones crazy enough to believe they will change the world, are the ones that do?
How it will be different for my daughters? They’ll have their own challenges, I’m sure that will have to do with new technology and the new ways of living. The truth is, I don’t want my kids to just work in my business unless they are called to. I want them to know I will always be their biggest cheerleader and fiercest advocate. I just want my kids to be happy and do what they love.
(Moms): What is something you think we can encourage our children to do to help make a brighter future for all women in RBG’s honor?
(NG): Our children need to find their voice and use it. They need to find what isn’t fair in the world and make it better. They need to have confidence. They need to understand how strong and powerful they are. Little Ruth was once a young girl, too. We all start somewhere. Wherever you are is perfect. There is no reason not to soar to great heights. I believe if Ruth was going to leave us with a one liner it would be “anything is possible if you just believe”. I cannot wait to see what heights our girls will soar to if just given the confidence to know that they will lead and change the world for the better.
(Moms): What did you think of the experience of writing a children’s book and can we look forward to another in your area of expertise of financial literacy someday in the future?
(NG): I love the writing process. As I mentioned earlier, "I Love When It’s Mommy and Me" will be my second children’s book and that will be out in time for the Holidays! I started a children’s book publishing company, Goldie Lox Books, so women like me can get their stories shared with the world. Here’s the beautiful part- we are having the books owned by their child’s children’s trust. All the money made by the book grows for their kids. Now, we are letting the child create, become published authors, and learn about financial literacy the whole way! It is a beautiful fusion of all things that I love: creating, educating around money, giving the tools to live a financially empowered life, working with multiple generations, and doing good for the world. Children are our future. As they say, if you change one life, you change the world.
Natalie's book, "For I am Ruth," is available now on Amazon.