Global Human Rights Activist Wins Ruth Bader Ginsburg Memorial Scholarship
June 4, 2024
President Richard Lewis and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Memorial Scholarship recipient Kristen Popham;
The New York State Bar Association awarded women’s and disability rights advocate Kristen Popham the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Memorial Scholarship at its delegate meeting in Albany on April 6.
Popham is a second-year student at Columbia Law School. She graduated in the top 2% of her class, serves as the Podcast Editor for the Columbia Law Review, and is the founder and president of the Columbia Disability Law Students Association. In her work with the Columbia Law School Human Rights Clinic, she supported women and LGBTQ+ activists in the Central African Republic and helped them present their testimonies at the United Nations.
Ms. Popham has also worked for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, the Fulbright France-America Commission and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
Popham graduated summa cum laude from the College of William & Mary in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and French. In her statement of purpose, she wrote that controlling her rheumatoid arthritis has connected her to people in other countries and motivated her to fight injustice and exclusion.
“Kristen’s work ethic and dedication to helping others are incredible,” said New York State Bar Association President Richard Lewis. “We are honored to present her with this award in recognition of her efforts to advance gender equality around the world. She truly lives up to the legacy of the late Justice Ginsburg.”
The $5,000 scholarship was awarded by the New York State Bar Association’s Women’s Legal Section, Annual Awards Committee, and Committee on Civil Rights. Established in 2020 following Justice Ginsburg’s passing, the scholarship was created to honor her ideals of elevating standards of integrity in the legal profession, fostering a collaborative spirit, and promoting the public interest.
In her recommendation, Columbia Law School professor Sarah Knackie said Popham “consistently goes above and beyond what is expected of her and impresses those around her with her unwavering dedication and enthusiasm.”
Popham aspires to become a civil rights litigator and dedicate her career to advocating for women’s equality and disability rights. She will be interning with the American Civil Liberties Union this summer.