9th ANNUAL O’CONNOR JUSTICE PRIZE DINNER
January 27, 2024 at the Omni Scottsdale & Spa at Montelucia
The Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor died on Dec. 1, 2023, at the age of 93.
The first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice O’Connor lived a life dedicated to public service and helped to shape our nation’s legal history. Her work was centered on upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice for all. The O’Connor Justice Prize was established in 2014 to raise visibility for the rule of law initiatives, recognize people who have made extraordinary contributions to advancing the rule of law, justice, and human rights, and honor Justice O’Connor’s legacy.
“Commitment to the rule of law provides a basic assurance that people can know what to expect whether what they do is popular or unpopular at the time.”
– Sandra Day O’Connor, (1930-2023)
2024 Honoree
Ms. Rangina Hamidi
Former Minister of Education
Afghanistan
Rangina Hamidi is an Afghan American writer, educator, social entrepreneur, and politician who served as Afghanistan’s education minister until August 2021. She was the first cabinet-level female minister of education to hold that position in thirty years. Ms. Hamidi works tirelessly to advocate for women’s rights by empowering girls and women through social entrepreneurship and other initiatives to build their lives.
Born in Afghanistan, Ms. Hamidi emigrated with her family to Pakistan in 1981 and then to the United States. In 1988, her family settled in Virginia near Washington, D.C., where she and her sisters were raised. She earned a bachelor’s degree with a double major in religious and gender studies at the University of Virginia. She later completed a Master of Arts in Global Affairs and Management at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.
Past Winners
Retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada Former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
