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Kern CCD - Women in Athletics and Education Conference
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the Kern Community College District will be hosting a conference at Bakersfield College’s Renegade Event Center on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Title IX is the landmark legislation that guarantees gender equity in education and athletics that became law in 1972. Title IX’s relevance has never been greater than it is today as hundreds of thousands of young women participate in sports that were once not offered at high school to college campuses across America. “Women educators today thrive because of people like Patsy Mink, who paved the way for gender equity in education through her advocacy of Title IX. I’m excited that Kern CCD is hosting this unique event honoring the legacy of this landmark legislation and highlighting great educators and tremendous athletes,” said Sonya Christian, Chancellor, Kern Community College District, and Chair of the California Community Colleges’ Women’s Caucus.
The celebration of 50 years of Title IX with its tremendous impact and significance in women’s sports will be headlined by keynote speakers Cheryl Miller and “Nikki” Blue. Cheryl Miller is known as one of the greatest players in the WNBA, being inducted into the inaugural class of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and an Olympic Gold Medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics. “Nikki” Blue is recognized as Bakersfield’s hardwood hero, setting the record for points scored in a single season and career in the CIF Central Section. She is still elevating basketball on the court today as an Assistant Coach for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.
“Title IX is a foundational law that has helped fulfill our nation’s promise of ‘Liberty and Justice for All’. Kern CCD’s conference is a platform for women to celebrate our triumphs over the last 50 years and uplift each other in our endeavors moving forward,” said Dr. Michelle Miller-Galaz, Dean of Instruction, Porterville College; President American Association of University Women Bakersfield Branch.
The keynote panel for the conference is a retrospective on the life of Patsy Mink, the author of Title IX and the first woman of color elected to the House of Representatives, featuring authors Judy Wu and Patsy’s daughter Gwendolyn Mink, who wrote a 2022 biography on Patsy Mink titled “Fierce and Fearless”. Additional panels offered will cover women athletic directors across the state, women educational leaders, and more.
Additional speakers contributing to the conference will be BC Volleyball coaching legend Carl Ferreira, Cal State Bakersfield women’s basketball coach Greg McCall, 2010 College World Series MVP Megan Langenfeld (UCLA, Centennial High), BC Softball Head Coach Casey Goodman and Taft Athletic Director Kanoe Bandy, among others.
“Title IX gave women athletes in this country a space to excel to their highest potential, which is evident when you see how well women from the United States compete internationally in almost every sport. For me, if I were born just a few years earlier before Title IX existed, I would not be coaching basketball today, because I would not have been able to even play basketball competitively as a young woman”, said Paula Dahl, the Head Coach of Renegade Women’s Basketball.
Come be a part of this sparkling celebration of the most game-changing law in female sports history, which shattered the glass ceiling that once robbed young women their opportunity to shine.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/1615123-0
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/1615123-2
