Patsy Mink – Eminent Learning Centre

Good evening everyone and welcome to Night of the Notables!

My name is Patsy Mink and I was the first woman of colour and first Asian-American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Encountering racial and gender discrimination throughout my life has inspired me to become a strong advocate for gender equality and educational reform.

Here is a virtual time capsule that illustrates my life.

After looking through the time capsule, take this short quiz if you would like to learn a bit more about me.

Thank you for visiting and feel free to leave any questions or comments! Enjoy the rest of your evening browsing the learning centres of fellow eminent individuals.

18 thoughts on “Patsy Mink – Eminent Learning Centre

  1. Excellent presentation! Really enjoyed learning about Patsy Mink. Do you think she would be pleased with how far women (and women of colour) and education have come today?

    1. Thank you. I am pleased with how far women and women of colour in education have come today. Co-authoring Title IX, a law that mandated equal treatment for men and women in education has implemented change that I am proud to see. Since the law was passed in 1972, it has led to dramatic progress. The percentage gap between male and female students has shifted. Prior to Title IX, only 300,000 girls nationwide in America participated in high school sports every year, compared to the 3.5 million who do today. I was rejected and discriminated against for wanting to be in the fields of medicine and law but now they are almost equal in enrollment of male and female students. Although the world has seen progression over these years, there still remains room for improvement.

  2. Simran, I’m so happy and proud of you to choose and deepen this topic.
    I was a Japanese born in Japan in the ’70s personally can feel how it was difficult for Patsy to stand up and seek for her career in the States at that time.
    Thank you for your great work!

    1. Thank you. I felt the desire to chase after my dreams and that meant breaking through the gender and racial stereotypes at that time. Although it was challenging, I knew it could be done.

  3. Really cool presentation! I’ve got a question, how did you feel during when you were first elect to the U.S. House of Representatives? Was it overwhelming in the beginning? Did you feel insecure? Were there more hardships you had to face once you were elected?

    1. Thank you! The initial emotions I felt when I was first elected were a bit all around the board. I think it was a mix of overwhelmed, overjoyed, and determined. I felt that I had expectations to live up to but not just the expectations from others but the expectations I had set for myself. Throughout my terms in Congress, there have been many hardships such as my ideas being rejected or being defeated in the running for U.S. Senate. Though these moments were difficult to overcome, I have grown stronger, more capable, and furthermore, have filled my career with highs and lows.

  4. It was really cool that “you” stayed in touch with other eminent people like Martin Luther King Jr. Who supported you through your journey for equality?

    1. I highly agree. Martin Luther King Jr. sparked immense change in the world and his contributions will forever be remembered.

      I have gained many supporters and friendships throughout my career but I will have to say my family has been there alongside me through it all. Paving the path to educate and suppress discrimination has been an extensive journey, but with the help and guidance of fellow members of Congress, supporters, and family members, I was able to achieve success.

  5. Patsy, thank you for your excellent presentation and for paving the way for women of colour in U.S. politics! What helped you persevere in spite of the racial and gender discrimination you faced?

    1. Thank you! Your words are much appreciated. I will admit that it has been difficult at times, but I never let words affect me in a negative sense. The prejudice I faced due to my race and gender proved to be minor setbacks but only drove me further and motivated me to create change in the long run. It is easy to let opinions get the best of you but my response has always been to get up and prove them wrong. Through my personal experiences, I have learned that it is not adversity that hinders your ability to live, but it is your mindset that truly matters.

    1. Thank you. I have always felt the passion to advocate for justice and equality but my personal experiences with racial and gender discrimination have only propelled me further. It has inspired me and driven my devotion in improving education equality and eradicating gender discrimination. I realized early on that as one of only eight women at the time who were members of Congress, I held a responsibility to speak for all women, because they didn’t have people who could express their concerns for them adequately. Thus, I sensed that we were serving a dual role in Congress. Not only were we representing our own districts but we additionally voiced the concerns of the total population of women in the country.

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