Jean Ledwith King, Title IX, and The Women’s Center

This is a guest post from Kim Cumming, LMSW, Executive Director of The Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan. As Women’s Center director, she is responsible for the administration and operation of all agency activities, including long-term planning and vision, budget management and development; program planning and evaluation; and grant-writing and reporting. Kim is currently enrolled in University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business Executive MBA program.

There are often posts about Title IX and the impact it had on individual athletes, or current suits against schools for failing to meet equality standards. However, the woman behind Title IX, Jean Ledwith King, is often eclipsed by her own legacy. Jean King successfully argued that Title IX should apply to funding for athletics in public high schools and colleges. She graduated in 1968 from the University of Michigan Law School and co-founded Focus on Equal Employment for Women and the Michigan Democratic Party Women’s Caucus.

King’s successes fighting for equal opportunities in education, employment, athletics and politics are being honored by The Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan, Saturday March 26^th 2011. To learn more about the event, please visit the Power of One: Jean L. King event page: http://www.womenscentersemi.org/jlk

King’s influence has touched the entire nation through her work as an activist and attorney, and as a tribute to her accomplishments, The Women’s Center’s will rename the center in Jean King’s name. The Women’s Center is a grassroots, non-profit organization that maintains deep connections to the local communities of Southeastern Michigan. The Women’s Center is committed to gender equity and provides comprehensive services for women and girls to achieve self-determination in their emotional and economic lives. To learn more about how to help the community, and ways to contribute to our cause, please visit: www.womenscentersemi.org

If you wish to honor a pioneer for women’s rights and support The Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan, visit our website and contribute as you are able. All funds donated to the event will raise money for the Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan, allowing us to continue to provide our services.

To learn more about Jean Ledwith King, visit here.

- Kim Cumming
LMSW, Executive Director of The Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan