Badass Fun Facts
Theresa Aragon served on the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Mexican American Affairs.
Dr. Jennifer Atkinson’s seminar on “Climate Grief and Eco Anxiety” was one of the first college courses of its kind in the U.S.
Aretha Basu grew up in Seattle’s Central District from the age of five and has been actively involved in community organizing and civic engagement initiatives.
Fabienne Brooks has consulted and provided training for police departments in London.
Lulu (Luzviminda) Carpenter is involved in collectives like Ladies First, Hidmo, and Pinay sa Seattle-GABRIELA, using art to build community.
Aaron Davis won UW Bothell Alumni of the Year in 2022.
Jan Denali sang with a group called LesBeFriends.
Thelma Dewitty is the first black teacher to be hired by the Seattle Public Schools.
Abigail Echo-Hawk helped get 98% of American Indians and Alaska Natives in King County vaccinated for COVID-19.
Maribel Galvan considered going for a PhD but chose to go only for a M.Ed due to family losses and life changes.
Cheryl Linn Glass was a sprint car driver who began her career at 9.
Johanna den Hertog was born in Holland.
Dr. Shalon Irving was the first individual to earn a dual Ph.D. in sociology and gerontology from Purdue University, highlighting her commitment to understanding health disparities.
Kikisoblu lived in a shack on stolen land that would later become Pike Place Market.
Deborah Faye Lawrence used to teach art at Seattle University
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Hailey van Lith became the first player in NCAA history to reach the Elite Eight five times, accomplishing this feat with three different teams: Louisville, LSU, and TCU.
Esther Clayson Pohl Lovejoy In 1907, she became Portland’s city health officer—the first woman in the U.S. to hold such a public health role in a major city.
Angie Mentink was the first softball player inducted into the University of Washington’s Husky Hall of Fame.
Monserrat Padilla was one of Seattle Magazine’s Most Influential People in 2018.
Chevon Powell is the founder of the Refuge Outdoor Festival, an annual camping experience designed to create a safe and inclusive space for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the outdoors.
Risho Sapano founded Mother Africa, a nonprofit organization in Washington State dedicated to supporting African immigrant and refugee women through various programs and services.
Alex Shapiro holds the Symphonic & Concert writer seat on the Board of Directors of ASCAP.
Emijah Smith has a long history of public administration and community engagement and ran to represent the 37th district in 2022.
Rhonda Smith-Banchero was the first women’s basketball player from the University of Washington to be drafted into the WNBA, selected by the Sacramento Monarchs in 2000.
Anna Louise Strong graduated from college at 19 in 1905. Strong became the youngest woman ever to receive a doctorate from the University of Chicago at 22 in 1908.
Bonnie Tinker’s family is notable for the Tinker v. Des Moines Supreme Court case that gave students free expression at school.
Pearl Kallappa Warren was the first executive director of the American Indian Women’s Service League (AIWSL) and served as the group’s leader from 1958 to 1969.
Sarah Welch, at the age of 23, became a leading figure in the United Farm Workers (UFW) movement in Seattle, actively participating in boycott campaigns to support farmworkers’ rights.
Sheryl J. Willert has an award named after her, which is awarded to those who demonstrate pioneering efforts in diversity and inclusion in law.
Sharon Nyree Williams played volleyball and softball at Delaware State University.
