L ET TE R F R O M TH E E DI TO R
B re a k in g B ar r i e r s
I
did a book report presentation on Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Supreme Court justice, in my sixth grade social studies class. (Ruth Bader Ginsburg was only six years into her appointment, so, alas, the school library didn’t have a book on her. Later, of course, the octogenarian famous for not only her judicial mind but also her stalwart fitness routines would inspire shelves worth of books and cement herself as a bespectacled badass and pop culture legend.) Fast forward two decades to early April, and the number of women who’ve sat on the high court increased to a total of six with the confirmation of the first Black woman to serve, Ketanji Brown Jackson. One day, I expect there will be books on Ketanji in school libraries across the country. The world of sports reached a major milestone two days later when Rachel Balkovec, the first woman to manage an MLBaffiliated team, debuted with a win for her New York Yankeesaffiliated Tampa Tarpons. (She also made history in 2019 as the first female minor league hitting coach.) “If I choose not to do [the hard work] and I have the opportunity, then it’s disrespectful to other women who come behind me,” she said. These “firsts” are cause for celebration, to be sure, but I’m looking forward to the second (like RBG!) and the third woman and so on, till it becomes the norm. Closer to home, our community is chock-full of incredible leaders. So many, in fact, that it’s a challenge to select just a few each year to feature on these pages. We strive to highlight women from all different backgrounds and stages in their careers who reflect the towns we represent. Read on to learn about this year’s cohort of 11 women – some who are champions of affordable housing and history while others are teaching the next generation of doctors – starting on page 54. As always, I invite you to send me an email with someone who should be considered for future issues. CHM
jessica.stringer@chapelhillmagazine.com TH E COV E R P h o to by J o h n Mi c h a e l S i m p s o n 6
chapelhillmagazine.com
May/June 2022