Lynx put spotlight on influential women in Minnesota
By Mike Peden
Over the last six years, the Minnesota Lynx have put a sharp focus on powerful, successful women. Now, their aim is to extend that outreach beyond the court.
On Thursday afternoon, four outstanding women were featured at the inaugural Lynx Women’s Spotlight at Summit Brewing Company in St. Paul, Minn. Each guest was a living example of the platform they provide to make a positive influence.
The honorees were Rebekkah Brunson, a three-time WNBA All-Star, Laura Fixsen, Vice President of Development for Matter, a non-profit organization that offers assistance to needy communities worldwide, Whitney McKinley, an art and social justice teacher at Hiawatha College Prep, and Nikki Time, owner of the MPLS Tattoo Shop.
“It’s just good to know that people are out there and they’re doing everything they can to promote change,” Brunson said.
Brunson is the most recognizable figure of the four, helping the Lynx claim three WNBA titles. Her off-season included a partial schedule in Turkey, but the majority of her time was devoted to community involvement in the Twin Cities. She engaged in volunteer work and served as a judge for a Black History Month essay contest hosted by the Lynx and Timberwolves.
As a player, Brunson hopes to see more men attend WNBA games. In the panel discussion, she stressed how fathers and sons can use that moment to build a rapport with female athletes and each other.
“That’s just a stepping stone to put them in a place, throughout society, where they respect women,” she said. “When you have the opportunity to create something positive, I think that you have to take it.”
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve also offered their voices on stage, promoting the benefits that come with respecting women in the professional realm. In Reeve’s experience, women face daunting obstacles from an early age.
“You grow up, as girls, with inequity in every way. Because of the conditioning that’s going on, you come to just accept it. You get to college, more inequities. You get to the job force and there’s more inequities,” she said. “There are things that I’ve felt all along and now it’s about shining a light on it.”
Reeve emphasizes a similar philosophy with her players. She’ll never get tired of winning titles, but Reeve appreciates her athletes taking up causes that are bigger than any championship window.
“When we do it the way we do it, where we are advocating and being leaders in our community, it’s incredibly, incredibly rewarding,” she said.
To hear more from Brunson and Reeve at the Lynx Women’s Spotlight event, watch the videos below. Lea B. Olsen, event emcee and a Lynx broadcaster for FOX Sports North, also shares her perspective.