Senator Ellie Kinnaird (left) speaks as fellow panelist
Edith Hubbard listens attentively.
Chapel Hill -- On March 21, Senator Ellie Kinnaird participated in a panel discussion organized by the Orange County Commission for Women. The discussion, “Women Breaking Barriers,” included Senator Kinnaird, the Honorable District Court Judge Beverly Scarlett, Edith Hubbard, one of the first African American women to ever attend and graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill, and Karen Mills, co-owner of a small, local business.
Senator Kinnaird’s experience as a woman working in the historically male-dominated field of politics made her a highly qualified participant in this discussion. For an hour and a half Kinnaird and the other panelists answered questions from a moderator and discussed the struggles they have overcome, and what issues future female generations will face.
Regardless of the specific issue, said Kinnaird, certain characteristics are basic for any woman to successfully overcome obstacles. “Integrity and perseverance are essential qualities shared by almost all honest, successful women.”