U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, joined by local education advocates, announced the official release of the new quarter commemorating Patsy Takemoto Mink — Hawaii’s late congresswoman and primary author of the groundbreaking Title IX federal law that outlaws sex discrimination in education.

Mink and four other women — civil rights activist the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, surgeon Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, singer Celia Cruz and writer Zitkala-Sa — are featured on the designs for the third year of the American Women Quarters program.

Mink’s quarter depicts her on one side with a lei, holding her Title IX legislation in front of the U.S. Capitol Building, with the inscriptions “Patsy Takemoto Mink” and “Equal Opportunity in Education.”

“These beautiful designs recognize the achievements of these extraordinary women, and add to the Mint’s rich history of telling our Nation’s story through enduring examples of numismatic art,” U.S. Mint Director Ventris Gibson said in a July 2023 statement.

Mink was the first woman of color and the first Asian American woman elected to Congress, the first Japanese American woman in Hawaii to practice law, the first to run and win a legislative seatand the first Asian American to run for president.

Mink was the major author and champion of Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, also known as the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act.

Mink died of pneumonia at 74 on Sept. 28, 2002.

Title IX, the law to protect gender equity in any educational program that receives federal funds, remains a debate on the Senate floor, said U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, who helped unveil Mink’s quarter.

Hirono said U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama continues to push a bill that will prevent transgender girls from participating in women’s sports.

“He came to the floor of the U.S. Senate to ask for unanimous consent to bring this bill to the floor for a vote,” she said. “All it takes is one senator to say no. I was that senator on the floor of the Senate.”

Hirono said that ending sex discrimination requires “a lot of concerted effort” and believes that Mink would stand by her and continue to fight for the rights of every woman.

University of Hawaii senior Ashley Badis, a 2019 James Campbell High School graduate and water polo player, led a December 2018 Title IX lawsuit against the Department of Education, Oahu Interscholastic Association and Campbell High School, alleging discrimination against female athletes.

“My water polo team in particular has faced many gender equity issues,” Badis said.

Badis said that her team had to practice at a public beach because the school wouldn’t provide them with pool time to practice.

She also said that girls in her school didn’t have access to locker rooms, showers, changing rooms and bathrooms.

“It was experiences such as these that made girls feel like second-class citizens in comparison to the boys,” Badis said.

The lawsuit received final settlement approval from a judge in February.

The settlement prioritized accountability for gender equity for female athletes and the state agreed to hire an independent evaluator to ensure fair treatment. Campbell High’s athletic facilities must follow a seven-year compliance plan.

“The goal of our lawsuit was to ensure a brighter future for the future generation of female athletes, ensuring that they have the proper resources and equal opportunities,” Badis said.

She called Mink an inspiration to many girls and women, including herself, for her dedication to justice and equity.

Now 22 and studying pre-med courses, Badis told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that she plans on furthering her academics at UH’s John A. Burns School of Medicine and hopes to become a primary care physician or a pediatrician.

UH President David Lassner said that JABSOM has admitted a higher number of women than men over the past five years.

“This year, it was more than twice as many women as men that were admitted into the JABSOM entering class — 53 women and 24 men, which is pretty amazing,” Lassner said.

Lassner said that UH has established a “comprehensive” Title IX office, offering mandatory education programs and protocols for addressing gender- based harassment and discrimination.

Campus security staff are also educated about gender-based harassment and discrimination and offer services such as escorting women on campus at night, he said.

“We are not perfect, we have more to do along the way, but like so many things, it’s a journey,” Lassner said. “We all know that the state and our nation can’t succeed if we deny opportunity to anyone.”

Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi, who also attended Thursday’s unveiling, said “The Department of Education is fully committed to upholding the protections provided under Title IX. We want to ensure that all of our students have equal and unobstructed access to a high quality education.

“That means that gender- based harassment and discrimination has no place in education.”

Mink represents the 12th woman and second woman from Hawaii to be depicted on the quarter, following Edith Kanaka‘ole — a Hawaiian composer and hula icon who was part of the Hawaiian renaissance in the 1970s.

Kanaka‘ole’s commemorative mint quarter was released last year at UH-Hilo, where she taught Hawaiian culture, chant, hula and language.

Hirono also urged the U.S. Treasury to honor Hawaiian language scholar Mary Kawena Pukui.

Pukui — a scholar, educator, composer and dancer — will be the first Native Hawaiian honored in the Native American $1 coin program next year.