Kentucky’s Lieutenant Governor, Jacqueline Coleman was named as one of USA Today’s Women of the Year honorees and spotlighted upcoming events set to recognize Women’s History Month at Thursday’s Team Kentucky Update.
Before Coleman took to the podium to talk about Women’s History Month, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that she was one of 60 women across the country to be recognized as a woman of the year for 2024 and is the honorary for Kentucky.
USA Today recognized Coleman for being the state’s highest elected teacher and for her work as lieutenant governor making education more accessible.
Coleman spotlighted the progress women have made in the state in regards to equality, but also recognized where obstacles still remain with the wage gap and inadequate childcare care access.
Coleman thanked women in government who came before her and paved a path for women like herself and those that will come after her. To spotlight Kentucky women who have left their mark in state history, Coleman says on March 22, seven women will be inducted into the Kentucky Women Remembered Exhibit. Paintings of the inductees will be unveiled in the State Capitol.
It has been around five years since any women have been inducted into the exhibit. The Kentucky Women Remembered exhibit began in 1978 as a traveling exhibit called “Kentucky Women Excel.”
In 1996 the exhibit was permanently installed in the West Wing of the Kentucky Capitol and over 60 portraits of pivotal Kentucky women are hung currently. More information regarding the exhibit is available at kywomenshistoryproject.com.
Coleman also announced that Kentucky Commission on Women is now active on social media. On social media, Coleman says the Commission will spotlight female leaders, share women’s contributions to the commonwealth and much more.
The Commission can be found on Facebook at Kentucky Commission on Women and on Instagram at kentuckycommissiononwomen.