During Women’s History Month, classrooms at Campus Kilpatrick in Malibu became spaces of reflection, honesty and inspiration as a group of women in education came together to share one unified message: no matter where you start, your story is still being written. Camp Kilpatrick serves all girls and gender-expansive youth.

Though their paths were different, their experiences echoed one another, through stories of fear, loss, setbacks and difficult choices. But more importantly, they were stories of perseverance, growth and new beginnings. Together, they showed students that adversity is not the end of the road. Instead, adversity could be the very thing that opens a new door. 
 
Across the classrooms, students listened as the speakers spoke candidly about moments when life didn’t go as planned.

Dr. Debra Duardo, Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools, shared how she dropped out of high school and faced challenges that could have permanently limited her opportunities. It wasn’t until she became a mother, raising a child with developmental needs, that she found her motivation to return to school. What followed was not easy. It took her ten years at a community college to earn her associate’s degree while raising four children. When she eventually transferred to UCLA, she felt out of place and overwhelmed, sitting in classrooms where she believed she didn’t belong. But instead of walking away, she asked for help. She kept going.

Another speaker, Dr. Lori Patton-Davis, Faculty Director of the UCLA Educational Leadership Program, described how every major decision in her life came with fear: fear of failing, fear of the unknown, fear of not being good enough. Yet she emphasized that fear is not a sign to stop. It’s something to move through. “It’s okay to feel scared,” she shared. “Just don’t let it stop you.”

Other stories reflected on the power of choices. Dr. Ruth Perez, LACOE’s Deputy Superintendent, admitted she hadn’t always made the best decisions as a student or in her personal life. But she reminded the students that it’s always possible to self-correct, to pause, reflect and choose a different path. Growth, she explained, comes from learning, not perfection.

And then there were stories of deep, life-altering hardship. Michele Dawson, Executive Director of LACOE's Special Programs Support and Transformation Department, recalled losing her mother at a young age in a car accident and waking up from a coma, forced to relearn how to walk and talk. Her childhood was marked by instability and struggle, yet she found strength in small, consistent actions. “I kept showing up,” she said. That simple decision to keep going became the foundation for everything that followed.

Despite the differences in their experiences, the women returned to the same core idea: resilience is built over time. They spoke about changing their mindset, asking for help, and pushing forward even when progress felt slow or uncertain. They reminded students that strength doesn’t mean having everything together. “You can be strong and struggling at the same time.”

They also shared how their hardships shaped their purpose. Many found their calling in education because they wanted to give back, to create opportunities for students who might feel overlooked or underestimated. They spoke about improving schools, building programs and making sure young people receive the support they deserve. Education, they emphasized, has the power to transform lives.

The impact of their stories was clear in the students’ responses. As they listened, many began to imagine their own futures in new ways. When asked to reflect, students spoke about wanting to return home, to stay out of incarceration, to go to college, and to build careers as realtors, cosmetologists and more. They were asked to think about one thing they were determined to do, one step they could take next, and one thing they would not give up on.

The Women’s Speaker Series was not just about sharing stories; it was about shifting perspectives. In addition to these speakers, several other women spoke to students throughout the week, including LACOE's Dr. Maricela Ramirez, Dr. Kanika White, Dr. Tyisha Noise, Dr. Diana Velasquez and Ms. Damali Thomas.  These women didn’t present perfect lives or easy success. They showed what it looks like to struggle, to fall short, to feel afraid and to keep going anyway. Their journeys reminded students that no matter what has happened, it does not define who they are or who they can still become.