Orange County students encouraged to chase dreams at IgniteHER Girls Summit

A couple hundred girls had the opportunity to dream big on Friday, as they listened to leading women across various fields during the IgniteHER Girls Summit at Orange Coast College.

Orange Coast College President Angelica Loera Suarez led off and set the tone for a day of empowerment in addressing the students from inside the Robert B. Moore Theater.

“Today is all about you, for you to discover, to build skills, connect with others, your peers and mentors,� she said. “But always remember that you are strong, you are smart and you are bold.�

The audience consisted largely of Orange County middle and high school students, with the event open to girls between the seventh grade and those in their junior year.

Keynote speaker Sirisha Bandla shows the audience the crew she launched into space with on Virgin Galactic’s Unity 22 mission at the IgniteHER Girls Summit at Orange Coast College on Friday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

In a highlight of cosmic proportions, the students got to hear from Sirisha Bandla, the vice president of government affairs and research operations for Virgin Galactic.

Bandla, who launched into space in July 2021 as part of the Unity 22 mission, showed video footage of her trip into orbit, in which she could be seen performing experimental motions like somersaults.

In her keynote remarks, Bandla shared the journey that led her to become an astronaut, from forming the dream while staring at the stars from a dark rooftop as a child in India to the fight to keep that aspiration alive.

Bandla said she charted a path to achieve her goal, but all did not go according to plan. Vision complications, rejected job applications and more provided adversity, but she found a way.

Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris speaks at the IgniteHER Girls Summit at Orange Coast College on Friday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

“The people around you, the women around you are going to be your support network, your cheerleaders,� Bandla said. “The peers and relationships you have with them are so important because collaboration really does happen at the top and competition happens at the bottom, and we need to be there for each other because that’s how we’re going to change the world.�

The event was put on as a collaboration between Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) and Girls Inc. of Orange County, which is celebrating its 70th year. Petrie-Norris presented a resolution recognizing the milestone.

Petrie-Norris gave a brief overview of the structure and function of the state Legislature. She then told those assembled that they are living in a moment of opportunity.

“You can do and be anything, you can achieve anything that you set your mind to,� Petrie-Norris said. “We have a record number of women right now serving on corporate boards and in legislative bodies and elected office up and down the state of California. We have record numbers of girls going to college and going on to get advanced degrees.�

Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, Girls Inc. of Orange County CEO Lucy Santana, and Costa Mesa Mayor John Stephens, from left, hold resolution certificates from Petrie-Norris’ office at the IgniteHER Girls Summit at Orange Coast College on Friday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Following the lineup of speakers, the attendees broke out into workshops, focusing on many of the principles the panelists had discussed. Among the topics, the workshops aimed to help the students in the areas of financial literacy, planning their futures and celebrating each other’s successes.

The event also featured a panel discussion that included Jennifer Corona, an attorney, Jennifer Friend, the chief executive of Project Hope Alliance, Tustin City Councilwoman Letitia Clark and Neena Master, the director of labor relations and wellness for the Southern California Gas Co.