Education
Education is the cornerstone of empowerment, and access to education unlocks life changing opportunities. It serves as a vital mechanism for preserving history, ensuring that the lessons of the past continue to inform and inspire generations to come.
We are committed to advancing access for education, and leadership development and ensuring that we support efforts to protect and preserve important histories. Through innovative programs, strategic partnerships, and grassroots initiatives, we support the potential of individuals and communities, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead with purpose and impact.
"One of my three key principles in life is keep learning and keep learning how to learn."
– Billie Jean King
Our Impact
The BJKF has partnered with the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, one of the most respected business schools in the country, to produce a series of case studies focused on the business of sports, highlighting the unique leadership opportunities and challenges facing women in leadership. The Series “Serving Up Equity” – A Women’s Sport Business Case Study Collection highlights stories of women leaders and gender issues in sports. The first of the ten cases, Billie Jean King: Serving Up Leadership, is now available from Darden Business Publishing.
In 2019, Long Beach Community and City Council unanimously voted in favor of the brand-new Library being named the Billie Jean King Main Library. Since its grand opening on September 21, 2019, the BJKF has worked with the library team to raise critical funds to offer free programs, including services for veterans, immigrants, and special services for people with learning disabilities.
Billie Jean always says “the more you know about history the more you know about yourself”. The New York Historical Society (NYHS) is one of the city’s most storied cultural institutions and was the first museum in the US to have an entire floor dedicated to women’s history. To provide global access and awareness of Billie Jean’s story of leadership and social impact, the BJKF supports an archival collection of some of Billie Jean’s most memorable objects from her career and life as a social change agent. See more about this collection here.
Early childhood experiences shape what children imagine to be possible, and it’s important to widen children’s perspectives. In 2019, in partnership with the LA Dodgers Foundation, BJKF donated over 5,000 copies of “I am Billie Jean King“ by Brad Meltzer to 5th graders all across the community of Long Beach, CA (Billie Jean even personally read to some of the students)! The BJKF continues to be a partner to LADF in their mission to tackle the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles with a mission to improve education, health care, homelessness and social justice for all Angelenos.