What Makes a Heart 10-Feet Tall? Donna Orender Presents ‘Finding Your Inner Athlete’

On the 45th Anniversary of Title IX, former pro basketball player and President of the WNBA, Donna Orender, took the BlogHer stage to rally the room with an empowering talk on success and failure in life as a woman, and finding your inner athlete.

“Whether you’re an athlete or not, [Title IX] is game-changing in the social and cultural context of the influence and power of women,” says Donna. “You don’t have to be an athlete, or even an elite athlete, to understand how vitally important that is.”

For decades, conferences around the world have invited male athletes and sports idols to the mainstage to speak and to headline, but rarely was the same opportunity afforded to female athletes – their voices and experiences were not called on to participate in “the game.”

With the creation of Generation W, a platform designed to connect, educate, and inspire women, and through publishing her first book, “Wowsdom,” Donna is working to elevate those lost voices and open opportunities. But, it’s not enough to just get into the game.

At the core of Donna’s inclusive and inspiring message is the idea that, as women, we are all athletes on the same team. And she invites women to identify how to utilize their inner athlete, and identify what that is.

“What do we do when we fail?” she asks. “We get back up! That is what the inner athlete is.”

BlogHer was founded on the premise that women’s collective voices hold boundless power. From celebrities to activists, and social media stars to entrepreneurs, hundreds of women have taken the stage at BlogHer. Our Spotlight Talks feature short videos from thought leaders and are a master class in inspiration and empowerment.