Aquatennial picks 6 women as parade grand marshals

Josh Skluzacek KSTP

In recognition of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the Minneapolis Aquatennial has chosen six women to serve as grand marshals for its upcoming Torchlight Parade.

Those chosen are Peg Brenden, Tasha Feigh, Lisa Lissimore, Fartun Osman, Jessie Stomski Seim and Lindsay Whalen.

The parade starts Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and runs along Nicollet Mall from 12th Street to Fourth Street.

“The CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade is an annual favorite and a terrific way to kick off the Aquatennial festivities,” Leah Wong, vice president of external relations for the mpls downtown council, said. “We are thrilled to continue the celebration of Title IX’s 50th anniversary as we welcome thousands to Downtown Minneapolis to enjoy incredible parade units and great entertainment.”

Brenden fought for the right to play high school tennis in the 1970s and became one of the first girls in the state to earn a high school varsity letter.

Feigh, a longtime athlete in the Osseo school district’s adapted sports program, won five medals in gymnastics at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games.

Lissimore recently retired from the Minnesota State High School League after 34 years, and is a 2009 inductee into the Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.

Osman founded and is the CEO of Girls Rock, an all-girls club that promotes sports for Somali and Muslim girls, winning her an NCAA Legacy Award for her efforts. She also played and coached the Somali Women’s National Basketball Team.

Stomski Seim is the general counsel at Prairie Island Indian Community and previously played basketball professionally for the WNBA’s Charlotte Sting and teams in France and Greece.

Whalen, the head coach of the Minnesota Gophers women’s basketball team, was recently inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and has won world titles, two Olympic gold medals and four WNBA championships with the Minnesota Lynx.