— Sun to Honor Alisa Bowens-Mercado, Nadya Okamoto, Stephanie Wheeler, Jahana Hayes and Patrice Farquharson —

Uncasville, CT (August 29, 2024) – The Connecticut Sun will host its Women of Inspiration Night presented by Post University on August 30 at 7:00PM EST as the team takes on the Minnesota Lynx at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Connecticut Sun and Post University will be honoring five exceptional women who have made strides and a difference in their respective fields industries— Alisa Bowens-Mercado, Nadya Okamoto, Stephanie Wheeler, Jahana Hayes and Patrice Farquharson.

Women of Inspiration Night presented by Post University will feature a private pregame reception for the Women of Inspiration honorees, Mohegan Tribe, and Connecticut Sun leadership. Additionally, two scholarship recipients will be recognized on court for the Sun’s Threes for Degrees Game Action Giveback Program. Each student will receive $5,000 for educational purposes. Lastly, the first few thousand fans in attendance will receive a reusable cup as a giveaway.

Alisa Bowens-Mercado

Alisa Bowens-Mercado is the founder and CEO of Rhythm Brewing Co., a New Haven based brewery. As a lover of lagers, Bowens-Mercado found that there were very few craft lagers on the market in 2018. This drove her to found Rhythm Brewing Co., the first Black-woman owned brewery in Connecticut, as well as become the first Black woman in the state to become a craft beer brewer.

As a founder and business owner, Bowens-Mercado has also run Alisa’s House of Salsa for over 23 years. Her dancing journey began at the age of three at Gloria Jean’s Studio of Dance, and she is classically trained in ballet, tap, and jazz. Bowens-Mercado also has her Dance Masters of America (DMA) and has choreographed and performed for Grammy-Award winners, M&M Recording Artists, bands, orchestras, and tours.

Patrice Farquharson

For over 40 years, Patrice Farquharson has shaped young minds as the Executive Director of the West Haven Child Development Center. She has been a fierce advocate for quality education and a mentor for generations of teachers. Farquharson secured a $25,000 state grant to develop an online program for childcare providers in collaboration with a regional education center, recognizing the potential of virtual learning in the early 2000s. In 2002, she transitioned the University’s Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education to an online format, and in 2009, she launched the Bachelor of Science in Child Studies.

Holding degrees from UCONN and SCSU, and a doctoral degree in education from Nova Southeastern University, Farquharson continues to lead and inspire in the field. From mentoring future educators to shaping early childhood policy, her legacy is one of passion and purpose. Whether in the classroom, at the policymaking table, or leading innovative online programs, Farquharson continues to ensure that generations of children and teachers receive the strong foundation they deserve.

Jahana Hayes

Jahana Hayes represents Connecticut’s 5th District in the United States House of Representatives. The district spans northwest and central Connecticut and includes Danbury, Litchfield County, the Farmington Valley, the Naugatuck Valley, Meriden, and her hometown of Waterbury. She serves on committees of Education and Workforce and Agriculture where she is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.

Areas of legislative focus for Congresswoman Hayes are equitable access to quality education, affordable health care, labor, agriculture, and veterans issues. Additional priority areas include: environment, immigration reform, gun violence prevention, social justice, transportation, and working in a bipartisan way to bring positive change to the lives of every person in our community.

Congresswoman Hayes was elected in November 2018, making her the first African-American woman to ever represent the state of Connecticut in Congress. Before running for office, Hayes was a history teacher for 15 years at John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury, where she was named the Waterbury Teacher of the Year and Connecticut Teacher of the Year, before going on to earn the distinction of 2016 National Teacher of the Year (NTOY).

Congresswoman Hayes’ story is one of achievement despite the odds and overcoming the obstacles that life can place before you. She has been quoted as saying that “education saved her life” and is a fierce advocate for ensuring equitable access to opportunity for all students and families.

Nadya Okamoto

As the co-founder of August, a sustainable period care brand, Nadya Okamoto leverages her platform to promote eco-friendly menstrual products. She has amassed over 5 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube, using social media to engage and educate her audience. August’s products are available online and in major retailers, reflecting her commitment to accessibility and sustainability.

Okamoto is dedicated to destigmatizing menstruation and promoting menstrual equity. Through her advocacy and educational efforts, she empowers individuals to have open conversations about periods. Her work focuses on creating a more inclusive and informed society regarding menstrual health.

Nadya Okamoto is a Harvard graduate and the author of “Period Power: A Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement”. She founded the nonprofit organization PERIOD at age 16, aiming to end period poverty and stigma. Recognized for her activism, she has been featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 and Bloomberg’s “Ones to Watch.”

Stephanie Wheeler

Stephanie Wheeler is a Paralympic Gold Medalist and disability rights activist fighting to create more programming and representation for disabled people and youth. The North Carolina native has received multiple degrees across different studies including a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, a master’s degree in human performance, and a doctorate in cultural, interpretive, and pedological kinesiology. Wheeler was a member of the U.S. National Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team from 2001-2010 and won a gold medal in the 2004 and 2008 Paralympic Games. Collegiately, Wheeler was a member of three wheelchair basketball national championship teams at the University of Illinois.

The Paralympian was just the second women to be named head coach of Team USA’s wheelchair basketball team and has also been the head coach of the University of Illinois women’s wheelchair basketball team for over 15 years. She coached Team USA to a gold medal in women’s wheelchair basketball at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. A member of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame and the 2025 U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame, Wheeler is also an Athlete Ally Ambassador and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Established in 2003, the Connecticut Sun is a professional women’s basketball team in the Women’s National Basketball Association that takes residence at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. For more information or to purchase season tickets, visit www.connecticutsun.com or call 1-877-SUN-TIXX.

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