Laila Ali and Contreras softball players fight discrimination

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Last weekend, professional boxer Laila Ali visited Contreras HS in downtown Los Angeles looking to pick a fight with her biggest enemy -- discrimination.

Ali took part in a softball game to promote a campaign which supports equal treatment for athletes. The campaign, ‘V Is for Victory. So is IX.’ has been launched by the Women’s Sports Foundation and the California Women’s Law Center in an effort to teach ‘the public about the need for fair treatment in athletics and the importance of the federal Title IX law in promoting equality.’

The WIBA ‘champion emeritus’ and Dancing with the Stars competitor pitched a couple of innings alongside Contreras softball players, illustrating the importance Title IX has had in impacting the lives of female athletes. And think about it -- prior to the passage of Title IX in 1972, high school softball teams and high-profile female boxers were virtually nonexistent.

Of course, discrimination isn’t going to go away without a fight, so be sure to visit the campaign’s website for more information.

-- Austin Knoblauch