When I was a little girl growing up in Las Vegas, I didn’t see the city the way tourists did. For most people, Vegas was a place of flashing lights, grand performances, and high-stakes glamour. But for me, it was something entirely different. It was backstage. It was behind the curtain. It was in the hands of the people—especially the women—who made the magic happen.
I grew up in a blue-collar family. My father moved to Las Vegas in 1954 at the age of twelve years old to live with and work with my great-uncle, Tom, who was a stagehand at the Stardust.
They worked in the shadows, making sure the lights, the sets, the sound, and the spectacle all came together perfectly, night after night. But it was my great-aunt Kathleen who taught me something about Las Vegas that I’ll never forget.
She was a seamstress at the Stardust. Her job wasn’t just about fixing torn costumes or making sure the sequins stayed in place. It was about holding everything together. She worked tirelessly behind the scenes, stitching and sewing, ensuring that the showgirls shined under the lights, that every detail was flawless, and that the illusion of Las Vegas never broke.
She was never on stage, never in the spotlight, never the one people came to see. But without her, the show didn’t go on.
And isn’t that just like the women of this city? The ones who built it, sustained it, and kept it running? The ones whose names aren’t always in neon lights but who are the very reason Las Vegas is who she is today?
Tonight, we celebrate them. Because Las Vegas is more than just a city.
I want to start with a question:
If Las Vegas were a person, what gender would it be?
Think about it for a moment. Vegas is bold. She’s glamorous. She reinvents herself over and over again, but underneath it all, she is resilient. She is strong. And she holds it all together, even when no one is looking.
Vegas, without a doubt, is a woman.
And tonight, as we celebrate the history of Las Vegas, and the history of women I want to talk about the women who built this city—because without them, Vegas wouldn’t be who she is today.
For me, this is personal. I was born and raised right here in Las Vegas in a blue-collar family that knew the city not just as a place to play, but as a place to work, to build a life, and to provide for the next generation.
I remember growing up dancing at Harry Reid’s fundraisers in the 1980s. I remember Lance Burton performing at my dance recitals for intermission in the 1980s before anyone knew who he was.
I remember trips to Sigfried and Roy’s house, because my father worked for them, to visit the animals just as they were getting started as Vegas icons at the Frontier.
My family worked behind the scenes, quite literally, making sure the magic of Vegas nightlife unfolded perfectly night after night.
And my great-aunt Kathleen? She was the one who held it all together—just like so many women before her. Her work wasn’t just about fabric and thread; it was about creating the illusion, the dream, the fantasy that people traveled from all over the world to see.
That’s what women have always done for this city.
We’ve built it. We’ve held it together. And we’ve kept it running.
Women Built Las Vegas
Long before the neon lights, before the casinos and the glitz, it was a woman—Helen J. Stewart—who helped shape the foundation of Las Vegas. She was a landowner, a businesswoman, and a visionary.
Without her, the land that became the Las Vegas Strip might never have existed as we know it.
But it wasn’t just the pioneers. Women were the ones running the schools, caring for families, and working in the background to make sure the city didn’t just exist, but thrived.
And for those of us who grew up here, we know this firsthand. This city wasn’t just built on big bets and high-rollers. It was built by the hands of working-class families—by women like my great-aunt, who never had her name in lights but made sure the show always went on.
Women Are the Heart of Vegas’ Power & Glamour
When people think of Vegas, they think of the showgirls, the entertainers, the lights. And yes, women were the ones dazzling on stage, but they were also the ones making the real power moves behind the scenes.
Anna Bailey, the first Black Las Vegas showgirl, broke racial barriers in entertainment, changing the face of Vegas nightlife forever.
Kimberly Bailey-Tureaud has been a force in amplifying the voices of Black entrepreneurs and professionals in Las Vegas, ensuring that this city’s success is shared by all.
Claytee White, the brilliant historian behind UNLV’s Oral History Research Center and the brains behind the Mob Museum, has dedicated her life to preserving the untold stories of this city.
Shawna Wells, a legacy architect and founder of 7GenLegacy, is ensuring that the future of Las Vegas is built with deep intention, sustainability, and community at its core.
Shelley Berkley, a force in Nevada politics, dedicated her career to fighting for education, healthcare, and the working families of Las Vegas. As a U.S. Congresswoman, she championed policies that shaped the future of the city and ensured its continued growth and success.
Jan Jones Blackhurst shattered glass ceilings as the first female mayor of Las Vegas, proving that leadership in this city isn’t just about entertainment and tourism—it’s about vision, resilience, and community. Later, as an executive at Caesars Entertainment, she became a national advocate for diversity and corporate responsibility in the gaming industry.
These women, and so many others, are part of the fabric of Las Vegas. Because of them, and the generations of incredible women before them, Las Vegas is who she is today.
If Vegas Had a Gender, She’d Be a Woman
Las Vegas has been called a lot of things. Sin City. The Entertainment Capital of the World. The City of Second Chances.
But at her core, she’s something else entirely.
Vegas is strong—she’s weathered economic crashes, mobsters, and more reinventions than we can count.
Vegas is glamorous—but don’t let the sequins fool you. Beneath the sparkle, she’s got grit.
Vegas is resilient—she never stops evolving, no matter what stands in her way.
And just like the women who built her, Vegas has never let anything—not history, not hardship, not expectations—define her. She defines herself.
We Have Work to Do
But while we celebrate the incredible contributions of women, we must also recognize that there is still work to be done.
Because as successful and magnetic as Las Vegas is, it is also a place where women face extreme hardships. As my friend Dr. Christina Vela will tell you, now more than ever, Las Vegas is in the spotlight for the fight against sex trafficking.
Women built this city. And it will be women who continue the work of healing and building—simultaneously.
So tonight, as we honor these incredible pioneers, let’s also commit to doing our part.
To continue the legacy of resilience, strength, and reinvention that defines not just this city, but the women who have shaped it.
Vegas is a woman. She always has been.
And because of the women in this room, she always will be.
Women built this city, and they continue to define it.
Las Vegas isn’t just built on bets; it’s built by resilient women who make magic happen.