Alliance for Women in Media’s Post

I absolutely love this article "Celebrating National Black Women in Sports" by Valerie Vining - Click here: https://lnkd.in/gwE6KCeE Hey, TEIANA JONES! I also love the three tips on how we can keep the momentum going: - #blackwomeninsports: Share your favorite Black sports moments or athletes on social media using this hashtag.  - Support the Cause: Organizations like Diverse Representation are working for more equity in sports. Consider getting involved!  - Learn & Be Inspired: Research the achievements of Black athletes, coaches, and leaders in sports. You’ll be amazed!

Well worth deep reflection. Many layers here.

Mentorship is necessary for personal & professional growth & development.

#TakeActionTuesday: Black History Month is just around the corner, and we want to proactively share how you can get involved in your community to ensure that Black girls and women across the country have equitable access to play and succeed. Despite the passing of Title IX over 50 years ago, race discrimination and barriers to opportunity persist, especially for Black girls and women. Take a look at the coaching and student-athlete statistics from the NCAA in 2023. → 5% of student-athletes are Black women. → 2% of head coaches of all sports are Black women. → 4% of assistant coaches of all sports are Black women. Get ready for #BlackHistoryMonth with the actionable items below! #TheEquityProject Your Turn: 1. Support your local squad! Many teams host Black History celebrations, so look up your local high school and college teams’ schedules to see if they are hosting a special game honoring Black history and culture. 2. Learn about the barriers that still exist for Black girls and women in sports in our Title IX research report, ‘50 Years of Title IX: We’re Not Done Yet’ on our website: https://lnkd.in/g7BhC53U 3. If you are an administrator, implement intentional policies to factor in diversity for all strategic decisions, including fundraising, marketing, and when hiring coaches and athletic department positions.

Check out my latest opinion article for Regal Mag on why Black college athletes should heed the NAACP's call to boycott states with anti-DEI laws. #africanamerican #naacp #collegesports

South Carolina won, with a perfect 37-0 record and new fans of women’s basketball continue repeating the tired refrain that “Caitlyn single-handedly revolutionized women’s basketball.” This discourse seems to suggest that commercials, interviews, magazine covers, sponsorships and promos invest in themselves. CC is an exceptional offensive talent, but the overinvestment in her brand is what made women’s basketball more watchable. Clark literally cannot do that herself. Just because you never watched women’s basketball before does not mean there was no prior electrifying talent worth the same investment Clark is now receiving. The fact that so many people are spending more time playing defense for Caitlyn (something she doesn’t do very well), and less time celebrating South Carolina’s 37-0 victory, shows me how and why CC has the fandom she does: we are more invested in racial narratives (about Black girls as “ghetto,” “mean,” etc. and white girls as “classy”) than we are in the beauty of the sport itself. To be clear: talking about race does not take away from Caitlyn’s greatness. It just exposes the lie that greatness never existed before her.

Why IT Matters:

🌟 Happy Black Women in Sports Day! 🌟 Today, we celebrate the incredible contributions of Black women in the world of sports. From athletes and coaches to entrepreneurs and innovators, Black women are making significant strides and breaking barriers every day. As a proud co-founder of ExSATA, sports tech agency, alongside my sister Mikekena B. Richardson I'm thrilled to share our journey in the sports tech industry. We’ve developed a patent-pending software that analyzes athletes from video footage, revolutionizing how performance is evaluated and improving athlete-to-organization matching methodologies. Learn more about our invention [here](https://lnkd.in/edyeaWfh). Did you know that only about less than .02% of U.S. patents are held by Black women? Yet, despite these odds, we continue to push forward and innovate. Moreover, Black women own just 1% of all sports businesses in the U.S., making our presence and contributions even more significant. Let's continue to support and uplift each other, celebrating the achievements of Black women in sports. Together, we can inspire the next generation of leaders, innovators, and champions. #BlackWomenInSports #WomenInTech #SportsTech #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #BlackExcellence #WomenWhoLead

It’s about HOW she has led, WHEN are has led, and WHY she has led! Great coaching encompasses: teaching, mentorship, and elite level specialization. Great teams don’t just happen; nothing can replace great instruction.