A Conversation with HU Women in Sports
By: Tiffanee Moore
Days after the only HBCU Swimming Team landed on the pages of Sports Illustrated, we hosted our first panel of the year in partnership with Women in Sports and Events- D.C., which focused on Women in Sports for National Girls and Sports Day. Moderated by Dr. Leelannee K. Malin, the inciteful panel featured Jade Ernest, Ericka Moten, Tiffanee Moore and Cassidy Sparks.
As Black women in sports, the panelists highlighted the unique perspectives that shaped them into the women they are today and what motivates them daily. Black women, particularly the Howard woman, have long led the charge in disrupting the status quo, serving as innovators and leaders of groundbreaking change in various industries, including sports.
Dr. Malin, the owner of Malin PR and President of Women in Sports and Events- D.C., began the conversation by highlighting Black women in sports and how those challenges created growth opportunities. Dr. Malin’s experiences in sports and communications helped guide the discussion around “Innovators and Icons.” From unpacking their roots in sports and how their own experiences shaped their lives in and out of sports, she carried the panelists through three areas of discussion: “From Whence We Came,” “Strength and Courage,” and some parting discussion from the innovators and icons.
Jade, a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Intern at Monumental Sports & Entertainment and a J.D. candidate at the Howard University School of Law, revealed that she never played a sport but gained positive exposure from her family, which led to her passion for the discipline. From this viewpoint, she learned to “give everything [her] all and stand up for what is right… learning the nuances of navigating relationships.” When it comes to advocacy, a career in sports is what attracted her to pursue a career in law in the future.
As a mother, her son’s passion for golf drove her to push for more spaces for other young Black athletes to access the sport. Ericka Moten is the Founder & President of Fore! The Culture is a golf literacy partnership and apparel organization dedicated to disrupting the status quo by introducing the game to underrepresented communities. Despite golf’s lack of diversity, Fore! The Culture exemplifies what happens when Black golfers have the same opportunities as white and more affluent golfers. To Ericka, it is essential that Black athletes, especially girls and women, learn to articulate that “I belong here,” The world needs to stop ignoring Black women in sports.
For a swimmer on the only HBCU swim team in the nation, the growing buzz around the team has been exciting, but as a Black woman in sports, it can take a toll on women athletes.
The biggest challenge for Tiffanee, a graduating senior Historian and Interdisciplinary Studies double-major and the captain of the HU swim team, in her growth as an athlete, was gaining confidence in herself and her abilities. “Learning my place on the team and the different avenues to get to where I wanted to be at this moment… I think I have come out of it better than I entered.” She has been a part of the Howard University swim team since her freshman year and her experience as a member of the swimming and diving program has helped her grow her confidence in and out of the water.
Cassidy, a junior majoring in political science and sociology, is a member of the inaugural Howard University Rugby Team - which went undefeated this past semester - and the Chess Team. She remarked that the continual fight to be recognized by Howard University takes away from the teams’ ability to compete. As a rugby player and intellectual athlete in chess, a diverse community is hard to come across. Sparks has been an integral part of introducing more Black athletes to the worlds of rugby and chess. Support for both rugby and chess can go a long way to show Black students that their talent is recognized and encourage more to join.
We are grateful for the opportunity to facilitate this roundtable discussion with leaders at Howard that are paving the way for Black women throughout our community.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts on Black women in sports today.
