I’ve been an athlete ever since I was a kid. From ballet lessons and recreational soccer in kindergarten all the way through to my hyper fascination with cheerleading and gymnastics. Physical activity has always been a constant in my life. My childhood consisted of going to a lot of football games. One specific thing that I always looked forward to despite the blaring southern heat and humidity was the cheerleaders. My younger self was mesmerized by the way they could maneuver themselves in mid-air, the way they could rally a crowd through chants and a smile. I had to be one of them. Throughout elementary school, my mom would accompany me down to the sideline and the cheerleaders would welcome me with open arms and let me cheer with them. I eventually joined my first sideline cheer team when I was in 1st grade and have been hooked ever since, even now being in my senior cheer season on varsity. Cheerleading eventually led to trying gymnastics, and after watching Gabby Douglas win the gold in the 2012 London Olympics, I fell in love. Little did 7-year-old me - who attempted to self-teach me how to do a back walkover - know I would end up consistently placing first on vault and floor. I grew an affinity for feeling physically strong and powerful. But more importantly, gymnastics gave me valuable friendships that to this day have outlasted my time in the sport itself. My run with gymnastics ended the summer going into my 8th-grade year because my heart started to belong to track. I originally wasn’t going to even try out, but they needed more people. After some encouragement (okay a lot) from my parents, I tried out, made the team, and never looked back. I would even watch the clock in the fourth block so I could count down the minutes until I got to go track practice. After trying multiple events from short sprints, discus, high jump, and even hurdles. It wasn’t until this past season I truly found something I excelled in: triple jump. During indoor track after our first meet, I had asked my coach if I could try jumping, and he threw me in headfirst. In the past, I enjoyed practice but meets would make me really anxious due to not knowing how I would perform. This is where the triple jump came in. It gave me confidence in my physical abilities that made me feel comfortable on competition days. I even went on to place first in a meet for the first time ever. While winning was fun, it was the support and encouragement from my coaches, teammates, and family that made me get to that moment. The true win was the feeling of trust and bonding with teammates that developed from training hard in a team environment. While being an athlete isn’t the only way one can stay committed to an active lifestyle, it has always been mine. The vigor that’s instilled in competition is a feeling that I adore but more so, it's the feeling of being surrounded by the right people. I’ve formed a special bond with the people I’ve played sports with. It’s only natural due to the hours you spend putting sweat and tears into something you are passionate about. Throughout my college career, I hope to continue forming these relationships whether its through club or intramural sports, or just hitting the gym. What it is, I look forward to making those relationships with the people I come to care through my time in college.

Charlotte ranks 50th out of 50th among the largest cities in the United States for upward mobility. This is very alarming to me because students around my city don’t have equal access and opportunity to support themselves later in life. Many people’s minds automatically think of the adult population who is struggling to advance in today’s workforce. However, I’ve been able to see the perspective of youth in my city who don’t have equal access and opportunity. The barriers that are instituted to certain students early in life magnify their inability to become financially stable later in life. I never would’ve thought I would find an organization that would combine my career interest of working in the sports industry with my passion for a social issue within Charlotte. Over two years ago I saw an Instagram post for a virtual "Career Exploration Camp" for jobs in the sports industry. I knew I wanted to work in sports but I wasn’t aware of the vast variety of career paths within the industry. The organization that was hosting this camp was Sports Biz Camps whose mission is to change the lives of underrepresented high school and college students through the sports business. Later in the year, I participated in another program during the fall called the Rising Pros Certification Program. With this program, I performed a sports marketing consulting project for the Fiesta Bowl and my final project was sent to the organization to see how they can enhance their social media strategy. In May of 2021, I was offered to be a paid ambassador for the organization where I applied my marketing skills to the organization. After my ambassadorship position ended I was offered to become a year-round intern by helping Sports Biz achieve its goals of using storytelling to raise awareness and funds for the betterment of the program. Working in the alumni engagement department at Sports Biz Camps, I was able to be involved with their “Opportunity Hour.” The Opportunity Hour is where SBC alumni and supporters get to network, engage in deep conversation, and fundraise for the organization. Through this experience, I learned about how access, awareness, and acceleration are related to the connection between sports and upward mobility. When I transitioned to the events coordinator role, I was able to see the potential of how contributing to events such as the Opportunity Hour could aid in the fight of promoting upward mobility throughout the city. I networked with individuals such as the President & CEO of Communities In Schools, spoke with SBC Board Members about my experience as a camper, and connected students with mentors. It is my hope that I’ve made multiple contributions to my school and larger community, but my work with Sports Biz Camps on social mobility is distinctive to me. I had the chance to make positive progress on an issue I was passionate about within the career field I was passionate about despite not thinking they would overlap. This opportunity to connect two topics that others wouldn’t think would connect is something I hope to continue doing in the areas I work in.

Many kids spend their Saturdays sleeping in and later watching cartoons. They don’t wake up at 6 am to pile up in a car wearing a bright-colored shirt ready to scream at the top of their lungs in a stadium surrounded by 20-somethings. They don’t sprint across a college campus to see a bus arrive where a group of 6-foot-plus 18-20 years olds file out with their matching duffle bags and backpacks, ready to put on a spectacle that lasts 4 months out of the year. They don’t push in front of a crowd of strangers that somehow have a fixation with these young men. Out of that group of young men, you happen to be related to one of them. You shout until you get their attention as they descend the stairs of a bus. Then you give them a hug, a picture, and encouragement before they depart into the abyss of a back entrance to a stadium where in 2 hours, over 100,000 - whether in-person or on TV - people will cheer them on with the same might as you. For 5 years, I went to NCAA Division I college football games to cheer on my older brother. For those five years of my adolescence, I traveled with my parents across the east coast, witnessing the different state-of-the-art athletic facilities and fanbases each school had to offer. October 29th of 2016. I was in 6th grade and spent the earlier half of the day in Columbia, South Carolina tailgating with my best friend. Our families cheered on different teams, but to my 11-year-old self, that was the least of my concerns. There was a slight mid-fall chill as we ate tailgate food and sang karaoke songs in the parking lot. As kickoff approached, my parents allowed me to sit with my best friend and her family. We were sitting on the stadium's upper deck and I comprehended just how many people decided to spend their Saturday here. We even took a picture and her mom posted it on Twitter. The picture was shown on the jumbotron and I remember the elated feelings of enthusiasm that coursed through me. I slowly got invested in the game and as the score fluctuated and both crowds became on the edge of their seats. At this moment in time, everyone in the stadium was entranced by the game, and the rest of the world seemed to fall away. In that instant, I realized I was having fun at a football game. Now for most people, they’ve always thought the game with pigskin was fun but for me, it was just something that would always take up another one of my weekends. From that point on going to the games was not only fun but fulfilling. I understood why people were excited about these games whether they were casual followers or die-hards who bled the colors of their alma mater. People love sports because it's escapism as for 3.5 hours people finally can relax from the work week and enjoy the company of family and friends. These sporting events had the power to bring people together whether it was betting on who would be a first-round draft pick to those trying to figure out where to get food for the tailgate. The environment I was exposed to every weekend became contagious. I craved to experience those moments of freedom and shared joy amongst crowds. I wanted to know how I could stay close to the game past the duration of the season. It was then knew I had to work in sports.

Charlotte ranks 50th out of 50th among the largest cities in the United States for upward mobility. This is very alarming to me because students around my city don’t have equal access and opportunity to support themselves later in life. Many people’s minds automatically think of the adult population who is struggling to advance in today’s workforce. However, I’ve been able to see the perspective of youth in my city who don’t have equal access and opportunity. The barriers that are instituted to certain students early in life magnify their inability to become financially stable later in life. I never would’ve thought I would find an organization that would combine my career interest of working in the sports industry with my passion for a social issue within Charlotte. Over two years ago I saw an Instagram post for a virtual "Career Exploration Camp" for jobs in the sports industry. I knew I wanted to work in sports but I wasn’t aware of the vast variety of career paths within the industry. The organization that was hosting this camp was Sports Biz Camps whose mission is to change the lives of underrepresented high school and college students through the sports business. Later in the year, I participated in another program during the fall called the Rising Pros Certification Program. With this program, I performed a sports marketing consulting project for the Fiesta Bowl and my final project was sent to the organization to see how they can enhance their social media strategy. In May of 2021, I was offered to be a paid ambassador for the organization where I applied my marketing skills to the organization. After my ambassadorship position ended I was offered to become a year-round intern by helping Sports Biz achieve its goals of using storytelling to raise awareness and funds for the betterment of the program. Working in the alumni engagement department at Sports Biz Camps, I was able to be involved with their “Opportunity Hour.” The Opportunity Hour is where SBC alumni and supporters get to network, engage in deep conversation, and fundraise for the organization. Through this experience, I learned about how access, awareness, and acceleration are related to the connection between sports and upward mobility. When I transitioned to the events coordinator role, I was able to see the potential of how contributing to events such as the Opportunity Hour could aid in the fight of promoting upward mobility throughout the city. I networked with individuals such as the President & CEO of Communities In Schools, spoke with SBC Board Members about my experience as a camper, and connected students with mentors. It is my hope that I’ve made multiple contributions to my school and larger community, but my work with Sports Biz Camps on social mobility is distinctive to me. I had the chance to make positive progress on an issue I was passionate about within the career field I was passionate about despite not thinking they would overlap. This opportunity to connect two topics that others wouldn’t think would connect is something I hope to continue doing in the areas I work in.

Growing up as a black female in a predominantly white environment is a different type of emotional pain. Particularly during critical development years such as middle school. I often felt silenced and excluded, in addition to experiencing a number of microaggressions. When I got to high school, I took great pride in the fact that I attend one of the most diverse schools in the state of North Carolina. I no longer felt silenced, insecure, or had a feeling of “other” just because of the way I looked. I felt compelled to take up leadership roles within my school and community so that minority populations would feel represented and never have to experience the mental turmoil that haunted me throughout my adolescence. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are something I don't just think about. I actively and intentionally incorporate those values in all the organizations I participate in. For example, I have gotten involved on a national level with an organization called Our Turn. It mobilizes, amplifies, and elevates the voices of young people in the fight for educational equity. I was fortunate enough to be a part of their Truth(ed) initiative in partnership with Learn From History. I spoke to school board members and educators across the country about the importance of truthful and culturally responsive history. None of this would have been possible if not for my work as Co-President of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council is an organization that is the official student voice for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education and the City of Charlotte. I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with local politicians on a regular basis to garner student input on decisions and programs implemented by these governing bodies. CMYC has given me a direct platform to speak about the inequities within our school district and brainstorm solutions for how to combat the historic plights of racial and economic injustice. My ability to advocate allowed me to realize that I wanted to become an attorney. More specifically a sports attorney, as my childhood experiences surrounding sports have become a fundamental part of who I am. I’ve always been fascinated by player salary caps and game operations as they require legal negotiations. The recent passing of Name, Image, and Likeness over the next decade is bound to develop new regulations within sports. My goal is to collaborate with players, coaches, and organizations to create a framework that allows players to get the compensation they deserve while preserving the program coaches have built. This career path allows me to combine my passion for civic engagement as in law school I’d study the legal field and apply it to the inner workings of sports.

I’ve been an athlete ever since I was a kid. From ballet lessons and recreational soccer in kindergarten all the way through to my hyper-fascination with cheerleading and gymnastics. Physical activity has always been a constant in my life. My childhood consisted of going to a lot of football games. One specific thing that I always looked forward to despite the blaring southern heat and humidity was the cheerleaders. My younger self was mesmerized by the way they could maneuver themselves in mid-air, the way they could rally a crowd through chants and a smile. I had to be one of them. Throughout elementary school, my mom would accompany me down to the sideline and the cheerleaders would welcome me with open arms and let me cheer with them. I eventually joined my first sideline cheer team when I was in 1st grade and have been hooked ever since, even now being in my senior cheer season on varsity. Cheerleading eventually led to trying gymnastics, and after watching Gabby Douglas win the gold in the 2012 London Olympics, I fell in love. Little did 7-year-old me - who attempted to self-teach me how to do a back walkover - know I would end up consistently placing first on vault and floor. I grew an affinity for feeling physically strong and powerful. But more importantly, gymnastics gave me valuable friendships that to this day have outlasted my time in the sport itself. My run with gymnastics ended the summer going into my 8th-grade year because my heart started to belong to track. I originally wasn’t going to even try out, but they needed more people. After some encouragement (okay a lot) from my parents, I tried out, made the team, and never looked back. I would even watch the clock in the fourth block so I could count down the minutes until I got to go track practice. After trying multiple events from short sprints, discus, high jump, and even hurdles. It wasn’t until this past season I truly found something I excelled in: triple jump. During indoor track after our first meet, I had asked my coach if I could try jumping, and he threw me in headfirst. In the past, I enjoyed practice but meets would make me really anxious due to not knowing how I would perform. This is where the triple jump came in. It gave me confidence in my physical abilities which made me feel comfortable on competition days. I even went on to place first in a meet for the first time ever. While winning was fun, it was the support and encouragement from my coaches, teammates, and family that made me get to that moment. The true win was the feeling of trust and bonding with teammates that developed from training hard in a team environment. While being an athlete isn’t the only way one can stay committed to an active lifestyle, it has always been mine. The vigor that’s instilled in competition is a feeling that I adore but more so, it's the feeling of being surrounded by the right people. I’ve formed a special bond with the people I’ve played sports with. It’s only natural due to the hours you spend putting sweat and tears into something you are passionate about. Being an athlete has taught me lifelong lessons of resilience, and perseverance which have carried over into my performance in the classroom.

Many kids spend their Saturdays sleeping in and later watching cartoons. They don’t wake up at 6 am ready to scream at the top of their lungs in a stadium. They don’t have to sprint across a college campus to see a bus arrive where a group of 6-foot-plus young men file out with their matching team gear and backpacks. I happen to be related to one of these young men so I shouted until I got their attention. I gave hugs, took pictures, and offered encouragement before they departed into the abyss of a back entrance to a stadium where in 2 hours over 100,000 - whether in-person or on TV - people will cheer them on with the same excitement. For 5 years, I attended NCAA Division I college football games to cheer on my older brother. Every weekend was the same pattern of waking up and driving 3.5 hours all to sit in a stadium for 4 hours. In the 6th grade, I spent the day in South Carolina tailgating with my best friend. Our families cheered on different teams, but to my 11-year-old self that was the least of my concerns as I ate tailgate food and sang karaoke songs in the parking lot. After the tailgate, I sat with my best friend and her family at the game whilst sitting in the stadium's upper deck. I slowly got invested in the game and as the score fluctuated and both crowds were on the edge of their seats, I realized I was having fun at a football game. Many people have always thought the game with pigskin was fun but for me, it was just something that would take up my weekends. From that point on attending games was pure entertainment. I realized why people were excited about athletic events, whether casual followers or die-hards. These games had the power to bring people together. The environment that I was exposed to became contagious and I wanted to stay close to the game for the rest of my life. It was then I knew I had to work in sports. It wasn’t until a few years ago, however, I knew what I wanted to do in sports. 11-year-old me fluctuated between being a team dietitian, or a team reporter. Through some self-discovery and networking with professionals in the industry, I discovered I wanted to be a sports attorney. I’ve always been fascinated by player salary caps and game operations as they require legal negotiations. The recent passing of Name, Image, and Likeness over the next decade is bound to develop new regulations within sports. My goal is to collaborate with players, coaches, and organizations to create a framework that allows players to get the compensation they deserve while preserving the program coaches have built. This career path allows me to combine my passion for civic engagement as in law school I’d study the legal field and apply it to the inner workings of sports.