Black women continue to make both power moves and history in sports, and one of the groups doing the work to carve out success is Diverse Representation.
The organization, founded and led by Jai Thomas, Esq., has led the charge in helping to increase the hiring and exposure of Black agents, attorneys, managers, publicists and financial advisors who work in the sports and entertainment industries. Through their events, like the 2023 Black Ownership In Sports Symposium in Atlanta, Thomas and her team have opened up doors and enabled underrepresented groups to see successful individuals in sports who look like them.
On Sunday, July 7th, Diverse Representation will hold its second annual Black Women in Sports Day to continue its mission of opening doors and celebrating the accomplishments of Black women in the sports industry.
“This year has illuminated the fact that there are still blind spots when it comes to the treatment and coverage of Black women in the sports industry. National Black Women In Sports Day aims to bring these unique challenges and experiences to the forefront,” said Thomas in a statement. “Our goal is to hopefully foster greater representation and more meaningful conversations surrounding Black women in the industry.”
Last year’s event was a success, uniting Black women across the country to celebrate the many great accomplishments of Black women in the industry.
This year’s day of celebration will honor more powerful and history-making women, including Dominique Dawes and Rosalind Brewer, two Black women who joined the ownership group of the Atlanta Falcons; Swin Cash, who was recently promoted to SVP of Basketball Operations for the New Orleans Pelicans, making her one of the highest-ranking women in an NBA front office; and Portia Archer, who was named CEO of the WTA last month.
The goal of Black Women In Sports Day is “to celebrate the achievements of Black women in all facets of the sports industry, raise awareness, and highlight the power of diverse representation.”
As part of this effort, the organization will launch a new website, blackwomeninsports.com on July 7th, which will “serve as a resource hub for those interested in supporting Black women in sports.”
Per the release:
“Diverse Representation will also lead a social media campaign to highlight the accomplishments of Black women in the sports industry. Follow the hashtag #blackwomeninsports on social media to learn about their experiences.”
While progress continues to be made, more work remains to be done, which is why Jaia and Diverse Representation are so important.
As we watch the continued growth of the WNBA and NWSL, and get ready to cheer on Sha’Carri Richardson, Gabby Thomas, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Simone Biles, Simone Manuel and the other amazing Black women on Team USA at the Olympics in Paris, don’t forget to join Diverse Representation on Sunday, July 7th to celebrate the accomplishments of Black women in the past, present and future in sports.
