Two Cardinals Attend Black Student-Athlete Summit
July 28, 2022 | Community & Culture
LOUISVILLE – Two members of the University of Louisville Athletics Department attended the 2022 Black Student-Athlete Summit, held May 23-25. The summit was hosted by Rice University Athletics in Houston, Texas. Offensive lineman Emmanual Sowders, women's volleyball player Phekran Kong (WVB) and men's basketball player Mike James were in attendance for the Cardinals.
During the three-day event, athletes, coaches, administrators, athletic directors and professors from around the country addressed issues ranging from the transfer portal, how to deal with coaching issues, Hip Hop culture in sport, supporting each other on and off of the field and Black coach/administrator retention. This was coupled with keynote speakers and networking opportunities for all attendees.
The theme of this year's summit, which broke attendance records, was "Mental Health of the Black Student-Athlete."
"I thought the summit was great," said Sowders. "I was able to expand my network. It was great to hear what clubs on other campuses have that are like our score. We had dove into mental health issues and how that affects black student-athletes. The panels in the morning were great as well.
Kamari Wooten, a academic advisor, and Derek Cowherd, an Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, represented the UofL Athletic Department
The Black Student-Athlete Summit catered to the rounded development of the Black Student-Athlete. The goals of the three-day summit were to empower Black Student-Athletes to maximize their college experience and offer career opportunities. Professional staff who attended the summit are empowered to go back to their campuses and create innovative initiatives to ensure that Black Student-Athletes are competitive in the global workforce upon graduation.
"My experience at the black student athlete summit was one memory I will cherish for the rest of my life," Kong said. "Growing up in an area where I didn't see many people who looked like me had me thinking there weren't many opportunities for me in this life. That entire weekend was the first time where I could walk in a room and not be the minority."
"We were able to talk about undesirable and sensitive topics in a way that wasn't painful. At this event, we were able to highlight common struggles and put solutions to them. My biggest takeaway was that we have voices and there are people willing and able to listen, we just have to keep pushing the agenda. Change doesn't happen overnight, nor in some cases a century. But the more time and effort we're willing to put into ourselves and our peers will only continue to lift our people up to heights we've never reached."
During the three-day event, athletes, coaches, administrators, athletic directors and professors from around the country addressed issues ranging from the transfer portal, how to deal with coaching issues, Hip Hop culture in sport, supporting each other on and off of the field and Black coach/administrator retention. This was coupled with keynote speakers and networking opportunities for all attendees.
The theme of this year's summit, which broke attendance records, was "Mental Health of the Black Student-Athlete."
"I thought the summit was great," said Sowders. "I was able to expand my network. It was great to hear what clubs on other campuses have that are like our score. We had dove into mental health issues and how that affects black student-athletes. The panels in the morning were great as well.
Kamari Wooten, a academic advisor, and Derek Cowherd, an Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, represented the UofL Athletic Department
The Black Student-Athlete Summit catered to the rounded development of the Black Student-Athlete. The goals of the three-day summit were to empower Black Student-Athletes to maximize their college experience and offer career opportunities. Professional staff who attended the summit are empowered to go back to their campuses and create innovative initiatives to ensure that Black Student-Athletes are competitive in the global workforce upon graduation.
"My experience at the black student athlete summit was one memory I will cherish for the rest of my life," Kong said. "Growing up in an area where I didn't see many people who looked like me had me thinking there weren't many opportunities for me in this life. That entire weekend was the first time where I could walk in a room and not be the minority."
"We were able to talk about undesirable and sensitive topics in a way that wasn't painful. At this event, we were able to highlight common struggles and put solutions to them. My biggest takeaway was that we have voices and there are people willing and able to listen, we just have to keep pushing the agenda. Change doesn't happen overnight, nor in some cases a century. But the more time and effort we're willing to put into ourselves and our peers will only continue to lift our people up to heights we've never reached."
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