Louisville Athletics Represented at ACC Unity Tour

Nine members of the University of Louisville athletic department attended the 2023 ACC Unity Tour, held in Washington, D.C. from July 9-12.

The tour was conducted in conjunction with the league's social justice platform, ACC UNITE, and is part of the ACC's commitment to supporting student-athletes through meaningful educational opportunities, including in the area of social justice. The tour provided a host of student-athletes and administrators from all 15 ACC member schools with an immersive educational experience in the nation's capital. The theme of the tour was "Awareness to Action" with a focus on racial and gender equity.

"We thank the ACC for sponsoring the Unity Tour which lived up to its purpose and more; bringing together 150-200 strangers from vastly different backgrounds and finding commonalities among us all," said Derek Cowherd, an Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. "Our student-athletes represented the University extremely well: leading conversations, moderating panels, and asking great questions."

"We cannot thank Congressman McGarvey enough for spending some time with the group on Capitol Hill and sharing an inspiring message, reminding them of their influence nationally and in our communities. Our future is bright."

Student-athletes on the trip included Adam Axelrod and Autumn Bell of the track & field team, Parker Forbes of men's soccer, and Phekran Kong and Nina Moorer of the volleyball team. Along with Cowherd, Dr. Brittany Collins and Royce Jones of the Mental Performance & Mental Health Department and Justin Ruffin, an Associate Athletic Director for Academic Services represented the Louisville administrators.

Over the course of the weekend, participants were granted guided tours of key sites of the Civil Rights Movement, including a tour that commemorated the 60^th anniversary of the March on Washington, the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in August 1963 during a protest focused on inequalities faced by African Americans that was attended by 250,000 people.

One of the highlights of the weekend for Axelrod, a junior on the Cardinals' track & field team, was the guided tour of the African American History Museum. Of the museum, Axelrod said "The visit fostered dialogue and left me with a mix of emotions: sadness for the injustices endured, inspiration from the resilience displayed, and determination to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable future."

Along with the focus on racial equity and justice, the tour also featured a panel on gender equity & sports hosted at the D.C. United team venue that was moderated by Kong, a senior on the Louisville volleyball team.

"Moderating the panel on gender equity was a one-of-a-kind experience," said Kong. "To guide some influential women in the world of sports through a conversation of their journeys made me cherish my own even more. It also allowed me to reflect on my position and how I can continue to pay it forward for generations to come."

Kong has also been named the new president for Louisville's S.C.O.R.E organization for the 2023-24 academic year and expressed a desire to bring the principles gathered on the tour back to the campus.

"Being the new President of S.C.O.R.E., many of the topics of conversation throughout this trip will assist me in my role. With the main goal being to use my platform to reinforce relationships, educate others, and support my fellow student-athletes and community members in any way they may need."

University of Louisville Athletics

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