[Dallas County Community College District Title IX 50th Anniversary program with Tamika Catchings]
[00:00:12]
HERE TO MAKE A CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THE PACERS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT AS DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PROGRAMS, FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT FOR BOTH THE INDIANA FEVER AND THE INDIANA PACERS AND EVENTUALLY WAS NAMED VICE PRESIDENT FOR OPERATIONS AND GENERAL MANAGER FOR THE WNBA, INDIANA FEVER.
TODAY SHE OWNS AND OPERATES TWO LOCATIONS OF THE TS ME CAFE IN INDIANAPOLIS AND IS THE FOUNDER OF CATCH THE STARS FOUNDATION, A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES BASKETBALL CAMPS, FITNESS CLINICS, MENTORING LITERACY PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN TO HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL IN SPORTS AND ACADEMICS.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING TAMIKA CATCHINGS.
THANK YOU. I WAS IN EIGHTH GRADE AND I REMEMBER. SITTING ON THE COUCH.
MOM, THERE'S NOTHING TO WATCH ON TV.
AND AS I WAS FLIPPING THROUGH THE CHANNELS, ALL OF A SUDDEN, I STOPPED.
TO A PAIR OF EYES GLARING AT ME.
KIND OF CREEPY. BUT AS I'M WATCHING THESE EYES LOOKING AT ME.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I SEE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
WOMEN PLAYING BASKETBALL ON NATIONAL TV.
BUT UP UNTIL THEN, I HAD SEEN BASKETBALL.
BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN WOMEN PLAYING BASKETBALL ON TV.
I STARTED WATCHING THE GAME AND IT WAS GOING BACK AND FORTH.
THE NEXT THING THAT DRAW MY ATTENTION.
WITH THE CLOUD OF ORANGE, THE BEAUTIFUL ORANGE.
STAND UP AND SHOW THEM YOUR ORANGE JET FIRE, THE BEAUTIFUL ORANGE THAT WAS IN THE AUDIENCE.
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN I STOPPED WATCHING THE GAME.
IN THAT MOMENT, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO GET INTO, BUT I MADE A VOW TO MYSELF.
AND I PRAYED AND I SAID, IF I COULD ONLY GET GOOD ENOUGH.
IF I COULD ONLY BE GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY AT THAT LEVEL.
IF I COULD ONLY BE GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.
THAT WAS THE VOW IN EIGHTH GRADE.
THERE ARE MOMENTS IN LIFE THAT SHAPE ALL OF US.
FOR ME, SO MANY OF THOSE MOMENTS STEM FROM BASKETBALL.
PLAYING SPORT HAS BEEN A VALUABLE PART OF MY LIFE.
I WAS GOING INTO A SPORTS FAMILY.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH A PRESENTATION AND I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY LIFE.
BUT AT THE END OF THIS TIME, THIS REALLY IS ABOUT YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
I WANT YOU GUYS TO THINK OF QUESTIONS.
I WANT YOU GUYS TO GO THROUGH THIS JOURNEY WITH ME.
BUT I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE ME TALKING AT YOU.
WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES.
AND THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE WILL JOURNEY THROUGH TOGETHER.
I WAS BORN INTO A SPORT FAMILY.
I GREW UP. MY DAD PLAYED IN THE NBA.
MY MOM, WHO IS HERE TODAY, GIVE IT UP FOR MY MOTHER.
THAT'S ONE. MY MOM SPENT HER WEEKENDS PLAYING TENNIS.
I HAD A LITTLE TENNIS, NOT LITTLE IN HER TENNIS LEAGUE.
WE PLAYED ON SOCCER, SOFTBALL, SWIMMING, BOWLING.
NOW, I WILL SAY MY GYMNASTIC CAREER WAS YEAR LONG.
I GOT ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE JUST FOR PARTICIPATING, SO DEFINITELY NOT THE GYMNAST IN THE FAMILY.
[00:05:02]
BUT I'VE BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE LEARNED SO MANY LESSONS THROUGH MY PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS.I'VE LEARNED THAT YOU HAVE GOOD GAMES AND BAD GAMES, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD.
I'VE LEARNED THAT THINGS WON'T ALWAYS BE FAIR, BUT YOU KEEP PLAYING.
I'VE LEARNED THAT NOTHING WORTH HAVING COMES EASILY AND THAT CONSISTENT HARD WORK PAYS OFF.
I WAS A SHY, LANKY AND AWKWARD LITTLE KID WITH HEARING AIDS, A SPEECH IMPEDIMENT AND BRACES.
BUT THROUGH MY PARTICIPATION IN SPORT, I FOUND MY CONFIDENCE.
AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, I FOUND MY VOICE.
WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF TITLE NINE.
I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT I AM A DIRECT PRODUCT OF THE TITLE NINE LEGISLATION.
AND CHALLENGE EACH OF YOU TO EMBRACE.
EQUALITY, EMBRACE OPPORTUNITIES AND EMBRACE ACCOUNTABILITY.
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE FIRST TIME YOU HEARD ABOUT TITLE NINE.
THE FIRST TIME YOU SAW THESE 37 WORDS.
NO PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES SHALL, ON THE BASIS OF EFFECT, BE EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATION IN BE DENIED THE BENEFITS OF OR BE SUBJECTED TO DISCRIMINATION UNDER ANY EDUCATION PROGRAM OR ACTIVITIES.
RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
BUT AS A LITTLE GIRL, I DIDN'T KNOW WHO IT IS.
GREEN. PAT TOOMEY, THE GODMOTHER OF TITLE NINE, BERNIE SANDLER, OR THE MAN BEHIND TITLE NINE, INDIANA SENATOR BIRCH BAYH. I DIDN'T KNOW WHO THEY WERE.
OR RATHER, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DIRECT IMPACT OF TITLE NINE WAS ON ME OR MY LIFE.
EDUCATORS, COACHES, LEADERS, FORMER MAYORS IN THE BUILDING.
CAN YOU GUYS STAND UP REAL QUICK? ONE, TWO, THREE. BAM, BOOM.
I THINK SOMETIMES WE TAKE FOR GRANTED THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE ROOM.
BUT FOR THE MAJORITY, WHEN I THINK ABOUT TITLE NINE, I THINK ABOUT PEOPLE.
LIKE THOSE THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM THAT HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF SOCIETAL CHANGE TO HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE, TO MAKE AN IMPACT FOR YOU GUYS, FOR US TO BE IN THESE OPPORTUNITIES, TO BE IN THESE SITUATIONS.
LIKE YOU. UNTIL I MADE IT TO THE WNBA.
NO AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE, THE ABL THAT STARTED IN 1996.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY LIFE WOULD BE.
MY EARLIEST MEMORIES OF BASKETBALL STARTED WITH MY DAD AND HIS CAREER.
[00:10:03]
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS ARE, FOR THE MOST PART, STUDENT ATHLETES.WELL, I AM THAT ONE THAT LIKES TO BE DRESSED.
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, EVERYTHING MATCHES.
IF NOTHING ELSE, I WAS GOING TO BE THE SHARPEST LOOKING PLAYER OUT THERE.
A WEEK BEFORE TRYOUTS, I HAD MY OUTFIT LAID OUT FROM MY SHIRT TO MY SHIRT TO MY SHOES TO THE SOCKS.
BUT I'M GOING TO MY FIRST CHILD.
ONE THING I DON'T EVEN REALLY REMEMBER, MY MOM MIGHT.
THERE WAS PROBABLY MAYBE FIVE OR SIX OTHER GIRLS AMONGST THE WHOLE GYM OF BOYS THAT WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN THIS COED BASKETBALL. WELL, WE MADE THE TEAM.
MY SISTER AND I WERE THE ONLY TWO GIRLS ON THE TEAM.
ONE THING THAT I AM SO THANKFUL FOR IS PARENTS.
THAT STOOD UP AND THAT ALLOWED US TO BE A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF THE NORM.
THEY WEREN'T SCARED TO STIR IT UP A LITTLE BIT AND MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY MY SISTER AND I WOULD HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THAT OTHER YOUNG GIRLS, OTHER YOUNG WOMEN WOULD HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY AFFORDED FOR BOTH OF US.
WELL, WE WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND OUR LEAGUE, AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.
WELL, IT ALSO BECAME THE FIRST TIME THAT I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE GAME OF BASKETBALL.
HOWEVER, IT WASN'T UNTIL SEVENTH GRADE WHERE I MADE MY FIRST COMMITMENT TO THE GAME OF BASKETBALL.
THEN THERE'S A SEVENTH GRADER SITTING AT MY DESK.
I LOVE JOURNALS. ANYBODY ELSE WITH ME? JOURNALS. LOVE JOURNALS.
YOU GUYS ARE LIKE, I'M NOT WRITING ANYTHING UNLESS I HAVE TO.
I UNDERSTAND THAT TOO, BUT I LOVE JOURNALS.
AND I WAS SITTING IN MY ROOM IN THE CORNER AND I JUST STARTED WRITING DOWN.
AND THE NEXT THING THAT I KNEW.
AND I RIPPED THE PIECE OF PAPER AND I RAN DOWN THE HALL TO MY BROTHER, MY SISTER'S ROOM.
I SAID, HEY, COME ON. HEY, TASH.
I KNOW WHAT I WANT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP.
AND THEY LOOKED AT ME. AND I SHOWED HIM MY PIECE OF PAPER.
HAVE YOU SHOWED MOM? HAVE YOU SHOWED DAD? AND I RIPPED A PIECE OF PAPER, AND I RAN OUT OF THE ROOM, AND I WENT DOWN THE STAIRS.
AND, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO MAKE AS MUCH NOISE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, BUT.
I KNOW WHAT I WANT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP.
AND I SHOWED HER MY PIECE OF PAPER.
ON THAT PAPER. I HAD A ONE DAY.
ONE DAY I WILL BE IN THE NBA, NOT THE WNBA, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE WNBA.
AND BE IN THE NBA FOR WHATEVER TEAM HE PLAYED FOR.
I DIDN'T REALLY CARE WHAT TEAM AS LONG AS I MADE IT.
AND THE COOLEST THING ABOUT THAT STORY.
THEN MY MOM AND DAD LOOKED AT ME AND THEY SAID, IF ANYONE CAN DO IT.
YOU CAN. YOU WANT TO BE IN THE NBA? YOU CAN DO IT. AND Y'ALL, I TOOK THAT PIECE OF PAPER.
UNBEKNOWNST, I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WERE NO GIRLS IN THE NBA.
AND I GRABBED THAT PIECE OF PAPER.
I WENT UPSTAIRS, I GRABBED A PIECE OF TAPE, AND I PUT IT ON MY MIRROR.
AND EVERY SINGLE DAY BEFORE I WENT TO SCHOOL, I THOUGHT ABOUT MY DREAM.
THERE WILL BE A POINT IN YOUR LIFE.
YOU WILL BE GUIDED, DIRECTED AND CHALLENGED TO NOT ONLY BE BETTER, BUT YOU OUGHT TO BE GREAT.
[00:15:04]
IT'S CRAZY TO THINK THAT WHILE ALL OF THIS WAS AT THE BEGINNING, THE FIRST DAY, I SET FOOT ON CAMPUS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE.WAS ALSO. THE BEGINNING OF THE LONGEST STANDING WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE.
THE LONGEST STANDING WOMEN'S BASKETBALL LEAGUE PERIOD IN HISTORY STARTED IN 1997.
THAT WAS MY FIRST YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY.
I KNOW I'M YOUNG, SO I TRY TO CALCULATE THIS, RIGHT? NO. AND WHEN THE WNBA STARTED MY FRESHMAN YEAR IN COLLEGE, I REMEMBER SAYING TO MYSELF, I AIN'T MADE THIS LEAGUE.
YOU GOT FOUR YEARS TO GET IT RIGHT BY THE TIME I GRADUATE.
RIGHT INTO IT. MY GOAL SHIFTED FROM THE NBA.
NOW MY GOAL, CLEARLY, I WANTED TO BE IN THE WNBA.
BUT WHILE THE PLATFORM IS SET, THE WORK.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT GREAT PEOPLE AND I THINK ABOUT PEOPLE FOR ME.
SOMEBODY THAT BELIEVED IN ME MORE THAN I BELIEVE IN MYSELF.
A COACH THAT CHALLENGED ME TO DO AND BE BEYOND WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS CAPABLE OF.
I REMEMBER ONE DAY AFTER PRACTICE.
PAT CAME UP TO ME AND SHE SAID, HEY.
I WANT TO SEE YOU AFTER PRACTICE.
NOW, HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE EVER GOTTEN THAT NOD? COACH COMES UP TO YOU. HEY, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU AFTER PRACTICE.
AND THE FIRST THING YOU GO TO IS, WHAT DID I DO WRONG? I STARTED THINKING ABOUT PRACTICE.
I STARTED THINKING ABOUT SCHOOL.
WE HAD TO SIT IN THE FIRST THREE ROWS OF EVERY CLASS.
ON TIME WITH LATE. YOU HAD TO BE EARLY TO BE ON TIME.
I STARTED THINKING ABOUT EVERYTHING.
SO WHEN I GOT DONE WITH ALL MY EXTRA SHOTS AND I'M WALKING TO THE LOCKER ROOM.
AND I'M THINKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
WHAT DID I DO WRONG? AND AS I WALKED INTO THE LOCKER ROOM AND INTO THE TRAINING ROOM, NOT ONLY WAS PAT.
BUT OUR HEAD ATHLETIC HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER WAS THERE AS WELL.
AND I'M WAITING AND PAT START TALKING.
AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR MOM, LIKE, OH, HERE WE GO.
THAT YOU WERE BORN WITH A HEARING DISABILITY.
WELL, I DIDN'T TELL YOU GUYS THIS IN THE BEGINNING, SO I TOLD YOU A LITTLE BIT.
I WAS BORN WITH A HEARING DISABILITY, A SPEECH IMPEDIMENT, SO I WEAR A HEARING AID AND SECOND GRADE.
I CHOSE TO THROW AWAY MY HEARING AID.
THAT'S A LONG STORY. WE DON'T NEED TO GET INTO IT TODAY.
AND MY MOM IS HERE. SO EVERY TIME I TELL HER, SHE JUST GLARED AT ME.
ANOTHER ONE. BUT I ENDED UP THROWING MY HAIR OUT.
SO I LITERALLY WENT FROM SECOND GRADE ALL THE WAY TO MY FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE, SECOND GRADE ALL THE WAY TO FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE BEFORE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
AND AS I'M SITTING THERE IN THE TRAINING ROOM AND PAT IS TALKING AND SHE SAID, HEY, CATCH.
I FEEL LIKE AFTER TALKING TO YOUR MOM, WE NEED TO GET YOU BACK INTO WEARING HEARING AIDS.
FIRST THING SHE ASKED BEFORE SHE EVEN GOT TO THAT.
SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE DISABILITIES, THERE'S WAY THAT THEY ADDRESS THEM.
THIS IS BEFORE I EVEN KNEW WHAT SHE WAS, WHERE SHE WAS GOING WITH IT.
AND I'M NOT IN MY HEAD LIKE, OKAY, AS I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT ME LIKE.
SHE SAID. WHEN PEOPLE CAN'T SEE, WHAT DO THEY NEED? AND I SAID, WELL, THEY NEED GLASSES CONTACT BY WAY OF BOTH.
WHEN PEOPLE MAYBE WALK WITH THE LIMP, WHAT DO THEY USE? SOME OF THEM USE A CANE.
SOME OF THEM PUT AN INSERT IN THEIR SHOES.
AND SHE WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND THE LAST QUESTION SHE ASKED.
WHAT DO THEY NEED? AND NOW WITH THE MOMENT OF THE.
SHE SAID, ONE DAY YOUR STORY WILL IMPACT THOUSANDS, MAYBE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
ONE DAY. YOUR STORY WILL IMPACT THOUSANDS.
[00:20:01]
MAYBE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.YOU NEED TO GET BACK INTO WEARING.
BUT HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ASKED TO? KIND OF LIKE BOWLING. TOLD TO DO WHAT TO DO, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT REALLY VOLUNTEERING.
YOU REALLY THINK THAT IS WHAT? SO I GOT BACK IN THE WAY. AM I HEARING AIDS? AND I REMEMBER THE STORY CAME OUT AND ALL THESE PEOPLE WERE LIKE, OH, MY GOSH, WE DIDN'T KNOW YOU WEREN'T HEARING AIDS.
AND IF THAT'S OKAY, THAT'S UNCOMFORTABLE.
HI, MY NAME IS TAMIKA CATCHINGS.
I'M HEARING IMPAIRED. I WEAR HEARING AIDS, BUT YOU DON'T NEED TO SCREAM AT ME.
I HEAR YOU. KIND OF AN AWKWARD CONVERSATION.
SHE WAS THE ONE THAT CHALLENGED ME.
SHE WAS THE ONE THAT CHALLENGED ALL OF US TO USE OUR VOICES.
THE ONE THAT CHALLENGED ALL OF US TO NOT JUST BE GOOD, BUT TO BE GREAT.
AND THAT'S WHY I AM HERE TODAY, TO CHALLENGE EACH OF YOU, TO NOT JUST BE GOOD.
NOT JUST BE GOOD, NOT JUST BE BETTER.
BE GREAT AND EVERY SINGLE THING THAT YOU DO.
WELL, YOU CAN TELL I'M PROBABLY COMPETITIVE.
I HAVE TO BE FIRST IN THE DOOR.
GETTING INTO THE CAR, PUTTING IN THE PARTS.
BUT SHE STARTED A WOMEN'S SPORTS FOUNDATION TO ALLOW YOUNG FEMALES THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY SPORTS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL PARTICIPATION.
THE POSITIVE IS SINCE 1972, WHICH IS WHEN TITLE NINE WAS BROUGHT FORTH.
WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN ATHLETIC.
WOULD YOU GUYS AGREE WITH ME? YES OR NO? YES OR NO? YES. YES.
BUT AS WE DIVE INTO SOME OF THESE STATISTICS, FIRST, FOCUSING ON HIGH SCHOOL, THERE ARE 3 MILLION.
EVERYBODY SAY THREE, THREE, THREE, 3 MILLION.
3 MILLION ADDITIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SPORT OPPORTUNITIES.
NOW COMPARED TO WHAT WAS AVAILABLE BEFORE TITLE NINE IN 1972, HOWEVER.
AND HOW MANY DO WE MISS OUT ON? 1 MILLION.
60% OF GIRLS PARTICIPATE IN HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS COMPARED TO 75% OF THE BOYS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS I'M SO INTRIGUED BY STATISTICS.
ANYBODY ELSE WITH ME? SOME PEOPLE. OKAY. THANK YOU TO THE EDUCATORS ARE LIKE.
BUT AS THE RESEARCH CONTINUES, THE THING THAT I WANT TO DO IS I WANT TO FIND SOLUTIONS.
WE ARE EMBRACING EQUALITY AND WE START WITH THAT.
IS IT THE LACK OF ACCESS? IT'S THE LACK OF MONEY.
IS IT THE LACK OF RESOURCES? IS IT THE LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES? IS THAT THE COACHING GURU THAT.
IS IT THE FACILITIES? WHAT IS IT THAT IS DRIVING THESE NUMBERS? WELL, BELIEVE ME THAT I'M PART OF A GROUP THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THESE ANSWERS.
[00:25:01]
SO NOW WE GET UP TO YOUR LEVEL.OVERALL. HOWEVER, THERE ARE ONLY 43.9% OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS.
59.5%. OF WOMEN MAKE UP COLLEGE ENROLLMENT.
BUT YET ONLY 43.9% OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS.
WHAT? LET'S LOOK AT ANOTHER POSITIVE BECAUSE I LIKE I AM AN OPTIMIST.
ANOTHER POSITIVE IS THAT WOMEN MAKE UP 44% OF ALL NCAA ATHLETES COMPARED TO PRE TITLE NINE.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER WAS? PRE TITLE NINE.
SO I MEAN, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY.
STATISTICS LIKE THIS INTRIGUED ME BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF WOMEN DOCTORS, LAWYERS, EDUCATORS, COACHES, WOMEN IN C-SUITE POSITIONS.
AND I MEAN, IF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW, WE GOT A VP OF THE USA.
BUT WE'VE COME. WE'VE COME A LONG WAY, BUT WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO.
WHEN I LOOK AT THESE, THOUGH, IT ALWAYS TAKES ME BACK TO MY PERSON.
AT THE AGE OF 22, IN 1974, TWO YEARS AFTER TITLE NINE WAS PASSED.
SHE RECEIVED HER FIRST COACHING JOB AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE.
SHE HAD TO START A PROGRAM FROM THE GROUND UP AND GUESS WHAT HER SALARY WAS? I'LL TELL YOU. 8000.
$900. $8,900 TO START A WOMEN'S PROGRAM.
FROM SCRATCH. HOW DID YOU GO TO VOLUNTEER FOR THAT JOB? COME ON. NOBODY.
YOU WOULDN'T TAKE IT. I GOT ONE SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
ON THE CAMPUS OF HAVING GONE TO THE FACILITY AND EVERYTHING THAT THE STUDENT ATHLETES HAVE NOW.
BUT I THINK BACK TO WHEN I WAS THERE NOT TOO LONG AGO.
I GO BACK AND LISTENING TO PAST STORIES ABOUT RECRUITING.
ROUNDED UP TO 9000 TO RECRUIT PLAYERS.
TO GET UNIFORMS. TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LADIES HAVE SOMEWHAT OF PRACTICE.
MAKE SURE THE LADIES HAVE A LOCKER ROOM.
OH, BY THE WAY, WE GOT TO TRAVEL.
ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT SHE HAD TO DO, PUT 9000.
BUT YOU ALL KNOW I'M AN OPTIMIST.
SO THE GREAT THING IS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THIS.
FORMER TEAMMATE, OLYMPIAN, CHAMPION, IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.
PLANT A SEVEN YEAR CONTRACT, SEVEN YEAR EXTENSION.
YEAH. APPROXIMATELY $3 MILLION A YEAR COMPARED TO 9000.
BUT THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR THAT.
LADIES. I DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE.
JUST LIKE WE NEED YOU GUYS TO SAY.
[00:30:01]
EMBRACING EQUALITY.IT'S ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THINGS TO BE EQUAL ACROSS THE BOARD FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.
THAT IS WHAT TITLE NINE IS ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT EMBRACING EQUALITY IS ALL ABOUT.
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT DRIVE YOU, THINGS THAT DROVE YOU WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER.
FOR ME, THE THING THAT DROVE ME.
PEOPLE LAUGHING AT THE HEARING AID THAT I HAD TO WEAR, THE SPEECH IMPEDIMENT THAT I HAD.
AND TELLING ME THAT I WOULD NOT AMOUNT TO ANYTHING.
IT WAS THE PEOPLE WHO SAID I WOULDN'T BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND THEY CHASTISED ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T TALK LIKE THEM OR LOOK LIKE THEM.
THAT'S WHY REPRESENTATION MATTERS.
IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT DRIVE THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY MY FOCUS, MY LIFE DRIVE, MY LIFE GOAL NOW IS TO CREATE CHANGE IN EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT I GET A CHANCE TO MEET AND TO CREATE A WORLD OF EQUALITY AND EQUAL AND EQUITY FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT I GET TO SERVE.
TITLE NINE HAS NOT ONLY PROVIDED ME AN OPPORTUNITY IN SPORTS.
BUT IT'S GIVEN ME AN OPPORTUNITY, AN EDUCATION.
AND SPORTS, BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS A BUSINESSWOMAN.
A WNBA, GM ROLE COMMENTATING, BUSINESS OWNER, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, PUBLIC SPEAKING, ALL OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME BEFORE ME.
EVERYBODY STAND UP. KIND OF THREE.
SIT DOWN. WE'RE GOING DO THIS ALL TOGETHER ON THE KIND OF THING WE'RE GOING TO STAND UP.
READY? ONE, TWO, THREE. ALL RIGHT, SO BACK DOWN.
THIS IS AN EXERCISE. HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS ARE STUDENT ATHLETES? RIGHT. YOU GUYS, THE COACHES.
KEEP HANDLE. KEEP YOUR HAND UP.
COACHES, EDUCATORS, PEOPLE THAT JUST WANT TO BE IN THE ROOM.
EVERYBODY JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.
OKAY. SO THIS IS WHAT WE CALL TEAM PARTICIPATION.
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO STAND UP ON THE COUNT OF THREE, BUT EVERYBODY HAS TO DO IT AT THE SAME TIME.
UP, SIT BACK DOWN LAST TIME, THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME PUSH UP.
ALL RIGHT. READY? ONE, TWO, THREE.
ALL RIGHT. WILL YOU GUYS TAKE A QUICK JOURNEY WITH ME? WHEN YOU TAKE A JOURNEY WITH ME.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP OUR EYES OPEN.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY FALLING. I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MANSION YOU'VE EVER SEEN.
IMAGINE WHAT'S ON THE FRONT LAWN.
THEY HAVE A LITTLE CIRCLE IN THE FRONT, YOU KNOW, LIKE.
IMPORTANT PEOPLE HAVE, I SUPPOSE.
I WANT YOU TO THINK OF YOURSELF WALKING INTO UP TO THE FRONT DOOR.
YOU'RE WALKING UP TO THE FRONT DOOR.
SOMEBODY GREETS YOU, WHO'S GREETING YOU? THINK ABOUT IT. AND THEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR.
AND AS YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH THIS BUILDING, THE MANSION.
I WANT YOU TO START NOTICING THAT EVERY SINGLE DOOR IS CLOSED.
THE BEAUTIFUL MANSION ON THE OUTSIDE YOU WALK IN.
AND YOU'RE GETTING A TOUR AND YOU GO TO THE LIVING ROOM AND YOU NOTICE, LIKE, ALL OF THE DOORS ARE CLOSED, EVERY SINGLE DOOR IN THE LIVING ROOM AND THE KITCHEN, THEY TAKE YOU UPSTAIRS. AND AS YOU'RE WALKING DOWN, THERE'S LONG BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MANSIONS ARE HUGE.
YOU'RE WALKING DOWN THIS LONG HALLWAY AND ALL OF THESE DOORS ARE CLOSED.
EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.
WE HAVE OUR UNIQUENESS OF WHAT MAKES US.
US. WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTIFULLY AND UNIQUELY MADE AND VALUE?
[00:35:07]
BUT THINK ABOUT THIS.INSIDE OF US. YOU GET OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THEY SET ALL THESE DOORS AROUND YOU.
BUT AT SOME POINT, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? OPEN THE DOORS. EMBRACE YOUR OPPORTUNITIES.
I GET A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SOME REALLY, REALLY COOL PEOPLE.
AND DURING MARCH MADNESS THIS PAST YEAR, I GOT TO MEET THAT YOUNG LADY RIGHT THERE, BELMONT, BETTY.
AND I STARTED LAUGHING WHEN SOMEBODY WAS LIKE, OH, BELMONT, BETTY, BELMONT, BETTY, WHO HAS A NAME LIKE THAT? HER REAL NAME IS BETTY WISEMAN.
COME TO FIND OUT, MISS BETTY HERE.
SIX DECADES AT BELMONT UNIVERSITY.
1965 BEFORE TITLE NINE WAS EVEN PASSED.
BUT SHE DIDN'T PLAY BASKETBALL AT BELMONT.
BECAUSE YOU LOVE THE GAME OF BASKETBALL.
BUT THREE YEARS LATER, SHE TURNED AROUND, WENT BACK TO BELMONT UNIVERSITY.
AND STARTED THE BELMONT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM.
ANOTHER KIND OF PAT STORY, BUT THIS IS 1968.
BELMONT. BETTY, IF YOU GOOGLE HER, YOU WILL SEE HER.
BELMONT BEAT OREGON IN THE FIRST ROUND.
THEN THEY PLAY TENNESSEE THE SECOND ROUND AND THEY TIE.
THEY LOST. BUT THAT'S NOT A SAD STORY.
THOSE YOUNG WOMEN NOT ONLY GET A JOURNEY THROUGH BASKETBALL, THEY GET A JOURNEY THROUGH EDUCATION.
AND FAITH. TO BE SUCCESSFUL NOT ONLY IN BASKETBALL.
WHAT TO BE SUCCESSFUL BEYOND THE GAME OF BASKETBALL.
BETTY IS EVERYWHERE. SHE GETS TO GO TO THE GAME SHE TRAVELED.
YOU GET TO SEE THE YOUNG WOMEN.
THEY GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO BECAUSE OF HER.
BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE THEM ARE MANY PEOPLE LIKE PAT, PEOPLE LIKE THE ONES THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM.
I REMEMBER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, MY BOSS, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE AND MY BOSS CAME AND.
SHE CALLED ME ON A SUNDAY NIGHT, WHICH IS VERY RANDOM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WEEKENDS ARE WEEKENDS AND.
BUT SHE GOT ME ON SUNDAY AND SAID, HEY, I'M NOT GOING TO BE AT THE MEETING.
WE ALWAYS HAVE MONDAY MEETING.
AND MONDAY MEETING EVERYBODY IN THE BUSINESS, EVERYBODY IN PATRICK SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.
WE GET TOGETHER AND WE COLLECTIVELY TALK ABOUT WHATEVER GOING ON IN THE BUSINESS.
SHE? WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE FEVER.
AT THAT POINT. I WAS WORKING SPECIFICALLY WITH INDIANA FEVER AND SHE WOULD TALK ABOUT THE FEVER AND EVERYBODY, THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT, PACERS, MAD ANTS WITH OUR G LEAGUE TEAM OR GAMING PACERS GAMING, LIKE EVERYBODY WOULD TALK ABOUT A DIFFERENT ROLE.
SHE CALLED ME ON SUNDAY. SHE SAID, HEY, ERICA, I'M NOT GOING TO BE AT THE MEETING TOMORROW.
SHE CALLED RIGHT BACK. SHE SAID, I NEED YOU TO SIT AT THE TABLE.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT HER NAME. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
AND WE HAD THE BIG ROUND CONFERENCE TABLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM AND IT WAS ALWAYS CROWDED IN THE ROOM, SO ONLY LIKE CERTAIN PEOPLE GOT TO SIT AT THE TABLE.
I'LL NEVER BEEN IN A ROOM LIKE THAT.
ONLY CERTAIN PEOPLE GOT TO SIT AT THE TABLE AND EVERYBODY ELSE SITS AROUND.
BUT I WAS COOL. I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I GOT IN.
EVERYBODY SITTING AT THE TABLE AND THERE WAS A BIG CARD TABLE BACK HERE.
AND I LOVE SITTING ON THIS TABLE IN THE BACK.
I COULD SEE PEOPLE EVEN WHEN THEY WEREN'T PAYING ATTENTION.
[00:40:01]
I COULD. I COULD TELL.AND I LOVE BEING HERE BECAUSE I CAN SEE EVERYTHING.
SHE TOLD ME TO SIT AT THE TABLE.
AND SO THE NEXT DAY I WALK IN AND I COME TO THE DOOR.
I'M EARLY. AND I GO TO MY SPOT.
AND EVERYBODY STARTS COMING IN AND FILLING IN AND THEY SIT DOWN AND WE GET TO THE MEETING.
AFTER THE MEETING, EVERYTHING GONE.
FOR WHATEVER REASON, I KIND OF LIKE.
I'M SO SORRY. SHE LOOKED AT ME LIKE.
SO WHY DON'T YOU SIT AT THE TABLE? I DON'T WANT TO SIT AT THAT TABLE.
I LIKE MY. MY TABLE OVER HERE.
I GET TO SEE EVERYTHING. I GET TO SEE EVERYBODY.
WHEN YOU'RE HERE, YOU'RE SO CONFINED.
SHE SAID, TAMIKA. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU.
IT'S NOT ABOUT. I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU.
IT'S ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU'VE BEEN AFFORDED.
IT'S THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU HAVE TO OPEN THAT DOOR, THAT YOU NOT ONLY HAVE TO OPEN IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO WALK THROUGH IT AND STAND UP FOR AN OPPORTUNITY WHEN YOU GO FROM ONE ROLE TO THE NEXT ROLE.
I COULDN'T HANG WITH THE PLAYER THAT I HAD JUST PLAYED WITH THE YEAR BEFORE.
YOU MIGHT BE IN A DIFFERENT ROLE.
YOU MIGHT BE A CAPTAIN THIS YEAR.
YOU CAN'T DO WHAT YOU DID LAST YEAR.
YOU CAN'T COME IN TO THE LOCKER ROOM.
NOT WANTING TO PLAY, NOT FEELING LIKE BEING THERE.
YOU CAN'T COME IN THERE WITH THE DEBBIE DOWNER ATTITUDE.
YOU HAVE TO CARRY YOURSELF DIFFERENTLY.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED TO YOU.
COULD THAT WHAT LEADERS DO? THAT'S WHAT WE DO WHEN WE STEP UP.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO WHEN WE STAND UP FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO WHEN WE EMBRACE OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S HARD TO FRAME A CONVERSATION AROUND THEN AND NOW AND WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT BACK THEN.
WOMEN CAN ONLY PLAY HALF COURT.
WHEN ALL THE GIRLS WERE WEARING DRESSES, I REFUSED TO WEAR A DRESS.
TO WHAT WAY WAS I IN? KINDERGARTEN. SO I STARTED YOUNG.
I REFUSED TO WEAR A DRESS, AND I WANTED TO WEAR MY FAVORITE SWEATSUIT, SO.
CAN'T IMAGINE PLAYING INTERSCOPE, BUT NOW WE GET TO PLAY IN TOP OF THE LINE UNIFORMS. WITH FIVE POINTS ON THE COURT, MIND YOU.
BACK THEN, THERE WERE NO SCHOLARSHIPS FOR WOMEN.
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE WNBA, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, THE EXACT PERCENTAGE, BUT MAJORITY OF THE WOMEN IN THE WNBA HAVE SCHOLARSHIPS FROM FOUR YEARS COLLEGES.
EMBRACING ACCOUNTABILITY IS NOT JUST ABOUT THEN AND NOW.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHAT WILL YOU DO? WHAT WILL YOU DO? TO HELP PROMOTE EQUITY AND EQUALITY.
I'M SO PROUD OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
MEGAN RAPINOE, ALEX MORGAN AND THE US WOMEN'S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM.
SO I HAD TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
AND AFTER SIX YEARS, SIX YEARS, THEY FINALLY WON.
BUT NOT ONLY DID THEY WIN, THEY GOT BACKPAY AS WELL, BECAUSE $22 MILLION, I THINK IT WAS.
[00:45:01]
BETWEEN THE WOMEN'S WEIGHT ROOM DURING THE TOURNAMENT AND THE MEN'S WEIGHT ROOM DURING THE TOURNAMENT.BUT ANYWAY, IT TOOK SOMEBODY HOLDING SOMEBODY ELSE ACCOUNTABLE.
SO THIS PAST YEAR, MUCH BETTER.
THE WNBA, AMONGST OTHER PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S LEAGUE.
I CONTINUE TO FIGHT AND AT THE FOREFRONT AROUND SOCIAL ISSUES, SOCIAL JUSTICE, WOMEN'S RIGHTS, LGBTQIA PLUS MENTAL HEALTH, AND SO MUCH MORE. MY LADY.
DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO GO ALL OUT.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? AND THEN, OF COURSE, COLLECTIVELY, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE WILLING TO HANG YOUR HAT ON.
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT BE PASSIONATE ABOUT.
EACH OF YOU. YOU ARE OUR FUTURE.
MY NEPHEWS WERE WILLING TO HAVE MY OWN KIDS.
I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU TO VIEW.
SIT AT THE TABLE AND USE YOUR VOICE.
I NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND PUSH SO THAT OUR VOICES, OUR VOICES, MY VOICE, YOUR VOICE, ALL OF OUR VOICES CAN CONTINUE TO BE HEARD SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THOSE THAT COME AFTER US.
FOR THE LAWS LIKE TITLE NINE THAT ARE GREAT START.
BELIEVE IN YOUR ABILITY TO CREATE CHANGE.
WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT ACTION SET.
WELL, WE THINK WE HAVE TO BE IN A COACHING POSITION TO BE A MENTOR, BUT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO MENTOR A TEAMMATE, A CLASSMATE, SOMEBODY IN YOUR CIRCLE, SOMEBODY THAT'S NOT HERE, THAT HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT AS FAR AS YOU GET.
THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU GUYS CAN JUMP ON.
LIFT UP THINGS THAT MATTER TO YOU.
HELP US STAND FIRM FOR CHANGE.
HOW WE CONTINUE TO SEE TITLE NINE AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT.
THAT'S HOW WE WILL MAKE IT GROW.
AS WE PREPARE FOR OUR TOMORROW, JOE.
AS WE PREPARE FOR OUR TOMORROW.
WHAT IS THE NOW THAT YOU WANT TO CHANGE? OUR FIGHT CONTINUED, BUT I ASK THE QUESTION IF IT'S NOT YOU.
IF IT'S NOT YOU TO CREATE IMPACT THAN WHO IS IT? YOU ARE NOT ON THIS JOURNEY ALONE BECAUSE WE ALL ARE ON THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER.
TITLE NINE HAS OPENED UP A LOT OF DOORS.
WOULD YOU AGREE WITH ME? TITLE NINE HAS OPENED UP A LOT OF DOORS FOR SO MANY OF US TO HAVE A PLATFORM.
I BELIEVE THAT TOGETHER WE ALL CAN CREATE CHANGE.
BUT WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT, WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE CHANGE.
EVERYBODY STAND UP ON THE COUNT OF THREE.
SIT DOWN. THAT'S THE WAY YOU'VE GOT TO STAND ON YOUR TOES.
EVERYBODY STAND UP ON THE COUNT OF THREE.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS COLLECTIVELY AND THEN I THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT I THINK THERE'S TIME FOR QUESTION.
I WILL SAY IT A LITTLE BIT LOUDER.
I DON'T. I DON'T SEE MY MOVIE.
I SHOULD TELL YOU, I READ LIPS, TOO.
[00:50:02]
PAY A LOT OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CHANGE.I ALMOST HAD TO GET HIM TO PUSH UP.
I WILL EMBRACE ACCOUNTABILITY, EQUALITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE. ALL RIGHT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO SAY ONE MORE TIME.
CAN I HAVE ONE OF Y'ALL COME? LEAVE IT.
SO WHEN YOU GET DONE, I WANT YOU TO, LIKE, CLAP, CHEER, WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU DO.
ARE YOU READY FOR THIS? ARE YOU READY? ARE YOU RIGHT? HOLD ON. UNDERSTAND.
YOU READY? I WILL EMBRACE EQUALITY, EMBRACE OPPORTUNITIES AND EMBRACE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CHANGE.
THANK YOU, GUYS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I HOPE. ONE THING I AM NOT AS AN EDUCATOR.
SO FOR ME COMING IN, I THINK ACTUALLY I SHOULDN'T SAY IT LIKE THAT.
I DON'T. THE STATISTICS AND ALL OF THAT.
I LIKE DOING THE RESEARCH AND FINDING OUT THE INFORMATION.
BUT AS FAR AS LIKE STANDING UP AND GIVING A CLASS ON TITLE NINE, I THINK A LOT OF US, WE GIVE OUR.
WE TALK ABOUT TITLE NINE THROUGH OUR OWN PERSONAL JOURNEY.
DON'T SHY AWAY FROM THAT BECAUSE THAT BECOMES PART OF YOUR OWN STORY.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD STAND HERE.
I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE A PUBLIC SPEAKER.
AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME OF YOU IN THIS ROOM THAT, LIKE, I CAN NEVER DO THAT, BUT ONE DAY YOU WILL SHARE YOUR STORY, WHETHER IT'S ON THIS PLATFORM LIKE THIS IN YOUR OWN CIRCLES AND YOUR OWN COMMUNITY BACK AT YOUR OWN SCHOOL.
BUT IN THE NICK OF A MOMENT, MY BEST FRIEND ACTUALLY STILL LIVES HERE.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE CARS BECAUSE OF THE FLOOD, SO MOM AND I WALKED.
JUST KIDDING. WE GOT AN UBER, AND THAT'S MORE THAN I WAS LIKE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET HERE? MY BEST FRIEND STEPPED UP AND SHE SAID, I DON'T TAKE YOU GUYS AROUND, SO DARN, GIVE IT UP FOR MY BEST FRIEND.
BUT YOU TALK ABOUT TALK ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE IN YOUR CIRCLE THAT DO GREAT THINGS.
IT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY COOL.
WE STARTED BASKETBALL HERE AT DUNCANVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND.
AND TO SEE HOW THINGS HAVE EXPANDED, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY JOB CHANGES SHE'S HAD AS FAR AS FAR AS TRYING TO FIND THE THING THAT SHE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT.
AND FINE, WHATEVER IT IS NEXT THAT I'M IN THAT RIGHT NOW, I'M IN A TRANSITION.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO PUT THAT IN, BUT DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTION, THOUGH? WE DON'T QUESTION THAT.
I SPEAK TOO MUCH. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTION, ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD.
HEY. HOW'S MY DAY? MY DAY HAS BEEN GREAT.
WOKE UP THIS MORNING. THANK GOD.
AND HERE I AM. ANY OTHER QUESTION? SO I STILL PLAY BASKETBALL.
DO I LOOK LIKE A STRIPPER? KIND OF. YEAH.
I BEAT UP MY LITTLE NEPHEW HERE.
HE'S SIX EIGHT. THE JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I JUST FOUND. BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M GOOD AT RIGHT NOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WHAT DID I DO WHEN I GOT THE CALL FROM COACH SUMMERS? DID I DO? I WAS SO EXCITED.
YEAH, I MEAN. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A DREAM, WHEN YOU HAVE A GOAL AND.
SET YOUR PATH TO REACH THAT GOAL, TO REACH WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU WANT TO DO.
[00:55:02]
AND IT STARTS HAPPENING.FOR ME, HAVING WATCHED SINCE EIGHTH GRADE AND FINALLY GETTING MY FIRST LETTER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AS A SOPHOMORE, FROM THE ASSISTANT COACHES AND PAT, WHEN SHE CAME TO DUNCANVILLE, WE TOOK HER TO CHURCH WITH HER MOM SAID, I FELL ASLEEP, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT.
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT. BUT YEAH, I MEAN, AND TO FINALLY GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, A DREAM COME TRUE AND A BLESSING. THROUGH ALL THE THINGS, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED.
YOU ASK, WHAT IS ONE THAT STOOD UP? ONE THING I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT WAS OUR SOCIETY'S FOUNDATION.
ONE THING ABOUT BEING A PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYER MEAN I RETIRED IN 2016.
I KNOW THE FINALS ARE GOING ON IN DALLAS THEN I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO THE GAME TONIGHT.
GOT ONE JAB. YOU JUST KEEP SHOWING UP, DID YOU? IN MY LIFE? OH, YEAH, GIVE IT UP.
WE PROVIDE PROGRAMS AROUND FITNESS, LITERACY AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.
AND EARLY ON WHEN WE STARTED, I WAS STILL PLAYING.
700,000 PLUS SPECIFICALLY TO COLLEGE EDUCATION.
I MEAN, I COULD TALK ABOUT THE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND THE MEDALS AND ALL THAT STUFF, BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE MEDALS? THEY'RE IN THE BANK. I DON'T WEAR THEM.
I DON'T PLAY AROUND WITH THEM.
YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE IT'S IN THE PAST.
BUT THE ONE THING YOU CAN DO IS MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE KIDS, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT COME AFTER YOU.
HE GOT. WHAT KEEPS YOU SAYING, LIKE WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES? THERE'S A LOT OF SACRIFICE, Y'ALL A STUDENT ATHLETE? THERE'S A LOT OF SACRIFICE.
YOU DON'T GET TO GO HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.
YOU DON'T GET TO GO HOME FOR THANKSGIVING.
SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GET YOU MISS A LOT.
BUT I THINK FOR ME, THE JOURNEY TO BE THE BEST, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO BE THE BEST AND NOT COMPARE TO ANYBODY ELSE THAT WAS NEXT TO ME, BUT TO BE THE BEST AND THE JOURNEY THAT I WAS ON.
SO THE THING THAT KEPT ME SANE.
MY JOURNAL WAS BIG. MY FAITH IS A HUGE PART OF WHO I AM.
A LOT OF THAT FOR ME WAS IMPORTANT.
YOUR CIRCLE THAT'S AROUND YOU, LIKE DON KNOWS.
EVEN IN HIGH SCHOOL, MY FRIENDS, LIKE, I DIDN'T WANT TO GO OUT.
I WANTED TO GET MORE SHOTS AND THEY WOULD COME AND REBOUND.
THEY KNEW THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO AND WHAT I WANTED TO ACHIEVE.
AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE AROUND ME.
BUT THINK ABOUT IT. YOU HAVE A GOOD GAME.
YOU GOT ALL THESE PEOPLE ALL MADE GREAT LAST NIGHT.
HAVE A BAD GAME. ALL THOSE PEOPLE GO AWAY.
AND SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE CONSCIOUS.
THE ONE THING THAT MY DAD TOLD ME WHEN I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH, YOU PICK YOUR FRIEND.
DON'T LET YOUR FRIEND PICK YOU.
YOU PICK YOUR FRIEND, YOU PICK THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN YOUR CIRCLE.
BUT WHEN YOU ALLOW JUST RANDOM PEOPLE TO GET INTO YOUR CIRCLE, THAT SANITY AND THAT PEACE THAT YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, IT GOES AWAY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY PULLING AT YOU.
SO FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN YOUR CIRCLE.
HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO TITLE X APPLIES TO PLAY IN ANOTHER COUNTRY IN A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE? SO WAS THERE ANY COMPARISON ONE BETTER THAN ANOTHER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? YEAH, I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY I PLAYED FOR YEARS IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, SO THAT'S WHERE I STARTED.
THEN I DID ONE YEAR IN POLAND, TWO YEARS IN TURKEY, HALF YEAR IN RUSSIA.
MY FAVORITE WAS SONG HANDS DOWN.
JUST IT WAS I DON'T KNOW, THE FAMILY.
LIKE IT WAS REALLY A FAMILY ATMOSPHERE.
YOU GET TO PLAY IN FRONT OF YOUR FRIENDS.
[01:00:07]
AND I KNOW THAT'S THE BIG THING WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT EQUITY AND EQUALITY AND THE PAY RAISE, THE PAY RATE THAT IT'S AT THE LAST CBA THAT THE WNBA SIGNED.NOW YOU ALL THINK ABOUT THE NBA NUMBERS.
NOW, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE IS PROBABLY MAKING SEVEN FIGURES.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
YOU KNOW, THE MONEY IS GOING UP, THE OPPORTUNITY TO THINK.
CATHY CATHY ENGELBERT OUR COMMISSIONER, JUST CAME OUT WITH THE ADDING AN EXTRA AN ADDITIONAL $50,000 TO THE PLAYOFF BONUS POOL. SO THE PLAYERS THAT ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS RIGHT NOW, THE $50,000 WILL GET DISTRIBUTED, WHICH IS FOR THE ONES THAT WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP.
MORE THAN DOUBLE THAN WHAT WE MADE BEFORE.
SO THERE'S PROGRESS HAPPENING.
THIS IS KIND OF WAY OFF YOURSELF.
BUT THERE'S PROGRESS HAPPENING WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PAY SCALE AND PAY EQUITY.
SO I THINK WHY DO WE PLAY OVERSEAS TO MAKE MORE MONEY TO STAY IN SHAPE? YOU KNOW, WE'RE FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS ON HERE IN THE US AND THEN WHAT DO YOU DO TO STAY READY TO PLAY? YOU HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT ATHLETES TO THINK THE OTHER WAY.
WELL, ATHLETES UNLIMITED JUST STARTED A LEAGUE BASKETBALL LEAGUE FOR WOMEN.
SO THAT HAPPENED THIS PAST YEAR.
THIS IS WORKING. AND YOU HEAR ME? OH, I CAN HEAR IT NOW.
ON BEHALF OF DALLAS COLLEGE, I JUST WANT TO THANK TAMIKA SO MUCH FOR COMING.
MY NAME IS LASHAWN GRANT AND I'M FROM THE OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY AND COMPLIANCE.
AND SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT REGARDING EQUITY AND TITLE NINE AND WANTING TO HAVE A FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY INTENT OF TITLE NINE REGARDING EQUITY AND GENDER EQUITY, ESPECIALLY IN ATHLETICS.
AND SO I REALLY WANTED TO PROMOTE THAT FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME AND SHARING YOUR STORY WITH US AND INSPIRING US, WHETHER WE'RE IN ATHLETICS OR WHETHER WE'RE FACULTY OR WHETHER WE ARE IN ADMINISTRATION.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
SO I'M GLAD FOR THE FOLKS THAT DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
AND I'M SURE THAT THERE'S PROBABLY SOME FOLKS THAT WERE PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS ABOUT ASKING QUESTIONS, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG SHE WILL BE WITH US, BUT I WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT IF YOU CAN.
SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT AND PARTICIPATING IN THIS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.