This post is a little late…however, I wanted to share it anyway.

So, yeah, March Madness is all about the frenzy around college basketball and if your bracket will get busted before the Elite Eight. I personally really started paying attention to all of this back in 2010 when my roommate, Rashanda Perryman (she’s married now so Perryman-Stith), watched and so I was drawn into the lovely chaos of it all! Since that time, I will wait until the Elite Eight to make any predictions because it’s called madness for a reason!

I blame Rashanda for my affinity to Women’s Sports. Beyond the March Madness season, her influence opened my eyes to why we have to support collegiate Women’s Sports – not just basketball. For her, support was purchasing tickets and attending Women’s games (even though we didn’t know any of the players) because she knew that our presence meant something. I spent a few cold mornings at track meets cheering for whoever was sitting closest to me on the bleachers. It was exciting because the people out there were going hard for their athletes, so we made some temporary friends with great passion and love!

So, my love for Women’s Sports fueled my desire to earn my Masters in Sports Administration for Southeastern Oklahoma University with the hopes of being a Senior Women’s Administrator (SWA) as my retired career option. Even learning about a SWA was an eye-opener to how much inequities exist in sports from high school to professional. Most recently, the WNBA’s draft player earnings caused more rumblings around equity and race – beyond Caitlin and Angel. Even as we celebrate Dawn and the South Carolina Gamecocks, we have work to do. Work that I want to disrupt how we see, support, and speak about women’s sports!

My word for the year is disruptive and my Bible verse for the year is Esther 4:14 – You were made for such a time as this. March proved to be the month to show me why my word and verse are a perfect fit for me. Disruption is a break from the “norm”, going against the grain and doing something that causes people to take notice. March made me take notice of my life and where I’ve chosen safety over disturbing the peace and shined a bright light on how my presence (when I absorb it fully) is a needed break.

My presence means…
– Showing up fully for myself
– Giving intentional time to my son and family
– Putting the required time into things that

So, here is a quick outline of my March…

Alabama School Counselor Association had me as a featured presenter for their annual state conference. I joined virtually and shared a great time with over four dozen school counselors from across the state. They reminded me how much of our work is from the heart and we have stay in a learning space to fully support our students.

SXSW EDU 2024 was my first time actually presenting at this coveted event (I was slated to present in 2020…we all know what happened.) I presented Who You Talkin’ To?: Black Girl Dialogue with my colleague, Shalanda Smith, and got a chance to meet Dr. Bettina Love and Jacqueline Woodson. I had such a fan girl moment because I respect and adore the work and brilliance of these women.

International Women’s Day was a double celebration starting off with Enterprising Women of Color at their annual State of the Ecosystem and wrapping up the day at the National Black MBA Association – DC Chapter’s Happy Hour in collaboration with BLAZE and Bold Move Branding.

Black Women in Film Network hosted their annual summit in Atlanta and I had the pleasure of attending as a special guest of the Board Chair, Chiquita Lockley! As the editor of their monthly newsletter, I get a chance to work with her regularly and it was amazing seeing her work come to life at this year’s summit. The speakers were outstanding, and I walked away with inspiration for one of my next projects.

Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit in Las Vegas, NV was uplifting, educational, motivational, and life-changing! From the moment I stepped into the lobby to the plane ride home, I experienced kindness, comradery, connections, and a genuine willingness to share information, resources, and time. I am thankful for Geraldine White, a light of love and kindness. She’s the reason I was able to experience BEWOP for the price of a plane ticket to Vegas!

I’m only posting a few photos from each event…a peek at my fun!