Page 26 - NCAT Magazine Fall 2018

self-

exPreSSion

and SPortS

By Tonya D. Dixon ’04
“What we don’t talk about enough is how you can parlay
your former time as an athlete into a professional career.
Student-athletes, communications
students and others from the think, ‘Who am I outside of this sport?’”
university and local communities
welcomed veteran sports journalist — JeMele HIll, sports journalist and correspondent
and correspondent Jemele Hill to
North Carolina A&T as the first
speaker of the Chancellor’s Speaker
Series for the 2018-19 academic year. “People think that just because he Personal opinions aside, Hill continued
(Kaepernick) is woke he needs to to bring the conversation back to
Focusing on self-expression and sports, be broke. It doesn’t work like that,” the students and encouraged them
the conversation was perfectly suited said Hill. to “get the full college experience.”
for Hill to lead. From her days as a For journalists, they should use their
student journalist at Michigan State “The two most respected athletes reporting as a form of activism and
University until her recent departure today are Colin Kaepernick and LeBron come to grips with the fact that social
from ESPN, Hill’s career has extensively James. Athletes feel more encouraged media won’t make you famous.
focused on sports. to have a voice.”
“Do the work,” she said. “What we don’t
Topics from the hour-long event ranged When moderator and N.C. A&T alumnus talk about enough is how you can parlay
from the lighthearted—knowing your and Hall of Famer Darryl Klugh ’00 your former time as an athlete into a
significant other’s Chipotle order read a few of Hill’s recent tweets, professional career. Think, ‘Who am I
(by memory)—to the controversial— she extended the conversation and outside of this sport?’”
the conscious role of athletes, the elaborated on her views. Regarding
boundaries or lack thereof of social her tweet “heard around the world,” The overarching theme for the evening
media and life after sports. accusing the president of the United encouraged students to examine
States of being a bigot, Hill explained themselves, learn the best avenue for
True to her “tell it like it is” personality, her rationale and regret. personal expression and use it to the
Hill tactfully touched on the recent best of their abilities.
narrative surrounding Nike’s partnership “I never thought the tweets about
with NFL activist Colin Kaepernick. In Donald Trump would become a news
summation, she considers it just as much story.” However, she added, “If you’re
a business move as a moral one for both serving in the role of a journalist, you
parties. She also said more athletes have to watch it. I’ll be the first to say
are understanding and leveraging the it’s not what I should have done as a
influence they have for positive impact. journalist.”

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