In HBCU excellence news…
Source: Adriana Sim
Atlanta recently hosted The GameChangHER Brunch & Awards, a powerful celebration of Black women in sports, leadership, and community impact who are not only breaking barriers but also ensuring the doors stay open for those coming behind them.
Recently held at the Renaissance Atlanta Airport Gateway Hotel, this event stood as a highlight of the SWAC Basketball Championship Tournament, marking the first time the tournament was hosted in Atlanta. With that shift came a sense of grandeur and significance and an undeniable reminder that Black women in sports deserve their flowers, their power, and their platforms.
Backed by Insights Marketing and the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority (AFCRA), the brunch gathered HBCU athletes, executives, policymakers, and industry leaders for a morning filled with well-deserved recognition and thought-provoking conversation. ESPN’s first Black female play-by-play commentator, Tiffany Greene, a woman who embodies what it means to be the first but not the last, hosted the event.
Source: Adriana Sim
The Georgia International Convention Center provided the perfect setting, and as soon as I stepped into the space, I could tell this was no ordinary brunch—it was a movement. There was extensive decor and activations reflecting the celebration of Black excellence in sports, beauty, and business, with CurlDaze Haircare and Social House Vodka showing up as proud supporters of HBCU culture.
Source: Adriana Sim
Source: Adriana Sim
Before the event officially kicked off, Georgia State Senator Sonya Halpern told BOSSIP about the significance of being honored as a GamechangeHER.
“I’m excited to be here and recognized as a woman in sports and for the work I’m doing. I always say politics and sports are the same—it’s all about who’s writing the rules and what are the rules of the game.”
Source: Adriana Sim
Tiffany Greene on Why Representation Matters
Once brunch was underway, Tiffany Greene took the mic to set the tone for the day, reminding everyone that they weren’t just there to be seen, they were there because they deserved to be honored.
Source: Adriana Sim
“It’s about creating a space where you don’t even see yourself. All about saying, ‘I believe and want to be here.”
She then welcomed SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland, who emphasized just how significant this event was for the conference and the Black women leading it.
“This is significantly important to us. Not because they are honoring my boss—though that’s always a good thing—but because they are honoring leaders. Not only in this state but this city and nation. I know it’s Women’s History Month, but every day is Women’s History Month. I say this because one of your honorees, Adeenah Pooler, she is our Senior Associate. The SWAC has been around since 1920 and never has there been a female number two in the SWAC and as soon as I get run over by a bus, she’s going to be number one.”
Source: Adriana Sim
American Sports continues to make progress with Women continuing a list of “firsts!”
GameChangHER Award Winners: The Women Leading the Charge
Then, the moment everyone was waiting for—the awards.
Source: Adriana Sim
Source: Adriana Sim
Source: Adriana Sim
See more of our GameChangHER Brunch & Awards recap on the flip.
Memorable Moments: Words That Will Echo Beyond the Ballroom
From the podium, honorees delivered powerful speeches that left the audience inspired and motivated. Some of the standout moments included words of wisdom.
President Tomikia P. LeGrande: “Leadership is a state of being, a way of thinking. When we think of change makers, we think of people who influence others. No one hires leaders to keep the status quo. I’m only one of two women in the President’s Council.”
Source: Adriana Sim
Angela Suggs: “Thank the men that made a way and didn’t stand in the way. Super honored to be here.”
Senator Sonya Halpern: “SWAC isn’t just a sports conference, it’s a legacy.”
Dr. Genese A. Lavalais: “Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not—that’s why we must work to change this.”
Terri Lee: “We’re in a season where our democracy is being threatened. If we don’t stand up for what’s right, we’ll still be fighting. It’s our responsibility to hold individuals accountable.”
Lalia Brock: “Thank you for thinking of me in the same era and for giving women a space to be celebrated. I believe that history repeats itself. If we take the power of sport to do amazing things, I think we’re going to do just fine.”
Erika Mitchell: “I would like to acknowledge my late college coach and high school coach. I remember when Coach Crump at Alabama State called my father and told him, ‘Give her to me, and I’ll make sure she graduates.’ This is what HBCUs do. I’m the caregiver of my father, who is battling stage 4 cancer, but I know he would be proud of me. I advocate for HBCU students to join the SWAC because sports help students matriculate through college and help them become leaders. This conference helped shape my journey.”
Mayor Pro Tem Jamelle McKenzie: “It’s not who you are known for but rather who you have come to be.”
Source: Adriana Sim
The GameChangHER Brunch & Awards not only recognizes but empowers the next generation. This event is about giving women their flowers, now! Black women in sports aren’t just making history—they are the future.
