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Hey everybody, and welcome back to Echoes of the Yard. My name is Kendyl Terrell, a soccer player at Jackson State University, and this podcast is all about HBCUs. The good, the bad, and some things you've never heard of. We're here to talk about it all. So for the fourth episode, I am joined with one of my close friends, Adrianna Pratt, a soccer player at Grambling State University. And even though, you know, we're supposed to be enemies, don't get started, bro. We've gotten so much to talk about, about your experience and everything. So tell me a little bit about yourself, like let everybody know. Woo. Let's see. Start from the beginning. Oh gosh. Okay. So I guess a little bit about my background and how I got to Grambling or not how, but just starting with my college career in general.

So hi everybody. My name is Adrianna Pratt. I am an upcoming third-semester senior at Grambling State University. I am a center back defender and I've spent two years at Grambling. But before there, I first committed to the University of Missouri, Kansas City. I was actually a forward there. So I don't even think you knew that, but I was literally a forward. I was recruited as a center back, but my coach left and we got a new coach. And this girl had me up top knowing I didn't know what I was doing. And so anyway, I did my first two years there studying mechanical engineering. And then now at Grambling, I study engineering technology and then math and physics. And yeah, that's pretty much my life. Okay. So first of all, go into, okay, hold on.

So before we get into all the accolades at the level we are now, how and why did you start playing soccer? Like what is your why? That's such a good question. Okay. Well, honestly, it wasn't really up to me. Like my parents put me in soccer at the age of three or four and I just stuck with it ever since. Like in little league, I just, I can remember like the anger I used to feel even back at like four or five years old, bro. Because like one thing about me, if I do something, I'm gonna commit to it and I'm gonna try to do my best at whatever that thing is. Yes. I'm like, okay, objective is get the ball into the goal. Boom.

Wasn't really a forward mentality, but I was like, okay, I need to protect the goal. So I'm gonna take that upon myself to do that. Yes. And this girl's on my team, picking flowers in the middle of the field, like not paying attention. I'm like, oh my God. Like, please get it together. From the age of like four to eight, I played on the same recreational soccer team and the girls were the coaches' daughters. It's just like, it's not going to get any better. And we all know how that goes. Girl, literally. Playing against COA, playing against boys. And then eventually some coaches sought out my parents and they're like, she needs to do club soccer. Like she, her skill level, if you want her to continue to advance and she really enjoys it, you need to switch her over to competitive.

And my parents are like, do you really like it? Because my parents are also the type of people who they made me and my siblings do every sport in the book. Like I did swimming, track. Track. Basketball, volleyball, like everything. You're going to find a way to college. That's all they said. Oh no, we're going to find a way to pay for this. Yes. So they like asked me and they're like, hey, we're about to spend this money on you. Do you really like, like, how much do you like soccer? And I just fell in love with it. Honestly, it was just natural. Literally ever since four or five years old and yeah, transition to club. And then the rest is kind of history with the recruitment process. And then eventually, now college.

So yeah, no, like I definitely can like relate to that. Like three, four years old. It's like when I entered, like you said, really didn't have a choice with them. Like, it's kind of like I made it my choice. You know what I'm saying? So like, as I was, as I was going through the motions and going through like the motions of other sports and everything, it's like nothing tugged on my heart like soccer did. Like nothing gave me that, like, no, this is for you, girl. Like you need to stay here. Literally, it was between volleyball and soccer for me. My parents were like, listen, we're not paying for two club sports. So my ninth-grade year, at the end of my ninth-grade year, I had to choose, and they're like, pick which sport you want to do in college.

And I was like, volleyball; I love, I literally just finished playing volleyball last night. Like I love volleyball so much, but it's just soccer. I don't know what it was like. And honestly, sometimes I remember running the fitness test. I'd be like, 'Why did I choose this?' Literally out of all sports, I chose the one you have to run. But at the end of the day, like, it's just something that I have a deep love and passion for. And that literally makes me happy. Like I love playing volleyball, but it doesn't make me happy. Playing soccer, ups and downs, it's going to make me happy regardless. Yeah. Like through the good and the bad, I know, like every time, like I will turn to soccer, like there's some good, like at the end of the tunnel for soccer for me, like volleyball was just kind of like, okay, like here and there, but that soccer was like, nah, like just to wreck a girl.

Like, oh, I just, I don't know. Yo. It just does something to me, you know? No, literally. I'll be locked in. Yes, literally. When did you realize you wanted to pursue it in college? Like, when did you realize like you were at that stage, you were good enough to play in college? Honestly, probably that year that they made me decide. That next year, I was like, okay, well, I said that I'm going to do this. So, I'm going to do it. And a lot of coaches, like, I don't know. I've, I feel like as you are like kind of progressing, you start to kind of notice the difference between like politics and club soccer and who's good enough, who's not.

And so even just that like situation, like motivated me and I don't know, like, I just, I feel like freshman, sophomore year of high school is when I was like hey this is something that I'm gonna do and I just wanted to play D1 soccer because yeah I used to have a dream of like my middle school dream was playing on the U.S. women's national team okay girl but I was like okay boom here are the steps to get there play D1 get recruited etc yeah it's like the steps the steps literally so yeah okay so did you ever go through a phase where it was like you noticed that you were the only black girl or there was maybe um two or three like did you ever go through that it's just like okay like why am I you know when yeah where where everybody is that literally my entire soccer career like up until college uh the most black girls I've ever had on my team is three until I got to gambling but up until like up until my sophomore year of college it was three and I I literally kept count like every single year up until my freshman year it was always me but then my sophomore year of high school it was three and I was like whoa I was like okay right and then that got taken away and then my senior year and junior senior year it was thank you thank you we invited Too many of y'all, yeah too much. I'm glad, like we could like kind of laugh at it now, but like back then I was like, 'Oh my gosh', like I can't breathe, yes like it's like I felt like I was drowning sometimes and like I was exhausted, always trying to walk around on eggshells and having to act a certain way, put on a certain face for like them.

And I'm just like, 'What the heck'? It's like every time I came home, I was like, 'Like', yeah, and then I was like, 'I had to keep trying to walk big breath in' and was like, 'This cannot be the only way'. I was like, 'There's just no way', like this isn't it. You know, I'm saying so...like, I don't know, just coming. to my HBCU girl girl it was a whole game changer for me but before we get into that okay tell me about your high school years young adult years and if you're comfortable can you share a little bit about you coming out if you're and it's up to you though.

Yeah my high school years honestly I'm one of the few people I know who actually loved high school like I loved it I love okay yeah like I talked to some people they're like I would never go never go back and I mean yeah it's it just sound like you kind of look back at certain friendships and relationships and yeah they probably didn't treat you the best but like at that point in your life I was having the time of my life, like going to school seeing kids five days a week. Like I loved it, even. So I went to a college prep school, so like, it was just like, if you go to that school, you know you're going to college and you're going to be somebody.

Like everybody that I know from my class, majority is like doing pretty well in life, so it was just kind of set up in that way. But also, my high school is actually the first high high school in Kansas City that black people could go to, so it's turned into yeah. So it turned into into a a college preparatory school and you had to test to get in. But it also had that history behind it, so like Going there, you just understood how I don't know, just like thankful, yeah, like important it is to be there and to get a good education, and how far that we've come, obviously it's desegregated now, but like still it was majority black, and so literally just living that black excellence every single day, and trying to live up to something, and knowing the legacy that it had, it was very inspiring, and to this day, like it's kind of made me who I am.

I love that. While that was happening, I was also in denial about being gay, playing all the sports, playing club soccer, but a very like internal conflict because I was raised um Baptist Christian. um like I go to a Baptist church, but like Christian, so yeah, Southern Baptist at that. Um, so like I just honestly I remember the first time I even heard the word 'gay.' I'll never forget this day in my life. I was in fourth grade and being the little nerd that I am, me and my friends after school we had a dictionary and we're flipping through the dictionary just like learning new words, etc., etc. And so we found the word 'gay' in the dictionary. The word 'gay' means happy.

So I get in the car; I'm like, 'Okay, I got my little fun fact for the day.' I get in the car, my mom picks me up, and I'm like, 'Okay, I got my little fun fact for the day from school,' and I'm like Mom, guess what? Like, I learned a new word today, and she's like 'what?' And I'm like 'gay', and I'm like 'guess what it means'? Flip the switch! Like, basically, the moral of the story being gay is wrong. Was mad that I even found that word in the book. Like, don't be gay because that's wrong. Like, it's ungodly, etc., etc. So, I was like 'okay', literally, the next day, I had a best friend, we had been gone to pre-K through up to that point together, and I was like 'we hug every day, like, we're excited to see each other.' And my mom kind of explained to me like being gay is like girl and girl or like boy and boy, etc.

So, when she went to hug me that day, I was kind of like 'girls'. Back up, like no, I'm not being associated with we cannot, my mama's saying uh-uh, like no, and so that, like mentality of gay being wrong carried into my high school years, and just like yeah, all of my high school years, honestly, so even though I had tendencies that I look back and I'm like, yeah, girl, that was definitely questionable, you probably should have known before I was like no, I'm not gay, so that carried on until my freshman year of college, and I kind of always told myself that, like or I guess people had told me as well, college is just like when you learn who you truly are, and it's like everything the time of your life is like I'm not.

gay I'm not gay, I'm not gay, I'm not gay, I'm not gay, I'm not gay, I'm not gay, I'm not gay, branch out and just like explore etc. with like studies, friends, everything, and so yeah, my first year of college, I came a little bit more comfortable and internally I was like yeah, I like girls but I also like boys, yeah, and I was talking to boys at that point the year before that, I had a boyfriend, so I was really selling this to everybody like, 'I was straight for sure', you was the best like, ran the award winner, only my close friends had ever known about the relationships and interactions I had with girls, and so freshman. Year of college went through that whole year internally being like, 'Yeah, I'm bisexual,' only my close friends know.

Didn't come out to my team, or any of that. Um, the year after my freshman summer is actually when I met my girlfriend, now. What's funny is we thought we were about to be besties, like she, she went to a school also in Missouri, so I went to school in Missouri as well. Our colleges were three hours away from each other, but she's also from KC and had we had mutual friends that we didn't even know about. So my girlfriend is uh, she's about to go to medical school actually, wow! Literally this coming week, so wow, that is big! I know, I'm so proud of her, my little baby, but I love that so she majored in chemistry and then,

so, chemistry majors, depending on your college, you'll have to take math, and so me being an engineering student, I obviously have to take math, so we were in calculus two at the same time, different colleges, but we had met honestly when we were 16 at a birthday party and exchanged social medias back then didn't even really like know about it but like I would see her stuff, I knew she was pretty etc but she had like a boyfriend, so I wasn't really worried about her like and I was in denial but come back to freshman summer um we're both like ranting on our social mediagaes too is stress etc so we started texting about that and like studying together and trying to help each other out and then I was like oh like we should hang out this summer like you're really cool and so we started hanging out um literally invited her out with me and my friends

and internally like I just have a really bad habit of like having friends or like okay I guess I don't have a bad habit I'll say this anybody that I've ever been with has always started as my friend so I was like I'm not going to do this like yes she's bullshit but I'm not going to do this really pretty we will be really good together but Like, I don't know if she's gay; like I don't she's the most straight-passing person I know, so I was like, I'm not even about to test the waters and make myself look goofy out here. Like, we can be friends that's cool, she's cool as a friend, and little did she know - like, little did I know she secretly liked me too.

So throughout that summer, we eventually, a month later after like hanging out as friends, we started like cuddling and like all that stuff. But anyway, the day that I came out who's today? Okay, it'll be like basically three weeks from it'll be three years in three weeks from like today - wow! Yeah, which is it's honestly crazy to think. About because I'm like, 'Dang, has it been that long?' It's blown. I'm saying, like, we've also almost been together three years in August, and what happened was she had invited me over to house sit because she was house sitting for her sister, and I was, I was 18 at that point, yeah, I was 18 three years ago, so like you know, you still tell your parents everything.

My parents are just the type of parents whenever you walk out the door they're going to ask you where you're going and where you're going to be back, like that's just, yeah, their thing works, that's just how they are, yeah. And so I'm like, 'Hey, like I'm about to go hang out with Marissa'. for the weekend we're house sitting for her sister and my mom she always makes these like little sly comments like just little little dabs here and there and at that point I had just kind of been fed up with it so she was like I hope y'all not going together we're in the kitchen at this point like girl I'm

trying to tell you that I'm leaving for the weekend and now you're trying to bash gay people like and so I was like mom you do know I'm gay right and then yeah cat was that I literally not even no thoughts just out my mouth like I don't I still to this day like I was just so fed up that I was just like you know I'm not going to I'm gonna say It but it didn't really mentally register that I was saying what I was saying, so told my mom that she she basically like just jaw dropped I guess that I actually said it at this and thankfully my I thank God that my brother was home because I had came out to my brother and my sister before my parents because oh yeah they just knew like my brother actually he's the first person that actually came out to my brother and my sister and my sister and my sister and my

family just because I knew he was going to be like welcoming with open arms, he's like the most he's the best person I know so I told him first, that's my sister, and then I told my parents and so that came out my mouth my mom starts talking my dad overhears it like the conversation so he comes in the kitchen and it turns into a two-hour lecture my brother comes upstairs and he's basically my only defense and so I'm just in the kitchen crying trying to basically just crying honestly while they're talking to me and are telling me how ashamed and disappointed they are at me and yeah then I left so yeah and then I left and I did not talk to them for the whole weekend and they were like blowing on my phone like we love you so much like obviously I know y'all love me to a certain extent but why can't you just love me for me all of me yeah right so that's really the story

well so what led you like what led you to Gremlin and like did you always want to go to an HBCU like how was that um I know I know you've done a lot for Gremlin so let's get into that so first what led you there so what led me it's honestly funny because now that I think about it like back in high school I always used to tell my friends yeah I'm gonna do two years at a PWI then I go to HBCU because like a lot of my high school friends went to HBCUs and I'm like dang like I'm gonna go to like I will see their stories and just like hearing

about the experiences that they were having and I was Like, dang, like I really don't get to have or share that same experience because I am where I am and so it's something that I said literally two years before I actually did what I did but um, so basically got into the portal after my sophomore year and or yeah, sophomore spring, so it was like April-ish, and so started talking to a bunch of different schools. And I'm not gonna lie, like I didn't even know HBCUs have women's soccer before going to Gremlin or like before being in the portal. So, Gremlin was actually the first person to reach out to me in the portal, like literally within 12 hours, first ping I got in my email, and then I was like Oh, like wait a minute, this is an HBCU and they have soccer and they're D1 because in the first round of my recruitment process, no literally in the first round of my recruitment process, no one liked none of the

coaches I had ever asked if I wanted to go to HBCU really or anything like that so it was just, it really wasn't on my radar um at all honestly I was honestly just like, hey what is the best program that's gonna do the best for me engineering wise but then also pay for my schooling so that's the route that I went and it kind of happened pretty quick so I wasn't really too focused on any cultural aspects or anything like that but. Honestly, after being three uh like three black girls of 33 it was just like on my last team I was like okay this is kind of draining, like not only am I the only black girl in all of my engineering classes literally all day long then I come to practice and I'm one of three but then the other two girls they're also mixed so they have a white parent like I don't everybody on the team basically had a white parent besides me so I don't know

it was just it took me honestly a long time to warm up to my team just because of my whole life of playing club soccer and not really feeling like I could be who I am, so when I got into the Portal and Grambling. Reached out to me, then I started looking into HBCUs and then um yeah honestly my coach is a salesman and he sold me the dream and yeah I was just like honestly this will be a good change for me definitely sounds like your coach yeah no literally he sells that man so he sold me the dream and it was something that I really wanted and like changing that aspect just because of feeling isolated for literally my whole life up until that point in regards to soccer so I was like this is the change that I want to make and yeah that's what led me to Grambling so I love that so okay

everybody let me let you in on a little secret, she might be very Humble in her skills or whatever, and let me give you some context I'm a center forward, she's a center back, and we literally every time we play against each other it's us, we're right there, we're talking the whole game, we're playing against each other the whole game, we're complaining the whole game, like it's it's a whole shebang. Um, and she got preseason defensive player of the year uh for 2023, she also got um defensive player of the week, she was first team, like my girl is that like she's a good girl, she's a good girl, she's a good girl, she's a good like don't don't let her fool you with the kind the intimacy, like no, she's that she's That's so just like off your soccer experience, like how would you rate your experience at Grambling as an athlete overall, compared to my last school?

Or, overall, like, um, just like trainers, uh, practices time management, like, just as an athlete overall at Grambling, like your experience. I would say probably seven out of ten, okay, hey that's okay, yeah, I just you know I love my HBCU, but there's some things I do appreciate PWi story, yeah one of them is time management and communication, communication, like don't get me started on the trainers. We have three trainers for all of the sports at Grambling, soccer is in the same season as Football, yeah, I feel like I don't even need to say much more; like no three trainers three trainers in the same season as football. We would have some practices where we would not even have water; I kid you not - no cooler, no nothing, no Wi-Fi.

We go into the training room trying to get tape. All the football players get to go before us, even though we have practice sooner than they do. Like, why are y'all here an hour and a half? Don't get me started. But it's just, yeah. That aspect is really – and the thing is, like, I understand to a certain point, but I also feel like you can only tolerate so much. Like, if you truly want to recruit good talent and keep that talent and continue to recruit good talent, like, you have to treat your athletes a certain way. And HBCUs – I'm not going to say – I'm not even going to generalize. Grambling has not had the best track record with that. I have seen improvements.

Like, I do talk to a lot of administrators, and they do ask for our feedback on things that can improve. And so we're, like, continuously voicing it. But I also know, like, there is a funding aspect to it. Or so they say. You know, because football got a new locker room. But, you know – I feel like that – We don't have one at all. We don't have one at all. No. At all? At all. They at least gave us a little space. We don't have bathrooms. We don't even have bathrooms. Oh, yeah. When we came to Clio, there was no bathroom. No lights. Yeah. The lights, bro. Our field is right next to softball. I'm like, if y'all don't just roll these lights, it's literally right there. Like, bro.

And it forces us to play in, like, 100-degree heat. Literally, like, a health hazard. Literally playing in the heat of the day. Doing the most running out of all the sports on campus. Literally. Priorities. It's literally hectic. Like, oh. Okay, so to add on to that, do you think playing at an HBCU has made, like, college sports easier or harder for you? Ugh. Ugh. Uh, like, in terms of, like, skill level or, like, school-college sports balance? Okay, um, let's start with, like, skill level because, like, I love to dabble in the skill level because, like, I've been to three different colleges, including my HBCU, so, like, I definitely have played in, like, a bit of every level. So, like, just, like, the level of play for you. Like, how is that?

Um, I think it's honestly the same. I low-key wish my rival would play us. And what's funny, is my coach is so petty, bro. This man literally emailed my old coach asking to play them. Don't get me started. He is insane. But the play is a little bit different. I think the SWAC in general, like, our conference is way more physical than I've ever experienced, but I also don't really mind that. Yeah. Me neither. So, that aspect, I don't really. Now, the refs, if they were a little bit better, yeah. But the physicality, like, it's a physical thing. It's the fact that we literally call them SWAC refs. Yeah. Like, they're bad. They're called SWAC refs. Oh, they're, like, SWAC refs. Like, we literally use that even in my club.

It's insane. We're like, oh, they're SWAC refs. I'm like, bro, what? I just, I never, ever understand what’s going on. Please don’t get me started. Imagine being 6’2”. 6’2”, no fouls called for you at all. I’m so sorry. Because I’m 5’9”, and they don’t ever call anything for me. So, I’m already known. Like, I’m so sorry. Oh, my God. Oh, my gosh. It’s, like, literally horrible. But skill level is horrible. It’s been good. Like, I think, honestly, my coach now emphasizes skills, like, technical skills of each player more than my last university coach did. Yeah. So, like, it’s honestly forced me to kind of improve in that area, even though I’m not an attacking player anymore. I think that my, the side of me attacking, like, doing 1v1 drills and, like, 2v3, stuff like that, it has actually improved since I've been in Grambling.

Which is kind of cool. It's kind of nice, because it's something that I never really focused on before, honestly. Like, I was, like I said, I was recruited as a center back as a freshman, got to my freshman year of college, and now I'm a forward. And so, I feel like if I had had that background a little bit sooner, I might have done better at that position at that time. But, yeah, that's, yeah, I can definitely give, like, praise to my coach at Jackson State. Like, Coach Ted has literally, he deserves it. He has not let me be the mediocrity, like, that other coaches have let me. Like, yes, my average is majority better than majority players, but he was like, no, like, that's not good enough.

Like, I need, I need you to be up here. He, like, reminds me every day, like, coaches have let you get away with, like, being that average 70%, 60% player, but I need you to be the best. Like, I need you to come in here and want to be the best. Get everything you, like, your last game, you should have gave everything into this program. And, like, I think that's what I appreciate about it. Much like he will literally kill you in the sense of drain all your energy. If you have some left, you're going again. Like, and I just truly appreciate that. I know a lot of girls be like, 'Oh, my gosh, like, I don't want to do that.' But it's like, wow, no, like, you genuinely want to be, like, want me to be that top dog.

So it's just kind of like, yeah, it's, it's amazing to me because I wasn't really getting recognized at my majority white schools and I was leading in every stat. And then I come here and it's like, wow, no, like, people know who I am. Like, 'Oh, that's the girl.' At Jackson with the tattoos, like, like, no, like, people, like, like, know who I am. So it's just kind of like, wow. It's definitely, like, a whole bang. And I'm like, okay, like, and it's just like, you finally get the, it's like a hit or miss with the recognition, though. Like, SWAC awards is kind of crazy. That's why I was so shocked about me getting offensive player of the year this year. I was just like, you sure?

Because, like, last year, y'all screwed me. So it was like, it's definitely, but, like, not. I definitely appreciate my HBCU in that sense. Like, there's no excuse now. Like, it's not politics. It's not based off that I'm not the right color. It's like, you're either good or you're not. So, like, that's what you're here for. So do you think it was, like, more enjoyable? Enjoyable? Yeah. Not even enjoyable in that aspect, but also just my team. Like, literally my whole soccer experience has changed solely because of my team. Like, I love my team so much, bro. And I literally told them this. Like, on our last game, I'm like, y'all literally have saved my life. And, like, it's crazy to say that because, so, back to my sophomore year, I ended up getting hurt in preseason.

Literally the last day of preseason tore my meniscus. We had a game against KU that next day. So I obviously didn't play. So it was a lot of things that went on, like, trainer-wise, MRI-wise. Like, the whole team was like, 'oh, my God'. The timeline of things, I didn't get an MRI. They didn't really know what was wrong. Like, three, four weeks later. So then I was doing PT, but we weren't really targeting the right thing. So it was basically useless. And that, like, basically pushed back my recovery time. So long story short, I didn't end up fully recovering. And not even really fully recovering, but being able to play again to some extent until, like, a week and a half, maybe two weeks before the season was, like, done.

Like, we didn't make it to conference, like, the conference championship. Like, none of that, our season's done. So walked in, my coach is like, we don't really see you coming back next year because you didn't improve. And I'm scratching my head, like, you walk past me every day on the sidelines doing PT. Like, you know that I tore my meniscus. You know what I've been going through and been recovering from. And they're like, oh, well, but your numbers in the weight room aren't really good. Girl, you try to go squat 260 on a freaking torn meniscus. Torn meniscus. Yeah. But at that point, I was just like, listen, you've basically proven to me that you don't value me here and you don't want to see me here, so why would I stay here?

But she essentially told me that, like, oh, you're so involved around campus and we love having you around that you can keep your tuition, but you can be a manager. So after that fall season was over, I was actually a manager for my team that spring. And watching my teammates play the sport that I love and basically being able to play the sport that I love, being told, hey, you're not good enough, but you can be the manager. Like, that just, it was literally like somebody stabbed me in the chest. Like, I hated watching. Yeah, confidence was shot. Yes. Hated watching their practices every single day. Still had to block out that time. It's not even like I could study more. Like, still had to block out that time to go to practice, to sit there, to watch.

And so, and that aspect coming from, like, you're not good enough to play with us to a team. Because, like, I even told my teammates, like, I'm not good enough to play with you. I'm not good enough to play with my team, how she did me. Like, it was, like, I confided in them. And I guess you can't really expect people to fight your battles for you. But I feel like if somebody on my team was treated that way, like, I would want them to at least say something or stick up for me to some extent. So coming from that environment to the new environment where literally I love my team, everybody supports everybody, everybody is my best friend. Like, we hang out outside of soccer.

And just the bond that we have, even playing, like, I've never experienced it in my entire life. So, like, that's why I'm like, y'all literally saved my life. Because I was at the point where I literally played a sport that I loved my whole life, got my confidence shot, and I never wanted to touch a soccer ball again. So, like, I don't know. It just, it really has changed my outlook on a lot of things. And I really appreciate them for that. Nah, and I literally love that. Because, like, my experience at Jackson State, like, I think, don't get me wrong, like, every school has their drama. You know, like, we have our drama or whatever. But, like, this is the first place, like, I felt like I didn't have to switch identities.

Like, I didn't have to act like someone I wasn't. It was, like, my true self. You either liked me or you didn't. Like, it wasn't because of my skin color. It was because, like, we either meshed or we didn't. And, like, I think that was such a turning point for me. And, like, don't get me wrong. It was hard. Like, I'm the type of person I grew up. Like, my mom's a widowed parent of four. So, like, when we lost my dad before I went into college, like, it was hard. It was hard for me to open up to people, trust people with that. Because it's, like, I got somebody taken away I couldn't say goodbye to. So, it was just kind of, like, I always kept people at, like, face value and a distance.

So, like, it was hard. Like, I pushed people away. I pushed people away. I was going through my own grieving process. But it was just, like, there. It's, like, my first year there, they were just breaking my wall down, breaking my wall down. And I just kept pushing, kept pushing. And this past year, like, I genuinely had it over my eyes and see that, no, like, these people are here to care about you. These people are here to, like, express that there is change in people. They're, like, people can get second chances. People can do this. And, like, we don't see you as a bad person. We see you as our friend, as our teammate, as one of our leaders. So, it was just kind of, like, what the heck?

It just was like a 360 for me. So, I think going into an unknown territory just kind of, like, scared me a little bit. So, it was just, like, I don't know. I might look. I might look so tough and mean compared to outside people. But, like, on the inside, like, I'm a teddy bear. Like, I'm sensitive. I have feelings. Like, it's just how it is. So, like, coming to an HBCU and then, like, showing my true colors and, like, bringing who I am really out. I'm like, wait. I've been trying to hide this. Like, why y'all trying to bring this out of me? No. But, yeah. And even with your team, though. Like, I've become friends with Alyssa, Madison, your goalkeeper. Like, it was just kind of crazy. Because you connect.

To, like, certain types of people. So, it's just, like, it's really nice. Literally, like, on that connecting point, like, just it's crazy how fast you can connect with somebody when you don’t have to hide who you are. Like, I felt so isolated on my last team just because of being one of the only Black girls and feeling like I couldn’t necessarily be who I was. Not even because, like, they hounded me or, like, isolated me in general. It was just, like, a self-mentality. But, simply, the race barrier being broken down in Grambling, walking to my first practice and being like, we all here to play soccer. Like, whoa, what’s going on? And how easy it was for me to connect just in the sense of, like, oh, these are my people.

Like, I don’t even got a sense of my language. Like, it was just instant. Like, instant friendships. Instant bonding. Just, like, everything. So, it's crazy that you mentioned that. Yeah. It's like being in a conversation and you switch from always being the person that has to make everybody laugh and then be the person laughing. Like, I feel as though going to my HBCU, it's like I was laughing at them instead of them laughing at me. Like, sometimes, like, I wasn't the only one making the jokes. Like, they were making the jokes, too. And I was like, oh, my gosh. Literally. Like, y'all understand me. What? Like, I'm not speaking, like, a different language. We both speak English. Like, it was just. So, it was actually such a, like, a breath of fresh air for me.

Like, 100%. But our last question is presented by our sponsors, Cricket Wireless. So, shout out to my people, Cricket, a proud supporter of HBCU and culture and community, all of the above. How is it going to an HBCU-influenced person you are today? Let's see. That's a hard question. I'm not going to lie. It's made me appreciate relationships more, but also appreciate who I am more. So, kind of, like, going back to being the only one and then being not the only one. Like, at an HBCU, especially at Grambling, too, because it's not, like, a super huge HBCU. Like, it's, like, maybe 5,000 students there. So, in my classes, number one, I'm still. There's still only a few. There's still only a few black girls in engineering.

But we're still all black, and our professors are black, and they look like us. So, there's a different level of, like, care and investment that they already want to put in you simply because they look like you, and they've been where you've been, and they want to see you better than them. So, the relationships that I have with my professors, they literally feel like family. Like, I go there. The authenticity and, like, genuineness. Yes. Just, like, just the genuine connection and relationship. I honestly feel like has changed who I am and made me appreciate who I am even more. To be like, hey, yeah, we're black. Yeah, we're surrounded by black people. But you still have something uniquely valuable to not only, that's not only valuable here, but that you can take back into a space where you are the only one.

But you don't have to sell yourself to try to fit in. Like, just be the authentic you. So, it's definitely taught me that. For sure. I, oh my gosh, I genuinely love that answer because, like, relationships. Like, I didn't even think about it like that. Like, if someone would ask me the same question, I genuinely wouldn’t have said, like, relationships. But now I'm just sitting back and hearing you say that, like, no. Like, the relationships that I've made with my professors, that I've even made outside of my soccer team with my major, like, friends, like, my psychology friends. Like, it's just kind of like, what the heck? Like, I can call them and they can be like, hey, like, what you need? Like, it's literally the relationships. Like, the relationships made me feel like I was safe and secure in a place, like, in myself.

I love that. Thank you so much for joining me and sharing your experiences with us. Of course. AP, like, listeners, thanks for tuning in. We've got tons more great guests and we'll continue talking about HBCUs from all angles. So, make sure you rate, review, and subscribe so you don't miss out on more Echoes of the Yard presented by Cricket Wireless. Thank you. Thank you for having me.