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Hey everybody, and welcome back to Echoes of the Yard. I'm your host Kendyl Terrell, a soccer player at Jackson State University, and this podcast is all about HBCUs. From the guests to the topics, the good and the bad, we're here to talk about it all. For the sixth episode, I am joined by Destiny Howell, a basketball player at Howard University. Say hello. Hello. We've got a lot to talk about. I'm very interested about your story. I've been reading about it a little bit and our stories are kind of the same in the sense. So tell me about yourself, where you're from, your upbringing, siblings, like tell me a little about yourself. Born and raised in New York. Always repped New York to the fullest. Grew up with a single mom.

I have two sisters, four and ten, so you know, got the yuck, got the yuck. Went to high school in Queens, kind of bounced all around between Long Island and Queens, just, you know, living with a single mom. She had to get a few different jobs in different places. So, you know, just moving, moving all around to make ends meet. And, you know, I feel like her putting me in that school in Queens, St. Francis Prep, just kind of changed the trajectory of where my life was going. And that ended up, you know, bringing me to Howard, which, that is, that is the next part of my, of my story. So how and why did you start playing basketball? Like, did you, was it your calling? Did you just get put into it?

Like, tell me your story about that. So my, my dad actually took me to like one of the little like old man, like rec league games. And I was just like watching him hoop and kind of got bored. And during halftime, like me and a few other, other kids like went to go pick up, pick up a few balls and just start shooting. And this dude was like, yo, like Steve, that's your daughter. Like, you should, you should put her in, like, you should put her in a, like an actual like game or like teams or just, cause you know, in New York, it's a lot of different opportunities, especially in New York. I'm always saying that to just play basketball, whether it's park, CYO, outdoor league, like it's always something to do.

So, you know, he kind of invited me to play with his boys' team. And funny story, I actually started playing with boys. And I didn't start playing with girls up until I was 14, like throughout the whole, you know, season. And that was, that was a, like a big adjustment for me. Because I'm used to... Yeah. That's crazy because like I play soccer. So I started off playing with boys. I have a twin brother actually. So that's crazy. You say that too, because, um, I, we were literally on the same team for forever. I was always the only girl, like, it's just, so once it got to that area, it was like, Oh, sorry, you got to start playing with your gender. Now I'm like, okay. Like it was, it was such a different aspect.

It was a turn of events. Cause like girls are sensitive. Like girls are very like, you know, hold grudges. I know exactly what you mean. Yeah. So it was a very different dynamic. Like the way I played soccer, it was like aggressive and like, I needed to calm down. And like the passion I had for the sport was me being angry. And I was like, no, like this is just how we play, you know? So it was a very big adjustment. Our story is literally, that's actually crazy. Yeah. A single parent. Uh, I'm the youngest of four. My dad died when I was 15. So like she had to raise the four of us by herself and like she, she had, uh, to get multiple jobs.

So I definitely understand like your, uh, like what you mean about that? Like just basically providing and having, just making a way for all of us. So, and we all played soccer in every sport. So that girl is a soldier. So I definitely get that. So tell me about your high school years. Like, how was that? Like, how was high school for you? So I started out in Glen Cove on Long Island and, uh, it was public school league. So it was pretty, I actually started playing varsity in eighth grade. They, they moved me up. And, uh, that was a, that was an experience. Because you know, I was 13, like trying to play with these, like 17, 18 year olds. Um, and it was, it was hard. It was hard at first.

Um, just trying to figure out like where, where I really fit in as a person, where I fit in as a person. Um, trying to just make sure that, you know, I'm like not necessarily meeting their standard, but at the same time, like meeting their standards. Yeah. And eighth grade was a little bit of a challenge. Move on to freshman year. Uh, I started to really like find my groove. That's when, you know, I started having more people, you know, pop out the games and like write articles on me. And I started having like a way better year than I had in eighth grade. Sophomore year was like, okay, yeah, she's good. She's good. Um, she's one of them ones. Like, nah. Yeah.

I was probably like, I think top, top 10, like leading the scores in, in Long Island at the time. And, uh, I just wanted, I knew that that wasn't the place for me to flourish in the way that I needed to, um, grades were slipping, you know, it was public school. They don’t really like, they don’t care the same and they don’t have to, cause it is public school. So, you know, they give you the freedom to do whatever you want. And I was doing whatever I wanted to do. Not too much on public schools now. I was a public school baby. Not too much cause I, I, I allowed attitude from my experience, but I knew that me not being the most disciplined person, I needed to go somewhere where they were very much like, no, you need to do this, this, this, and that.

And I, when I went to St. Francis Prep, that kind of helped me pull my grades up because, you know, that was another thing to get into school. You need, you need grades. Yeah. Pull my grades up about junior year. I, I did okay. Um, playing in a way more competitive league. And that was something that was like a big adjustment. I'm going from, you know, being the, being one of them ones to, oh, dude, y'all all one of them ones. Like, you know, humble, humble fast. Yes. So, it was a really challenging experience just with the structure, with the discipline, with me actually commuting to school. That was, that was probably the hardest part. So, a lot of people don't know. I had to wake up every day at like 5:30 to catch my 6:05 train.

Well, no, take the cab to the train and take the train, then bus stop, and take the bus to school. And that was my day. And that was, it was rough. Like, you know, trying to balance that, trying to balance just being a, being a kid and especially homework, family life and all that. Um, I would say my senior year, definitely my hardest year, definitely. My most like life-changing year. Um, I started off the year finding out that my mom had cancer in October, and that kinda, not kinda, definitely shook some things up in my mental, just between how I was moving, how I was going to school. Um, a lot of things. And at the same time, my sister was just born. She was about four months at the time.

My other sister was four years old. So me having, kind of take on that mom role while managing everything else I was already doing was really tough. And, you know, seeing, seeing my mom, who was my superhero, who I've seen make it happen for all of us, my whole entire life, not being in a, in a state where she was, she was viewed as strong, seeing, actually seeing weak, actually seeing her defeated. It kinda, you know, it, it really messed with me, but at the same time, it made me a lot mentally stronger. And it made me kind of embody those traits that, you know, I've seen her, I've seen her have my whole life. And I think that that really pushed me even a little bit more to, you know.

You found your why. I think like that just explains you found your why. You found the reason why you step onto that court and give it your all every day. And like, I, like, it's so crazy. I kind of have chills, like you just saying that, cause my senior year was tough for me too. Like it was the first moment, like I just stopped like surrounding myself around fake, fake people and realized like, I missed my dad. Like, I, I don't know how to do this without him. And so like, that was definitely my turning point in high school. It was just kind of like, no, like this was y'all's dream. Like you have something to fight for. Like every time you step on that field, this is your passion.

This is your why you always have to remember your why. And like, that was definitely a big turning point for me, especially knowing that I was about to go to college. It was just kind of like, you need to get it together or you're you'll fumble, you'll fall. So like, I definitely appreciate that sense of like you understanding like that struggle, you know? So, okay. So through all that, how's your experience through the like recruiting process? Like, where was your mind at through it? Like, how was it? Did you enjoy it? Did you get the chance to enjoy it? Like, tell me a little bit about that. So I was actually, I didn't, like I said, I didn't really start playing basketball with females until I was 14.

A lot of people, they were already getting recruited at 14, especially, uh, that I was playing with my, my best friend, actually, she was probably one of like the, um, top prospects in New York at the time and just see how, you know, schools were flocking her way constantly. And I'm just kind of like, damn, like, when is that going to be me? Like, when am I going to get to experience that? And my sophomore year summer. So like going into my junior year of, uh, like AU, I, I started to pick up, uh, a few more offers, but they were like mid-majors. Oh, I think my, my first offer was University at Hartford. And, um, I just, I knew that I was liking how I was feeling just with people wanting me to go to their schools and telling me this and telling me that, but I knew that those weren't schools that I necessarily wanted to go to.

Yeah. So moving into junior year, um, I started getting a lot more like high major interests. Let me not say offers, interests. Um, you know, it kinda, it kinda messed with me because as that, as that was happening, as those people were going to see my best friend or going to see the post player that we had, that was six, five, like I'm getting opportunity to showcase myself as well. So I try to make sure that I was taking full advantage of those opportunities. And it was, it was, it was going well. Like I actually, I actually had like some of those schools, like A&M and like Florida, like, like looking at me and was like, okay, yeah, bro. You finally, like you finally there. Yeah. But I put on a little bit of weight.

I had a little bit of a transition change from like shooting guard to like stretch forward and that hindered my recruitment. A lot of those people started pulling back and pulling back and pull it back. And then going into my junior year of AU, which this is my make it or break it. Junior year AU is like, you get it done or you're done. Yeah, literally. So I didn't really do that well. And I just, it was hard to try and figure out like, what, what am I like, am I a guard now? Am I a forward? Am I like, that was a really confusing time for me because I've been a guard my whole, my whole life. Well, really, let me not, let me not say that.

I've kind of bounced around with every position because I've always been tall, but like being a guard feels natural for me. And not something that wasn't as natural at a weight that wasn't natural for me. So Howard actually went to my last game of the AU season and I tapped out. It's actually story how it all happened, like how I got here. I tapped my coach and I was like, 'Yo, like if your man offers me, like, like I'll go.' Cause they, they were cool at the time, my AU coach and my, my current assistant coach. And he was like, 'I'll tell them, come to the game.' He was like, 'Make sure you, you know, make sure you do what you got to do.' Right. I was playing my heart out that game.

Cause I like, man, I had, I had to go, I had to go somewhere. I wasn't, I wasn't going to settle for a school that I didn't really want to go to. Howard was a school that I, I even knew about because a lot of people, a lot of people, a lot of people, a lot of people, a lot of people, a lot of my high school were going to Howard and I kind of made me like think like, okay, well maybe that's a school, you know, I might want to go to. I had no knowledge HBCUs prior to this. None at all. HBCU was a school for black students. That's, that's the thing that I knew. And I knew that Howard was, you know, kind of on, on the top of that list, not trying to, you know, pop Howard's college, but yeah.

So a week later, I get a phone call and it's my assistant coach BD. And he's like, you know, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, your last game. Like, I like your game. I want to offer you. And I was like, 'When are we going on the visit? Immediately. Wrap it up. Send me there.' And I just really liked them, I liked their approach. I liked how my head coach, she's from New York and she grew up not too, too far away from me. A lot of people knew her out there. She's just somebody that I knew I could, I could stay with for four years.

Somebody that's similar to my mom, somebody that, cause you know, when you, you leave, like your coach is damn near your mom or you're like a father figure. Yeah. So I wanted to make sure that the coach relationship was going to be something exactly because me and my coaches have always had a close relationship. So when I came up on the visit, I loved it. Like walking on a yard, seeing, just seeing everybody outside being them, being comfortable, being them, seeing, seeing. Black people just be black. Literally, like embrace it. Yeah. I've never seen that before. And I was like, you know what? I'm going to commit on the visit. Like, I just had this, I had this feeling and me and my mom are big off the vibes and the first like gut feelings that we get.

And she was like, you know, I think this is a place for you. And you know, I wouldn't say that if I didn't really feel like that. And I was like, let's do it. Wow. That gave me chills. That's so crazy. Because when I saw that, um, I was, uh, talking to somebody from Howard; I thought that was so crazy. Because I was literally thinking about like going to play soccer at Howard, like in the media, like experiencing it. So it was very crazy to me that I was like, finally get to talk to someone that has experienced Howard because Howard would be such a culture shock for me. I'm literally from Mississippi, boo-cool Mississippi, all the way down, down, down South. Like it's just, I'm Yeah. I'm country boy to the core, trust.

So like, I think Howard would have just been like a really big experience, like a change for me. And like, I definitely considered it. But speaking of Howard, I was looking at your staff girl. Like we, we kind of on the same page. I saw player of the year, co-player of the year, all tournament team leading in your conference girl. Tell me about it. Tell me about it. Cause you talked about how you wanted to leave Howard as the best player to ever be there. And we got the same mindset. Because before I came to Jackson state, they haven't won a SWAG championship in 13 years. First year I got there, I was leading in all stats, all tournament team leading in everything. And we won that thing. We won it both.

So like, I know what it feels like. I'm going back for my fifth year. Love that. Yeah. It's just me. Like once I stepped on Jackson State's campus, it was for me. Like I felt the feeling, like I was with my brother and he was like, nah, like, yeah, my brother, just like your mom, my brother doesn't just be like, you should go here. You should go here. He's, he's very protective. He's the man of the house now. Because I have three sisters, I mean, two sisters and then my brother. So it was just kind of like, nah, like he wanted me to go somewhere that I finally felt like I was me. I was allowed to be unapologetically, that word, myself, but okay. So tell me about your Howard experience.

Like you think you're on track to, you know, be the best at Howard? Um, right now. Yeah. I think I'm, I think I'm on track. Um, came in my freshman year, was put in a position to where I would start. I was like, I'm going to be the best at Howard. I'm going to be in, which was really cool. Started as a freshman. Um, wasn't really doing the best, um, got suspended for being late one day. Oh Lord. Time management. Yeah, no, seriously. I got suspended for being late one day and then got taken out the starting lineup and then was trying to work my way back. And I actually think I needed that to humble me and really like had me appreciate the opportunity. Like, nah, like freshmen don't get to start like that.

Like you in a very different, um, position than a lot of these other people out here. And I kind of worked my way back up to playing and got a few, got a few rookies of the week, um, that year and moving into my sophomore year hour. So when I first got here, we had the player, the current player of the year. And, you know, I had an opportunity to kind of sit back, watch, see, see how I was going to not necessarily imitate that, but do it in my way and try and do it better. Yeah. So my sophomore year. It was like, okay, she's gone. Like you got the keys, you know what I'm saying? And I kind of, that was, that was my, that was my breakout year where I just started randomly.

Like this, I think it was like December 1st, um, first game, like had 18. I was like, okay, next game played after that 20 in the game winner and next game after that, like 23. And it was, it was rolling after that. Everything was, I haven't, I haven't went back down to, I just haven't went back down since then. And we actually won the championship that year. And that was like, oh yeah, we're going to do something that is so different here. And I actually think the last time, no, no, I think the last time that we won a championship at Howard University for the women's side was 2002. That's when I was born. Wow. Okay. Oh, two baby. I'm an O2 baby as well. So we love O2 babies, but like, no.

So you said you won the championship and I know my experience winning a championship. I know you won the championship. But like, what was it like for you? Like, like tell me about it. Because it was surreal for me when you realized like, no, you won that game. Like, what were you thinking? Where was your head space at? Like, um, I knew that, well, we, we lost my freshman year in a championship to a buzzer beater. Whoa. Now that was sick. I would have been sick. You've been still talking about this. Like, Oh, what's it like? Oh. And I knew that I never wanted to feel that feeling again. And I made sure that I wasn't going to feel that feeling that, that next, that next year around.

So when that it's actually, it's actually funny because we were, we were up a little bit in the game, probably like 14 with like four minutes left. And that's usually like, not really enough time to come back, but I still don't want to like, get too excited. Like, you know, it just like, just like that. It changed. Yes. It does. Literally when a buzzer went off and the confetti dropped, it was just like, 'yo, like you did it.' Yeah, you did it. And you dreamed of like, you dreamed of winning a championship on every level. Like I won one in high school. I won one in college, and now I want to win one in WNBA. And it's like, you know, to, to be able to say that you're a part of a championship team is something that's forever going to be in history books.

Like, you forever just left your legacy because you were a part of that and to be able to, you know, tournament MVP of that that specific season was like, yeah bro, like you really did that, yeah, so it's crazy feeling because we haven't been the best at Howard like with basketball with sports sorry sports period, Howard athletics has just been starting to roll with with literally like every sport, yeah, and basketball was really on the come up and I was like, I'm I'm a part of that come up, you know what I'm saying, I'm a part of that that change and okay now the expectation is for us to win championships, the expectation is

for us to do good, you feel what I'm saying and that's crazy because like that uh like our stories are so similar because at Jackson like being a part of that come up, like people didn't even know we had a soccer team, now people come to our games, yes, and people ask about our games they didn't even I know, like where our field was now like we'll have all athletics showing up like crowds and it's just paving the way like being heard winning. Like, the first year I was there, we won it all. The second year, we still we made the championship game, but we lost, and you know that was a heart-stopper. But we have another chance to go back, and I genuinely believe we'll win it again because it's like, come on now!

Like, I can't, I can't do anything else, last year, fifth year, it's like, you got to get it done. And like, just being a part of that journey so... How would you rate your overall experience at Howard as a student? One through give it to me like. How would you rate it? I gotta give it like a six and a half, okay. Explain why, let me let me hear a little... You know came during COVID, COVID baby, so that that's two. Oh my gosh online, so it's like the transition was like, what are we doing? I came here to like fix and you feel me, like experience, experience. Howard, yeah, they were just yeah. Now we're gonna be arms

basketball here, so um, freshman year was like a sophomore year, I was kind of like hybrid, so I was still like, damn near online, and then they just kind of kept that hybrid, um, they just kind of kept us in those hybrid classes, so I never actually really got to experience being a student at Howard, which is crazy to say because like I just graduated too; you graduated this year, yeah, okay. Degree us, you know? Wait, what's your major? What did you major in? Course management. I minored in psych; I got my bachelor's in psychology getting my master's in sports management, yo. That is actually a little bit too similar...I'm a little bit scary. Yeah, if you have the same birthday month as me, I might run all right.

Say it on three: one, two, three. August. My gosh, you're lying! This is too much. Are you serious? I'm so serious. August 20th, August 15th. Oh my gosh, that's scary! I wouldn't expect you to say August me. Neither it's so big, Leo game, yes that was actually so crazy, but okay. So how would you rate your experience as an athlete at Howard? Like what would you give it? I'm already knowing it's gotta be high because I can just feel how you talk about it, so like what would you rate it? I'm gonna have to go nine and I can't say 10 because we're not HBCU and I already know you know exactly what I'm talking about, man. Don't get me started; yeah, we could really get into that.

But I just feel like you know, between seeing athletes really like come up, seeing people like I'm walking on the yard, like you know, people know me for playing basketball. Yeah, I kind of have that like extra little like you know ego boost from being an athlete, so for sure. And it also helps that I have like 19 tattoos, so like that helps as well. Like, oh, you're the girl who plays soccer? You're yeah, like I'm six two as a soccer player, so I get it. Everybody knows who I am. Yeah, I'm six two; I'm huge. I know I obviously i can't tell sitting down, but like when I think soccer, I think like five-six-five-seven, yeah, sure on the shorter side. I always get basketball or volleyball, that's definitely a stereotype people put on me.

What do you say? What's your position? Center forward? I do all the scoring; I just got offensive. Play of the year, so okay, you know a little good, a little good, I like that because I'll, I'll be, I'll be scoring too, okay, yeah. I see 16.8 points per game, I've seen on average, I see, yeah. I gotta, I'm gonna, I'm gonna tune in with y'all, no, you gotta see, I promise like I'll show you a good time for sure. I'm a big presence now, you know me, so do you know, playing at an HBCU has like enjoying your sport, like has it made it easier or harder for you? Um, I think both and I say, I say, both because we were never put in the position to be viewed as how other athletes that go to these power fives are viewed as, yeah.

Already we're at a disadvantage. Because nobody's checking for us, nobody really cares. Or if they do see it, it's like, 'Oh, yeah, but they go here,' so it doesn't really matter, right? Or the competition's not as good or yeah, they're good, but it's always it's always like something extra where we're never credited, we're never appreciated, we're never empowered, or looked at as like, 'Oh, he's legit. She's official. She could hoop. She could, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, it's always they play easier teams like, 'Oh, my gosh, I cannot stand that.' Literally, but numbers are numbers, and numbers don't lie, exactly. Yeah, I think that's easy part about it is that I'm at Howard like, and A lot of people don't understand when I say, like, when you go to an HBCU, there's so many things that you're exposed to that other people, like, they don't have the opportunity.

And I'm sorry they don't have the opportunity because it's such it's such a great experience here. Like, yeah, I know the main thing people always talk about is, like, the culture, yes, like, yes, and yes, like if you want to experience come to HBCU, why I literally called this uh podcast 'Echoes of the Yard' because every HBCU has a yard and there's a voice on every yard you go to, and like it's just things you always have to remember, so it's like it's echoing through. every single hbcu and like that's just it just inspires me to continue to hear everybody's story continue to allow people to realize like no it's not just me preaching about how good an hbcu is it's like getting from different perspectives different hbcus all the

the storyками i listen to and i track a lot so i'm like i'm like on the side of like what am i doing i'm looking for inspiration and i'm like i'm a hbcu hbcoIV i'm i'm not sure um what what is it what am i doing like how am i influencing people in a way that they're watching doesn't really show up in songs and the people listening to my hbcu i've had you know i've피 en indent To my prior HBCU situations, I've been doing them, uh, yeah, but I think before I began at GRB, but I haven't seen them now. Um, I was like, 'Hey, hey, hey,' intensely inspired by what's happening out here made some made some WNBA draft boards go everything gone, like that, and it's like it was just kind of like no like no way.

You went from being in the position that you are right now to thinking that, oh yeah, you're up out of here next year, yeah, being where I am right now. It was a very like humbling experience, and I think that there were a lot of people here that really, really supported me, and I didn't know, you know, until I got hurt like Oh shoot, I have people watching me that I didn't even know about or teachers, like you know, reaching out just like actually feeling the feeling, the community aspect of it, and that's one thing that I feel like doesn't really get talked about enough at HBCUs as well is the community that surrounds you. Like one thing that I will say is weird is that like I don't know if this is your school as well but I feel like especially at Howard people aren't really coming to games, like that.

Like when you go to these like white schools it's like oh, the game is the move for the night, yeah I'm saying like everybody has to go, that's not really the Case at Howard, so yeah, I feel like a lot of students um kind of be like doing their own thing and like that's cool, but at the same time like we have a lot of great people and great players throughout athletics that um you know like need to need to be talked about. I need to be watched. So just even knowing that students were like reaching out to me or reaching out to my coaches or like you know just asking like how I'm

doing if I'm going to be okay, like I felt an overwhelming amount of support and love when I tore my ACL, and I always like appreciate like our community for that because I didn't I like I said I was ready to crash out and I feel Bad kind of had me, like you know, take a second and be like, you know, everything happens for a reason and you have around you that you know you don't have to just take it by yourself; you have people here to to help you or help you navigate through this because this is, you know, new for me. So, so how did you engage with like your community while you were out of commission? Like high school panels speaker drive food drives etc.

like tell me about that, yeah? So I actually like I said the community aspect was something that I wasn't really too caught up on until I tore my ACL, like I just felt like I didn't have the same appreciation for it until I had to really take a step back from basketball, like removing basketball from my head, me open up my eyes and my mind to a lot of different things that were around me that I just didn't pay attention to before, and community was one of them. As you know, kept trying to do NIL stuff and just keep myself like involved with basketball but obviously not on the court. I realized, like, oh, you could use

it and shift it to help the community to help impact the community because that's that's really what it's all about, like, that is my main goal is to leave the impact in this world, leave the impact within my community, and right now my community was helping helping me and I needed I need to figure out how to help them back so did the did the sneaker drive um with the boys and girls club and we got hella sneakers on really probably like 50 plus in like a week wow Howard Howard sneakers either they got some like exclusive Howard stuff in there you know I wanted to make sure like like they felt good about

the stuff that they got to and um just seeing like some of them like some of their reactions it's kind of like really wholesome like you know you're able to like make a kid smile like you're able to make some you like feels giddy inside off of something so minor and Like, the high school panel, um, um, I was, it was, it was actually a really cool experience. I didn't really know how I was going to go; I've never done a panel before like that, and uh, just kind of talked to them about advice on switching from high school to college, advice on NIL, advice on life, basketball, how you could be better, how to change your mindset, how to be mentally tough, how to go, how to deal with adversity.

You know, telling my story with all the adversity I've dealt in my life, and uh, it was actually like very intimate, very interactive, and something I'm definitely going to try and like do more often; but especially moving into next year I'll be doing a lot more stuff with DC with HBCU community and with just even like the high school community I love that so you've mentioned wanting to change the narrative of HBCU so like what are some misconceptions or ideas about HBCUs that you want to see corrected that we're not that good like please please that that's that's the main that's the main one like I I do understand that there is a competition

gap I will I will acknowledge that I'm not blind but at the same time we have a lot of good players on this level yeah that that can play with y'all but choose not to and that is that is something that you know I want People to know, like now, like if I wanted to go you know to one of them schools, no, I can do that. I don't want it; it's bigger than that, like it's so much bigger, that's the same, like that's the same way. Like when I tell people, like coming from where I'm from, like I was sister, she went to Troy University, she graduated from there, and it was just like, I've always wanted to make a change.

Like, so when you're talking about, like, you did the sneaker drive, and the food drive, and the panel, it's just like that speaks to me because I am HBCU through and because I feel as though it's like we've always been here as black women in predominantly white Sports, we deserve to be labeled as soccer players and not just athletic women. And like, I want, I want to be that advocate. I'm literally going into sports management in my major so I can be a sports psychologist to help girls like me. Like you're not alone, you have people to speak for you, you have people that have experienced what you're experiencing. So like, I genuinely well, uh, like I love that like changing the narrative of HBCUs.

But mine would be like, you don't have to be black or a minority to come to HBCU. You just have to be open to understanding our culture. Like I think a lot of misconceptions is that you have to be black to go. To HBCU, you can't be the whitest of white. I was like, 'That's not true.' Like, you can come just be like open, just be open to be like, 'Whoa!' Like, I've never seen this before, but I'm willing to understand. I think that's one of the misconceptions to me as well, like, one thinking that we're not good and we just beat like we just beat you, like next because they think it's going to be an easy dub on their schedule, and then the other thing is that we're going to have a schedule and they catch an L and I'm just like surprised, you know so like, I definitely get that.

But what advice do you have for student athletes deciding whether to attend an HBCU or Not let's go for it like it's you're gonna get an experience that not a lot of people aren't fortunate enough to get, and it's something that you're not, you're not just gonna wake up one day and be like oh, like you're not going to get an HBCU, you know I'm at I'm at this predominantly white school and there's so many people around me that look like me that appreciate me that you know what I'm saying, like I wake up every day and I'm proud to be black and I'm proud of black schools and I know how it feels to not be at a black school because I've experienced that as well when I was when I was in middle school and I experienced the racism of being around a lot of white people and having them look at you sideways, and it doesn't matter where you are; it doesn't matter where you are

it's it's it's gonna happen inevitably because not a lot of people are open-minded enough to really understand and appreciate your presence and who you are. And you shouldn't be have to hold back or be any different because of somebody else. So just wanting to go somewhere where you're fully accepted, and you're not you're not looked at any differently, or frowned upon, or kind of – yeah, I'd rather people not like me because of my personality instead. Of my skin color just because we don't match cool, like it is what it is. But don't like me just because I'm black. I think, just, I know you said you dealt with it in middle school but I actually went juco out of high school and it was just like I was looking around, I was like dang, only two three of us out of 30 girls and it was just kind of like I was labeled as that aggressor.

I was labeled, had to be put on counseling my sophomore year. Obviously we were a COVID baby so we had a fall we had a spring season and a fall season and I was a fall season so it was like back-to-back seasons and I really had to go up in the middle of my summer and they said You either sign this contract saying you're going to go to counseling two to three times a week or you cannot be on our team, and mind you, I was a two-time double all-American after my freshman year, like I was the leading goal scorer, leading assist, like everything, and they said I couldn't be on that team unless I went to counseling because I was an angry black woman, just because my passion and my love for the game was taken as like anger, just because they would always throw my face at me, and I was like, 'I'm not going to be on that team unless I go to counseling',

my dad died and I'm not done grieving but you can't tell anybody how to grieve. Like my love for the game, it doesn't mesh with my grief; it's just so that was a very hard experience for me. So coming to my HBCU was just like I could breathe; I was like, 'Wow, girl, you are me.' You black? I was like, 'It was just such a shock' – I didn't see no white girls; I was like, 'What?' I was like, 'This is so new for me.' But I mean, don't get me wrong that's not to say we don't have our own drama and like there's not... but I mean, we're women – come on! Like, that's just asking; if the sky isn't blue or something.

Like that, but it was just a different experience to be like, 'Girl, you just don't like me because you just don't like me,' not because 'Oh, she's...' Black she's scary, so I definitely get that. But before I get to the last question, is there anything you want to share about your story or your experience as a student-athlete at Howard? Something that you think people should know... Yeah, um, I would say a lot of people, this has, this has this has a lot of people have a lot of people have a lot of people have a lot of people do more with Howard than me. But I do, I do want to put this out there: a lot of people view HBCUs and view Howard like as schools that you're going to go to primarily for academics.

Howard is a huge, huge academic school, but at the same time, our athletics are evolving yearly, to where we've been we've been killing it in volleyball we've been killing it soccer we've been killing it men's basketball women's basketball golf swimming we've been killing it in soccer we've been killing it tennis like I could I could keep going and I feel like a lot of those other sports they don't they don't get the same love and you know it's just kind of like we have to be put on the back burner because academics is something that is is like major at Howard and we could be both we could be a powerhouse in both and

I feel like once people really start taking that into account like okay we could we could actually change change the scene We could actually change the narrative of what Howard has been instead of being this illustrious academic school, yeah we can, we can make it both and we could just flourish in every area possible because that's something that we've had to build up ourselves. I've literally seen it, I've seen it since since I've been here my freshman year like between the facilities between the the money that we get the gear this the Jordan deal like those are things that us as athletes have been working day in and day out to get for Howard, yeah and people really start to see like okay, yeah HBCU athletics is is is really starting to change.

just feel like everything is gonna come full circle for me I'm gonna be like yeah this is this is kind of this is what this is what I've been I've been wanting because that's the same thing women's basketball like the women's basketball scene a lot of people are watching women's basketball the ratings are crazy they're literally crazy like women's basketball is being watched more than the NBA right now like it's it's literally insane and I want that I want that experience and I want that same love for HBCU athletics not even just basketball but HBCU athletics and that that was my my main point that I that I wanted to say I love that, so our last question is presented by our sponsor Cricket Wireless, so shout out to Cricket, a proud supporter of HBCU culture and community.

How has going to an HBCU influenced the person you are today? So mental toughness is something that I feel like as an athlete you have to have, but going to an HBCU as an athlete, you know you know but it just it kind of makes you way stronger than you expect, and it's it's a switch that just happens one day, like, okay, you know I gotta I gotta get up in the morning, gotta gotta go, you know walk up the hill, um come in the locker room AC don't work, you know it's it's hot, it's hot uh get out there. No locker room at all for us, but no bathrooms, no locker room. Like we had to go through a whole water crisis, we had no water going to practice, like

drenched in sweat and not being able to take a shower was definitely an experience for me, so yes the mental toughness is on a different level, yeah um, nah your story definitely just cleared mine so I'm gonna, I'm gonna go off the mental toughness, so I'm gonna just be myself, feeling more inspired and motivated to do stuff for people, um, I don't want to say I was a selfish person before, but going to HBCU kind of just shifts your perspective on you being the next generation of black excellence. and being and being around that so you feel more inspired and more like motivated to to do more with these people that that are the next you know uh entrepreneurs and lawyers and doctors and dentists and just being able to be surrounded by that is just a feeling of empowerment that I didn't have before I came to HBCU like I feel like I walk with a different glow like you know yeah like the like the shoulders back like embracing it like you could just see my HBCU on my head that's how I feel like I'm gonna rep it to the to the fullest by the way always so yes I really enjoyed this conversation uh we have way too many things in common It's actually kind of scary, but thank you so much for joining me, listeners. Thanks for tuning in. We'll see you next time. 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.