Empowering Black Legacy: Celebrating Athletics and Wellness

USD Athletics partners with Black Alumni Network, Black Employee Alliance, and Black Student Resource Commons to honor Black History Month.

USD Athletics, in collaboration with the Black Alumni Network, Black Employee Alliance, and Black Student Resource Commons, launches its Black History Month programming under the theme: "Empowering Black Legacy: Celebrating Athletics and Wellness."

This event celebrates and uplifts the voices of Black student-athletes, alongside faculty partners and alumni. The initiative fosters a sense of community among underrepresented identities on campus and facilitates meaningful dialogue about their experiences in college athletics and beyond.

The kick-off event, taking place on February 1 in the Warren Room at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, features a variety of programming, including two insightful panel discussions:

Panel 1: The Black Scholar-Athlete Experience: Name, Image, and Likeness

• Gus Magee – '70, USD Athletics Hall of Fame Class of '97 (Men’s Basketball)
• Kimya Massey – Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Athletics at USD
• Thomas Jacobs – '15, Real Estate Developer and Investor, Digital Content Creator, Reality TV Personality
• Neomi “Nemo” Beach – Current Scholar-Athlete, USD Women’s Volleyball

Panel 2: Reclaim Your Peace: Radical Rest and Restorative Practices

• Alaysia Brown, PhD – '16, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USD Women’s Volleyball
• Jason Richardson, PsyD – '96, Sports Psychologist
• Sophia Ederaine, MD – '15, Dermatology Resident, UC Irvine, USD Women’s Basketball
• Jacqueline Bonds, PhD – '09, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Neuroscience, Cognition & Behavior at USD

The event concludes with a networking session, followed by the USD Men’s Basketball game against Loyola Marymount University at 3:00 p.m.

For those unable to attend the February 1 event, the celebrations continue as USD Athletics highlights and amplifies Black voices within the community. Organizations such as the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), local Divine 9 chapters, and other community partners are honored and recognized during the Women’s Basketball game against Portland on February 6 — to honor, amplify, and uphold the legacy of Black History within the USD community and broader San Diego.

Beyond February, USD Athletics remains committed to celebrating and uplifting community members, campus partners, and student-athletes, fostering an inclusive environment where every voice is heard and valued.

For additional information or opportunities to get involved with future initiatives centered around community, student-athletes, and Athletics collaboration, please contact the Director of Student-Athlete Development in Athletics, Mya Johnson, at myajohnson@sandiego.edu.