Happy reading!

Today I thought I’d shed some light on sports. The names of top male athletes come to mind easily: Lebron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, Tiger Woods, Lionel Messi, Roger Federer, Usain Bolt, Tom Brady….the list goes on.

Not only are these athletes incredibly gifted, but they have also become the epicenter of sports and entertainment. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with it. Sports have been the focal point of entertainment since the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece.

But how many of us can easily name 10-15 top female athletes? We all know Serena and Venus Williams. That’s an easy one. But do we choose to regularly follow the careers of Sloane Stephens, Dara Torres, Allyson Felix, Lisa Leslie, Simone Biles, Paige Tapp, Missy Franklin or Naomi Osaka?

I bet there are people who follow LeBron James so closely, they know what he had for breakfast this morning. That being said, the heart of sports and entertainment is male-dominated.

I am not using this as an opportunity to bash on male athletes, cause let’s face it….they are great to watch. 😉

Instead, let’s take a chance to admire all athletes while recognizing the male-female disparity in sports. Let’s create a new athletic epicenter. One that celebrates the accomplishments of both male and female athletes.

I hate to get all Miss-America on you. But I don’t care. I write to spark conversation, not to please you. ( Okay, okay. I tried to be all tough there, but I actually hope you like these article. Thanks for reading btw, your awesome).

This Brings me to Adidas.

As one of the largest sports companies in the world, Adidas launched the Here To Create Change Campaign to showcase female athletes. Director Doug Liman, known for Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Identity, The O.C., and Jumper collaborated with Adidas to create an amazing project that I am humbled to be a part of.

Yes, I was featured in this commercial. Sorry, had to mention it. ( Don’t worry I get to a broader point).

The Adidas: Here to Create Change commercial was released this past summer. It begins an alarming statistic: Only 4% of all athletes presented in the media are women.

I’m shooketh. As a former Division 1 Athlete and school record holder, I’ve dedicated countless hours to relentless practices, unaccommodating coaches, cutting out sugar, and pushing myself to the limit during tournaments.

For the people who go to the gym 2-5 times per week and get your sweat on, I admire your dedication to health and fitness….

But it’s not the same. Athletes, like other professionals, work diligently to perfect their craft. Therefore, all athletes should be celebrated. Both men and women.

I am proud to advocate for female athletes. In front of the camera, actors have the chance to showcase powerful messages to various audiences.

In our own lives, we cater to unique demographics. Conversing with co-workers, chatting with friends, or getting your side hustle on through Uber or Lyft, enable small, yet crucial opportunities for all of us to be actors—to advocate for what we consider to be right and challenge what we consider to be wrong.

Let’s all make this commitment to ourselves and fulfill it.

Let’s be here to create change #CreatorsUnite

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