Nebraska Athletics Participates in NCAA Inclusion Week

Nebraska Athletics presented the second annual Diversity and Inclusion Social Media Campaign last week as part of the NCAA Inclusion Week held at universities across the country. This effort was created by the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee and the National Student Athlete Advisory Committees. The Huskers' campaign ran from October 22-25 with 4 days of different content, showcasing various elements of Diversity and Inclusion including identity, involvement, current initiatives, and action steps to keep the conversation going after the campaign ends.
 
Ultimately, the goal of the Diversity and Inclusion Social Media Campaign is to use an online platform to create a dialogue on diversity and inclusion and to communicate the benefit of inclusive environments for the student-athlete experience.
 
"The NCAA's Diversity and Inclusion Social Media Campaign is one of my favorite initiatives the Office of Inclusion sponsors," said DaWon Baker, Diversity and Inclusion Director. "Our athletes span the globe and athletic teams are comprised of people from all walks of life, socioeconomic backgrounds and cultural backgrounds. By having this campaign, we bring light and attention to the best things that sports can do: build bridges, shift perspectives and change lives."

Day 1

 

The first day of the campaign featured the "This is Who We Are" video. This video emphasized the importance of not assuming interests or core values of the individual based on what they look like. By demonstrating that Husker student-athletes hold multiple identities outside of simply their sport, the aim is to promote inclusion and awareness of all identities that one may claim as their own.

Track & Field student-athlete, Taylor Johnson, is pictured in the video sharing her career aspirations of being a sports agent one day. Johnson comments, "I liked being a part of this video because I feel like it is important to show that a lot of people are represented in professions that you may not assume. It helps us acknowledge the stigmas that we may attach to certain jobs or careers, and my hope is that by seeing this video you can open your eyes to different possibilities."
 
  Day 2

Day 2 focused on "Broadening Our Horizons" by spotlighting the different organizations across campus that Husker student-athletes are a part of. Student-athletes featured on this day of the campaign shared why they joined other non-athletic organizations, their roles within their organizations, and what they gain forming relationships across campus. Athletes for these posts included Estefania Prieto, Pernell Jefferson, Daniel Pearson, and Kaitlynn Johnson.
 
As mentioned, one of the student-athletes highlighted on Day 2 was junior football player, Pernell Jefferson. As a member of Omega Psi Phi, Jefferson has stepped outside of athletics to build relationships and strengthen his network. "I appreciated this campaign because it highlighted that there is more to me than what meets the eye and I am involved in more than just my sport," shared Jefferson. 
 
Day 3

Day 3 of the campaign showcased the breadth of Husker Athletics Diversity and Inclusion programming offered to student-athletes and staff year-round. Tweeting out an Adobe Spark page with detailed descriptions of the different initiatives Nebraska Athletics hosts to ensure awareness for the resources and opportunities provided to all Huskers. You can access the Spark Page HERE.

In addition to highlighting Husker Athletics initiatives, the Spark page recognizes the importance and value of our campus partners. Campus partners include: Office of Academic Success and Intercultural Services, Women's Center, LGBTQA+ Resources Center, International Student and Scholar Office, Services with Students for Disabilities, Center for Advocacy, Response, & Education, as well as UNL's Office of Diversity and Inclusion. By partnering with these organizations, Husker Athletics is able to provide more resources for student-athletes, staff, and coaches. 

Day 4

To wrap up the Diversity and Inclusion Social Media Campaign, focus shifted to how student-athletes and staff can "Take Action" to be more inclusive. Student-athletes were invited to leave a note on the white board in the Abbott Life Skills Center, lending ideas for how one can be more inclusive moving forward. 

Utilizing the social media platform allowed the Huskers' message to reach a broader audience, and with over 13,000 impressions for the graphics and 18,700 views of the "This is Who We Are" video, the campaign did just that. Baker shared, "Our Life Skills team did a fantastic job at recruiting athletes to participate, while Nick Burkhardt and our Digital and Emerging Media team did a great job with graphics and videos. The Diversity and Inclusion efforts here at Nebraska help to make us a national leader in the student-athlete experience, and we wanted to showcase the value we place on an inclusive culture."

To see all of the campaign's posts via Twitter click HERE