My name is Jeff DeVaughn, I am the postgraduate Intern for Diversity and Inclusion here at Nebraska Athletics. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a city that was very diverse. Being from Philly is something I take much pride in because of the different types of environments I experienced from living there. Previously, I was the graduate assistant for the Office for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Maine, and I was a member of the football team, serving as a captain for two years. Being a student-athlete myself, I think it really showed me a glimpse of diversity and inclusion before I even started doing diversity and inclusion work. It showed me how important it is to have a position like this in athletics.
Why is that you may ask? Especially, being in Maine in which this is the whitest state in America, it can be hard for people of color to transition here without feeling like they're not properly supported. Luckily for me, my position coach was Black and that helped me a lot in my transition. Outside of that, once I left that locker room I was another Black man in America, feeling and seeing I was the only one all of the time. Football helped put this shield around me, so I felt I had my community that I can go back to. This really led me to wanting to get involved in diversity and inclusion to ensure that I can try to create a better and more welcoming environment for student-athletes. My experience at Maine was within diversity and inclusion in student affairs. My position at Nebraska will include transitioning this experience to the realm of athletics. Despite being different programs of student affairs and athletics, the language and terms remain the same and can be applied to both programs. The biggest difference is the type of audience.
With student affairs, I was working with the entire campus population. What I want to gain from this opportunity is to learn how to understand the organizational functioning of an athletic department. I'd also like to learn how diversity and inclusion helps enhance the student-athlete experience. Gaining stronger relationships is vital within the athletic field. Athletics allows me the opportunity to bring awareness to coaches, student-athletes and staff. One proud moment I had so far was when we produced our Hispanic Heritage Month video, and were able to surprise two of our bowling student-athletes with videos from their families back home. The opportunity to capture such a moment of surprise and joy was extremely rewarding and you could witness what an important part family is in their culture. As a former student-athlete myself, I now see the importance of diversity and inclusion within athletics because it is one of, if not the most, diversified spaces on campus with students.
Diversity and inclusion is like the long long lost cousin at the family gathering trying to get a plate of food, but nobody else knows them. With this being a new field in athletics, it is hard for some to understand how to utilize this resource. These conversations are long overdue. Seeking to find commonalities and understanding one's view is important to build team chemistry. The ability to navigate these conversations is imperative for all parties involved to learn. It is called courageous conversations, and I learned that by being here and working with our Women's Bowling and Women's Golf teams. The Tweet #NCAAInclusion week afforded the opportunity to continue these conversations. The MSAC (Minority Student-Athlete Collective) hosted a roundtable discussion with our Athletic Director Bill Moos and spoke on today's social injustice climate.
I consider myself a lifelong learner, and this will continue as I work with diversity and inclusion here at Nebraska. Diversity and inclusion is a field where you can always learn more. Diversity and inclusion does not sleep because sexuality, race, culture, gender, and identities will always be worth fighting to preserve. It is my job to ensure that student-athletes and staff have a knowledgeable ally in their corner. Becoming an ally takes time and patience and earning the trust of others. Yes, I am new to Nebraska Athletics and I cannot just assume that these student-athletes and staff will trust me because I have the title of working in diversity and inclusion. I saw from day 1 when I arrived in Lincoln the passion these student-athletes have for social justice. Our Minority Student-Athlete Collective (MSAC) held a rally that was well attended and spoke on social injustices happening around our country.
Our student-athletes are the best. This summer, a group of athletes created the Minority Student-Athlete Collective. They planned this rally today to bring awareness to police brutality and racial injustice. I can't explain how proud I am to work with them. Black Lives Matter ??? https://t.co/yf0dHryJXo
— DaWon B. Baker (@dawonbbaker) September 16, 2020
That was the wake up call for me to show that my job matters and that I need to be the best me I can be to help them build their platforms. It is a conversation that is being held each and every day with our student-athletes. These conversations hold us as staff, coaches, and administrators accountable. I witness daily the importance of having diversity and inclusion in athletics. We are amplifying the voices that need to be heard by using the privileges we have here at Nebraska Athletics. Being around groups like MSAC and the SAAC social justice committee is important. I am able to aid their efforts to help them understand the power their voices have. For me, the timing of everything may seem off with dealing with COVID-19, but I found the right place to help me grow and continue to educate myself on diversity and inclusion.