The Atlanta Hawks just lately celebrated Girls’s Historical past Month with their annual Girls’s Empowerment Night time offered by BMW, recognizing ladies in management, enterprise, and sports activities at State Farm Area, and we bought a double dribble of all of the deets.
The night featured a particular commencement ceremony for the SheLEADS Class of 2025, a halftime efficiency from Shamea Morton devoted to ladies’s empowerment, and a star-studded lineup of audio system and honorees.
Supply: Paras Griffin / GettyInside State Farm Area: A Media Perspective
Getting into State Farm Area alone as media, I used to be guided by the media entrance, passing by tunnels beneath the bleachers the place athletes ready for the sport. Safety personnel, trainers, and bodily therapists moved effectively, guaranteeing all the things was in place earlier than tip-off.
After being escorted by the VIP elevators and hallways to the occasion by Tai McDonald from the Atlanta Hawks Communications crew, she led the best way to the SheLEADS commencement room was stuffed with this system’s individuals and their supporters, making ready to have a good time their achievements.
Supply: Lauryn Bass
The setting mirrored the importance of the second—embellished with glass home windows, hues of pink and florals to set the scene of the ceremony. In addition they served hors d’oeuvres!
SheLEADS Commencement: Constructing Future Leaders
The SheLEADS Class of 2025 celebrated the completion of its eight-month management improvement program, which helps early-career ladies in enterprise, sports activities, entrepreneurship, and STEAM fields. The great host maintaining the vitality of the evening was media maven MiAsia Symone, Radio Host of Atlanta’s #1 Hip-Hop station Sizzling 107.9.
This system, powered by BMW and the Atlanta Hawks, was designed to deal with key limitations stopping ladies from advancing in management roles.
Supply: Lauryn Bass
In keeping with Alexis Roe, VP of DEI Affect & Strategic Initiatives on the Atlanta Hawks, who served as this system’s moderator, the eight-month construction was intentional.
“I used to be part of Lead Atlanta and numerous different management improvement applications and the truth is: after one work day you’re not going to study all of the issues, proper? So what we actually did was curate an expertise. We checked out all the ladies within the office and studied key issues that ladies battle with. On the time, ladies in Georgia ranked quantity forty-nine within the nation for ‘Girls’s Empowerment,’ which is ladies’s entry to healthcare and training. We couldn’t perceive why, out of all of the superb ladies in Georgia, they weren’t in a position to climb and rise into management and financial mobility.”
Alexis Roe & Lauryn Bass/ Supply: Lauryn Bass
The evening featured a keynote handle from Margaret Lane, Government Vice President of Expertise & Improvement at Penske Automotive Group, in addition to a panel dialogue titled “Navigating the Path to Management: Knowledge and Techniques from Trailblazing Girls.”
Supply: Lauryn Bass
Lane emphasised how impactful a program like this could have been for her as a younger skilled.
“I’d’ve given something for one thing like this. The younger folks part of this program, I’ve little question that sooner or later they’re going to be fabulous. I’ve a number of confidence in them, and I’m so excited.”
With DEI applications dealing with challenges nationwide, Lane additionally spoke on the significance of continued funding in initiatives like SheLEADS.
“I’m hoping so! It doesn’t matter what you might be, what acronym you employ, or who you name your self to be—it’s the inclusivity that’s so vital. Why wouldn’t you wish to be? The Atlanta Hawks and the Atlanta-area BMW Facilities have performed such an unimaginable job supporting this.”
For the graduates, the impression of SheLEADS prolonged past skilled improvement—it fostered a way of belonging and confidence.
Supply: Lauryn Bass
Teevyah Yuva Raju, Enterprise Strategist, COO Staff at BlackRock, shared her pleasure about finishing this system.
“I really feel unimaginable—for myself and my fellow SheLeaders! We realized rather a lot and I can’t wait to see all of us develop within the upcoming years.”
When requested what SheLEADS provided that solely individuals would perceive, she highlighted a typical battle for girls in management.
“The largest factor I’ve realized is to beat imposter syndrome. A variety of the ladies who’re SheLeads sisters to me are in unimaginable positions. They’ve taught us that each place that we’re in is well-deserved and that we’re going to proceed to develop as a result of we deserve it. We deserve the place we’re at and we deserve the place we’re going.”
For Meag Taylor, founding father of WomenInRadio and digital content material producer at The Steve Harvey Morning Present, SheLEADS wasn’t nearly skilled development—it supplied real friendships and assist.
“SheLEADS is the most effective choice I made since shifting to Atlanta in 2020. I’m so comfortable to have been accepted into this system. The standard of girls I’ve met and gained as associates is simply superb. We actually assist one another in actual life, and oftentimes, that’s exhausting to search out.”
Janna Pruiett, Buyer Success Supervisor at Omnissa, echoed comparable sentiments, emphasizing the invaluable neighborhood and confidence-building she gained.
“Being a part of the SheLEADS program was an extremely empowering expertise! I beloved connecting with so many dynamic ladies from totally different industries, every with distinctive insights and provoking tales. This system supplied a useful house for studying, development, and collaboration, and I left feeling extra motivated than ever. The Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Area actually created a neighborhood the place ladies can thrive, and I’m grateful to have been part of it!”
You might really feel the vitality within the room from the testimonies, trophies, champagne toasts and present baskets, this was an area the place ladies had been giving again to one another–it spoke volumes. This actually was a celebration that fell on the proper evening of the yr, #InternationalWomensDay!
Supply: Lauryn Bass
Honoring Girls Past The Court docket
Whereas the Indiana Pacers had been the Hawks’ opponent for the evening, the actual focus was on uplifting ladies throughout industries.
Supply: Paras Griffin / Getty
The evening’s celebrations started with Shamea Morton performing the nationwide anthem.
Supply: Paras Griffin / Getty
A Georgia native, former Hawks cheerleader, and new forged member of The Actual Housewives of Atlanta, Morton introduced an additional dose of star energy to the occasion.
Additionally seen on the scene was Morton’s husband, Gerald Mwangi, and the housewife’s former radio co-host, Huge Tigger.
Supply: Paras Griffin / Getty
At halftime, the world lit up with an all-female Drumline Reside efficiency, paying tribute to the HBCU marching band legacy with highly effective rhythms and choreography. All through the night, the ATL Hawks continued to present tribute to ladies who encourage the world on daily basis.
The ATL Dancers additionally carried out a particular routine that includes ladies from the Hawks’ company crew, reinforcing the group’s dedication to range each on and off the courtroom.
There was even an interactive cartoon race between 3 vehicles, two male and one feminine, for kids to have interaction with throughout a bit of the evening. Although the male vehicles performed soiled to try to win, the feminine automotive saved her vitality and stayed on her path to victory. The gang was in a position to cheer her on as a winner and acknowledge that even the smallest issues can impression the younger youngsters of their recreation seats.
A Night time Of Affect On Worldwide Girls’s Day
Girls’s Empowerment Night time was greater than a themed recreation—it was a testomony to the Hawks’ and BMW’s dedication to investing in ladies. What an ideal recreation to win in opposition to the Pacers.
Curtis Snyder, BMW’s Southern Area Advertising and marketing Supervisor, bolstered why applications like this matter.
“At BMW, we consider within the energy of girls—our daughters, moms, and companions—to encourage change, break limitations, and lead with confidence.”
There was all the things to achieve this evening! With SheLEADS persevering with to develop, the occasion showcased the success of girls already making waves of their industries whereas setting the stage for the following era of leaders.
