Brooklyn native Diahann Billings-Burford works to eradicate racism in sports
For the past five and a half years, Diahann Billings-Burford has served as CEO of RISE, a national nonprofit that educates and empowers the sports community to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice, and improve race relations. Organizations from youth sports to the professional ranks use the RISE curriculum. RISE works with students, athletes, coaches, and administrators to be culturally competent and effective advocates for racial equity, carefully assessing each organization’s needs.
“RISE prides itself on partnerships,” said Billings-Burford. “We have a pretty large curriculum based on six topics—six skills that we think folks need to build and topics they need to learn about to have more inclusive cultures. We sit with our partners to really understand where their organization is. Then we say, ‘We suggest that you start here and this is what the trajectory should look like.’”
RISE is currently in the third year of a four-year partnership with the Big East Conference. When RISE meets with leadership, there are representatives from all the member institutions. Each school may have its own unique needs.
“We like not to assume,” she said. “If you don’t understand the circumstances that folks are living with, you really don’t know where to start.”
Billings-Burford was a field hockey player at Poly Prep in Brooklyn, which she said helped her understand the power of sport. She experienced a racial incident when playing against another school, and seeing her team’s unanimous support for her left a distinct imprint. “Early on, I got to see the bonds that sports can build and help us address some of our greatest isms,” she said.
Now an attorney, Billings-Burford has built a career as an advocate and force for positive change. Her belief is that with every generation, things can improve, but it won’t happen unless people put in the work. An upcoming project is working with the National Women’s Soccer League, which will begin by RISE being part of the league’s rookie symposium.
In 2020, RISE created digital models because of the pandemic. That year, about 14,000 digital modules were completed. Last year, the number rose to 117,000.
“It’s hard to have open and honest conversations about race, gender, and identity,” said Billings-Burford. “Sports lays this groundwork where there’s already an understanding and connection, and there’s a language that can help get through these discussions and really get to the point of inclusion. Sport isn’t the only way, but that’s the way we’re leveraging to get this difficult work done.”
The post Brooklyn native Diahann Billings-Burford works to eradicate racism in sports appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.