Why I decided to pursue my passion and change careers
My earliest memories are filled with sports. I practically grew up in the gym and on the fields of Central High School in Providence, Rhode Island. Like most people, my path to library science has not been linear. I initially followed in my mom’s footsteps–who was the first Black woman to be a high school athletic director in Rhode Island–and earned my bachelors and masters degrees in Sport Management. As a final assignment for my masters degree, I interned at the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum Championship Tournament. While my internship duties were focused on the ticket and sponsor relations side of the tournament, I always found myself drifting into the Hall’s museum. I focused on the artifacts and wondered how they were acquired, organized, and preserved. This internship sparked my interest in archives and the preservation of historic sports artifacts.
During my time working in the non-profit world for youth development organizations, I was always pulled by the obligation of service to my community and the youth. As a college access advisor, I witnessed my students deal with the digital divide firsthand. Many of them did not have access to computers or the internet at home, preventing them from completing their assignments. Unfortunately, the libraries in their communities either limited these resources or did not have them at all. I decided to transition to a career in library science to utilize my organizational skills and youth development experience to fight for equal access to these resources and more for low-income communities and communities of color.
My ultimate goal is to combine my background in sports management with my emerging experience in library science to become a librarian at a sports hall of fame/museum. I would specifically like to work for an institution that brings to light the accomplishments of people of color in athletics.