2024 Power of Sport Gala
Gala photo of honorees

What an incredible night celebrating the power of sport! Nearly 250 guests joined us from near and far to honor our award recipients and to showcase their sneaker game in a stunning venue. We laughed, we cried, and we paraded across the stage all in celebration of the transcendent power of sport! Congratulations and thank you to our honorees, LaChina Robinson, Steve Phelps, Maya Moore Irons, and Billy Bean (Greg Baker and the Kovac family).

New Strategic Vision
New strategic vision

The Institute partnered with social impact firm Next Stage to reimagine where and how we could make the most impact within the sports landscape. After nine months of research, planning, interviews, and more, we are pleased to share our new strategic vision.

2023 Equality Summit in Australia
Billie Jean King at the Equality Summit

Vice President for Global Engagement, Dr. Ashleigh Huffman, welcomes Billie Jean King to speak at the Equality Summit, co-hosted by the Institute during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Sydney, Australia. The Equality Summit brought together experts and thought leaders from across the globe to discuss solutions and best practices to advance women’s football.

France Delegation
Richard Lapchick in a suit for an Espys award announcement.

In preparation for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Institute hosted 14 sports administrators from France as part of a Sport for Social Change exchange focused on the mental and physical health of athletes in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

2024 Super Bowl Panel
Richard Lapchick in a suit for an Espys award announcement.

During Super Bowl LVIII weekend in Las Vegas, the Institute hosted a panel discussion entitled, 3rd and Long: Progress & Setbacks in the NFL’s Efforts to Diversify Its Coaching Ranks. Moderated by CEO, Dr. Jeffrey O'Brien, an esteemed panelists of experts - Dr. C. Keith Harrison, Michael Huyghue, JD, and Kenneth Shropshire, JD - discussed current challenges and a path forward for more diversity in coaching and leadership roles in professional sports.

Youth Leadership
Richard Lapchick in a suit for an Espys award announcement.

Super Bowl XXXI champion, Aaron Taylor delivers a keynote during Student-Athlete Leadership Day hosted in partnership with AthLife Inc. and the 24th Annual Players Networking Event during Super Bowl LVIII weekend in Las Vegas. Over 100 young people were engaged in leadership, core values, and identity beyond sport programming led by former collegiate and professional athletes.

Huddle Up
Richard Lapchick in a suit for an Espys award announcement.

Led by Vice President for Training & Education, Dr. Shannon Spriggs-Murdoch, the Institute's Huddle Up team delivers dynamic training and education sessions on topics including gender-based violence, DEIB, leadership development and culture for athletes and organizations from youth to professional levels. In 2023, Huddle Up delivered over 207 training sessions for nearly 7,000 total participants.

Donate
Richard Lapchick in a suit for an Espys award announcement.

Join us in our effort to empower leaders to create a safer, more equitable and inclusive world.

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Mission

Harnessing the power of sport, we educate and empower leaders to create a safer, more equitable, and inclusive world.

Change Me. Change Us. Change the World.

We believe sport is a universal language that unites people across borders, fostering understanding and cooperation. We envision a world where the transformative power of sport serves as a catalyst for positive change, and, through dynamic educational delivery, knowledge creation, and community building, we can empower individuals to be leaders of change for their communities and the world at large.

Our strategic vision is activated through four key pillars.

The Institute’s Huddle Up trainings, with targeted content for athletes, coaches, and staff (at all levels), are infused with active learning strategies, dynamic, and highly interactive. Created by, and for, athletes, we inspire leadership, increase trust, and elevate the culture of an organization.

A gap we identified in the sports world is the absence of data in creating action-oriented solutions to complex social problems. The Institute provides tailored research, culture & climate assessments, and DEIB-infused human capital benchmarking tools designed to help practitioners address real-world challenges.

The Institute works with sports teams, leagues, federations, and governments to drive policy, connect people, and inspire change around the world. Through education, exchanges, and events, the Institute works with key stakeholders to promote mutual understanding and justice-focused solutions in sport.

Our goal in working with youth is simple:  to empower the next generation of leaders. The Institute works with schools, after-school organizations, and sport programs to provide life-changing educational tools for the leaders of tomorrow to start impacting their community today.

Donate today!