Leadership Day in New Orleans Celebrates Young Athletes and Tackles DEI Challenges in Sports

The event will feature Super Bowl Champion Aaron Taylor, former NFL Safety Jeremiah Brown and experts in sport and DEI

NEW ORLEANS, La. – February 6, 2025 –  Leading up to Super Bowl weekend, The Player Networking Event (PNE), in partnership with AthLife and the Institute for Sport and Social Justice, will host Student-Athlete Leadership Day, a transformative event celebrating 150 local high school student-athletes from the Greater New Orleans area. The day will feature powerful leadership development workshops and discussions on mental health, personal branding, athletic identity, and social justice to empower young athletes to succeed both on and off the field.

Following the youth leadership event, there will be an “Anti-DEI Backlash in Sports and Society” panel to address the recent policy shifts and legislative setbacks undermining progress in DEI initiatives nationwide. The panel will facilitate discussion on current challenges while highlighting the role of sport in driving positive social change despite the ongoing rollback of DEI policies.

Student-Athlete Leadership Day: Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders
Student-Athlete Leadership Day is an event designed to equip high school student-athletes, coaches, and educators with the tools to thrive in sport and life. The agenda includes workshops and keynote sessions facilitated by world-class leaders, focusing on leadership, mental health development, personal branding, athletic identity, and social justice — all essential skills for athletes preparing for life beyond high school sports.

“The goal of this event is to provide young athletes with the guidance and skills they need to navigate their academic, athletic, and personal futures,” said Guy Troupe, CEO of The Player Networking Event. “Through these workshops and sessions, we’re not just shaping better athletes; we’re shaping future leaders in all areas of life.”

A Critical Conversation: Anti-DEI Backlash in Sports and Society
Hosted by the Institute for Sport and Social Justice, AthLife, and the 25th Annual Player Networking Event, the “Anti-DEI Backlash in Sports and Society” panel will delve into the challenges currently facing DEI initiatives in sports and the broader societal implications of recent policy changes.

While DEI efforts have made significant advancements, recent legislative and policy shifts have led to widespread bans on DEI programs, undermining these gains. The panel will bring together a diverse group of experts to examine the current state of DEI in sports, its effects on athletes and sports culture, and how attendees, athletes, and teams can continue driving social change. 

Moderator:

• Dr. Jeffrey O’Brien, CEO, Institute for Sport and Social Justice

Panelists:

• Dr. C. Keith Harrison, Professor, DeVos Sport Business Management, Director, Business of Hip Hop Innovation Certificate, UCF
• Dr. Lori Martin, Professor, African and African American Studies, LSU
• Dr. Casey Schreiber, Associate Professor of Urban Studies & Public Policy, Eminent Scholar Chair of Social Science, Dillard University
• Kenneth L. Shropshire, JD, Professor Emeritus, The Wharton School, UPenn
• Dr. Deborah Stroman, Professor, UNC Global Public Health, Founder, Race Realities™

“The conversation around DEI in sports has never been more critical. While we see efforts within both the public and private sectors to curtail DEI initiatives, we’re seeing sports organizations and athletes continue to lean in, affirming their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Institute CEO, Dr. Jeffrey O’Brien. “In a time when many are retreating, what can we learn from sports about standing firm in our beliefs and advocating for what’s right? This is the essential question as we look at the future of DEI in sport and society.”

Event Details:

• Date: Thursday, February 6, 2025
• Location: Xavier University, University Center Ballroom, New Orleans, LA
• Audience: High school student-athletes, coaches, educators, administrators, and sports professionals
• Agenda:
  • Student-Athlete Leadership Day (8:30 am to 1:45 pm)
  • Anti-DEI Backlash in Sports and Society Panel (3:00-4:30 pm)

About The Player Networking Event (PNE):
Founded in 2000, The Player Networking Event (PNE) provides active and former NFL players with professional development and networking opportunities with corporate leaders, while expanding its programming to support the next generation of athletes. Through partnerships with organizations like AthLife, PNE is committed to empowering high school student-athletes through leadership and career development.

About AthLife:
AthLife is dedicated to helping athletes transition successfully from sport to life beyond the field. Through mentorship, career development, and life skills education, AthLife ensures that athletes have the tools to succeed in all aspects of their lives.

About The Institute for Sport & Social Justice: 
At the Institute for Sport and Social Justice, we believe sport is a universal language that unites people across borders, fostering understanding and cooperation. Through dynamic educational delivery, knowledge creation, and community building, we equip and empower individuals in sport to be leaders of change for their communities and the world at large. Founded by human rights activists, Dr. Richard Lapchick in 1985, today we are a group of former athletes, scholars and content experts who continue his fight for social good.  In the past year, the Institute delivered nearly 250 training programs for over 6,000 leaders in sport organizations, such as the NCAA, ESPN Wide World of Sports, Arizona Diamondbacks, Minnesota Twins, Chicago Bulls, the PAC-12 Conference, The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Michigan, and Clemson to name a few.