Jen Fry is the owner and CEO of Jen Fry Talks. Jen is also a native of Arizona, a former Division II athlete, and veteran volleyball coach with over 15 years of experience at the collegiate level with coaching stints at Elon University, the University of Illinois (2011 National Runner-Up), Washington State University, and Norfolk State University. She turned social justice educator when she realized there was a need for educating not only our student-athletes of all ages, but the administration, staff, and coaches who train them through an antiracist lens on issues of race, inclusion, intersectionality, diversity, and equity. Lastly, she is working on her Phd in Geography at Michigan State University.

I learned so much in this conversation with Jen–about anti-racism in athletics; taking the onus off of athletes and including coaches and administrators in anti-racism education; getting coaches to acknowledge their power; and pushing for conversations on whiteness in predominantly white sports. While Jen’s background mostly stems from volleyball, the lessons of Jen Fry Talks can be applied to all athletic communities. In fact, I would recommend that any athlete, coach, administrator, or sports fan (endurance or otherwise) listen to and reflect on Jen’s words.

• Learn more about Jen Fry Talks!

Also discussed in this episode:

• Jen’s Ted Talk: Radical Social Justice Education Through High Fives
• White Fragility: Why it’s so Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo
• Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

Follow Jen:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenfrytalks/
• Instagram: @jenfrytalks
• Twitter: @jenfrytalks

Follow Social Sport:

• Instagram: @socialsportpod
• Facebook: @socialsportpod
• Twitter: @emmamzimm

Quote:

“𝗦𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻. 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 [𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗺] 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸…𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺, 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆.”