Kentucky head coach John Calipari is taking a step forward to help minorities seeking to advance into the world of college athletics.
Calipari and Harvard coach Tommy Amaker announced Monday that they were working with the John McLendon Foundation to launch the Minority Leadership Initiative. This will provide minorities with hands-on experiences in college athletics as well as opportunities to build their network and advance in this field.
“It was really important for me to step back these past few weeks and listen. Now is the time to act, “Calipari said.” MLI is about access and opportunity: real-world experience and networking platforms designed to elevate talented women and men of color who have previously been ignored by a system that lacks Diversity and inclusion.
“For this job, I couldn’t think of a more appropriate vehicle than the McLendon Foundation. I am excited about where we are headed and feel this is a great first step in affecting measurable change in our corner of the world. “
Calipari and Amaker are among more than 35 university coaches working with this initiative.
This is something Calipari has been working on for over a month, as she previously hinted at a similar plan within UK Athletics.
In June, Calipari revealed his plan to launch a minority executive development program in the UK athletics department.
“I want leaders in this, minority leaders to come and say, ‘Look, I want this opportunity,'” Calipari said. “I look at this and say, our athletic departments must start to look different so that coaches can start to look different, so ADs (athletic directors) can start to look different. Maybe the Board of Trustees is starting to look different, those presidents are starting to look different, changing the whole dynamic of what we are dealing with.
“Creating access and opportunity. Creating hope. That you have an opportunity if you work and do your thing, there are things for you. I want to start, and I proposed this to our school, an internship program, a minority executive development program in athletics. “
The McLendon Foundation is named after former basketball coach John McLendon, who became the first African-American coach to win an integrated national championship. You can read more about his life and his impact on sports here.
You can find more information about MLI at MinorityLeaders.org.
