Nakeie's Story
Nakeie Montgomery
My mom and dad went to Texas Southern University in Houston, where my dad played football and my mom focused on her degree. I had just been born as their second child and they were still in college. I grew up in Texas while my dad was still a college athlete, which meant that sports would inherently be at the center of my universe for a long time to come. I was signed up for organized football before I could even count to twenty, and then basketball, then tee-ball, tennis, and even hockey! Any sport I could fathom playing, I gave it a shot. Sports have always been an environment where people are actively striving to better themselves. Sports were my first tangible experience with progress. Here is the genuine reason I enjoy sports: It isn’t because I was brought up in a house where sports were important, nor is it because I grew up in the oversaturated sports environment that Texas is. The reason I love sports so much is because it is the only medium where you are judged solely on your ability. There can be no biases in sports if the team truly wants to succeed at the end of the day. That’s what drew me into athletics.
Racial equality will be achieved when everyone, regardless of race, is given an equal opportunity by institutions. With regard to sport, I don’t long for a “colorblind” environment when I talk about racial equality. I long for an environment where my blackness is seen and accepted as something that is different, yet equal. Being a black figure in a predominantly white sport like lacrosse, racial equality is important to me because I want the next black woman or man who wants to play lacrosse to feel like they belong where their passion lies. There were times where I felt like I didn’t belong. In fact, there were even times I was told that I “didn’t belong.” Despite the fact that I kept going and didn’t believe the outside noise, rejection based on skin color is something that no one should have to endure.
As a co-founder of UNCUT Duke, I absolutely love what the Beyond Our Game platform is doing to empower the voices of athletes and create change through sport. It inspires me to see more student-athletes devoting their extra time to taking steps toward racial equality because ultimately it is making the world a better place. This will go a long way and it will continue to inspire others to do the same. Beyond Our Game is a true catalyst for change in the future and I can’t wait to see the impact that this platform will have on athletes around the globe.