HBCU Hosts ‘100 Women For Howard: A Legacy In Motion Event’ To Empower Women In Sports And Business

March 15, 2025

The initiative brought together 100 influential women in sports and business to invest in the future of Howard women’s basketball.

Howard University celebrated the first iteration of the “100 Women for Howard: A Legacy in Motion” program on March 6, inside the HBCUs Burr Gymnasium. The event, taking place before Howard’s women’s basketball game against Norfolk State, was an initiative that brought together 100 influential women in sports and business with one sole purpose: to encourage them to invest in the future of Howard women’s basketball.

The Women’s History Month celebration created a space centralized around women in sports and empowered them by connecting them to business and media moguls to talk about useful career insights and lived experiences.

The event was born from an idea from the Howard Director of Athletics Kery Davis, according to the Howard University Bison website.

Davis explained that the Legacy in Motion program’s sole goal is to advocate for women by uplifting their aspirations.

Davis said, “‘The 100 Women for Howard: A Legacy in Motion’ event was a tremendous success, demonstrating the power of community and the unwavering support for our women’s basketball program.”

Davis continued about the Howard initiative, “This initiative helped continue our fundraising goals and provided our student-athletes with invaluable mentorship and career connections.”

“Howard Athletics is committed to fostering opportunities that empower our athletes to succeed on and off the court. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to this movement and look forward to continuing to build a strong foundation for the future of Howard Women’s Basketball.”

CEO of The SVE Firm, April D. Taylor, coordinated the event, working with outside vendors and brand partners to provide the panel gifts and products for the event. Through her work, the Howard women’s student-athletes were able to connect with female powerhouses across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV).

Ty Grace, the Howard head women’s basketball coach added, “Empowering women is important to me, in addition to sustaining economic support towards our NIL collective.”

“There were so many successful and powerful women at this event. The atmosphere was phenomenal. It truly embodied strength, brilliance, and excellence. This legacy in motion will continue to elevate our program, as well as the interests of other women in sports and beyond.

According to Hubison, Taylor explained that the most meaningful part of the program is that it is an empowering way To raise meaningful financial contributions for the Howard women’s basketball program.

Taylor wants to invest in the future of young women who are at the top of their athletic game.

Taylor said, “Watching (the student-athletes) talk to the panelists and see them have real connections made my heart happy.”

“This was a beautiful moment. It’s challenging for student-athletes to have a strong professional development opportunity like this because of their schedules and time commitments, so it was great to provide this platform for them.”

The Legacy in Motion event was created to help student-athletes further their opportunities with outside investments. The event included panels to encourage them to build their brands and prepare for success further beyond their Howard career while maintaining financial stability.

Some speakers in attendance included: Erin Blaine, Fan Experience Manager of the Washington Mystics; Morgan Faulkner, Community Relations & Events Manager for the Washington Commanders; and Patty Medina, Associate AD of SA Development & Inclusive Excellence at American University in the “Let’s Talk: Navigating Leadership and Career Growth” panel.

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