Atlanta, GA - More than 500 higher education and intercollegiate athletics leaders and student-athletes joined the NCAA office of inclusion in Atlanta at the Omni at CNN Center for the 2019 NCAA Inclusion Forum April 26-28. With a theme of "Dreaming Out Loud: Transforming Passion to Action," this eighth annual gathering provided dynamic programming, engaging dialogue and practical takeaways to empower participants' efforts on equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives on their campuses.
 
Representing SUNY Oneonta was Athletics Director Tracey Ranieri, Head Women's Basketball Coach and Senior Woman Administrator Daphne Thompson and student athletes senior James Bethel (Wrestling) and junior Shelby Benjamin (Basketball).
 
The NCAA believes in a commitment to diversity, inclusion and gender equity among its student athletes, coaches and administrators throughout all of its member institutions.  Those values mirror SUNY Oneonta and, as such, the college participates as an NCAA member institution in helping to foster these values.
 
The foursome arrived in Atlanta just in time for Friday evening's session highlighting the challenges on Civil and Human Rights.  During the weekend, Ms. Benjamin attended two different symposiums highlighting such topics as Women in Power and How to be an Inclusive Leader.  Mr. Bethel also attended seminars delving into such topics as Mental Monday's and Building a Culture of Healthy Masculinity.  The two student athletes also attended a meeting that help to break down the challenges of Building and Implementing a Diverse and Inclusion Strategy.   
 
The intent of the weekend's forum was to provide and enable programming and education, which sustains foundations of a diverse and inclusive culture across dimensions of age, race, sex, class, national origin, creed, education, religion, gender identity, income, marital status and sexual orientation.  SUNY Oneonta Athletics continues to be a leader in advancing and cultivating this same philosophy and values.
"Benjamin was quoted as saying that the weekend was enlightening and having the privilege of representing Oneonta with her coach, Tracey and James was truly a rewarding experience.  "I am excited to bring this information back to my teammates and fellow student athletes to help us all be better people."
 
SUNY Oneonta continues to be a leader in the collegiate community in breaking down walls and barriers creating a student body experience where inclusion is embraced throughout the college.
 
The Inclusion Forum programming centered 23 student-athletes and more than 55 athletics administrators, higher education professionals and industry leaders as presenters on a broad range of topics related to policy, research and best practices that support international student-athletes, LGBTQ student-athletes and administrators, racial and ethnic minorities, student-athletes with disabilities and women.
 

• To view the 2019 NCAA Inclusion Forum program booklet, please click here. 
• To view the 2019 NCAA Inclusion Forum agenda, please click here.

 
Featured 2019 Inclusion Forum presenters included:

• Lenora Billings-Harris, co-author of "Trailblazers: How Top Business Leaders are Accelerating Results through Inclusion and Diversity."
• Derek Greenfield, co-editor of "Exploring Issues of Diversity within HBCUs" and co-founder of the Higher Education Leadership Foundation.
• Rayana Jay, R&B/soul singer-songwriter
• Chris Norton, founder of the Chris Norton Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people with spinal cord and neuromuscular disabilities.
• LaChina Robinson, college basketball and WNBA analyst/reporter for ESPN, founder of Stretch Beyond and co-founder of Rising Media Stars.

 
In addition, the 2019 Inclusion Forum featured a special welcome reception at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, a museum dedicated to the achievements of the American civil rights movement and the broader human rights movement worldwide.
 
Established in 2007, the Center presents opportunities for guests to discuss and explore the fundamental rights of all human beings while learning about and reflecting on the civil rights movement, ideally leaving inspired and empowered to join the conversation in their own communities on campus and across the membership.