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Morristown’s Alpha Alexander will be among the honorees at the Power of Sport Gala for her role in founding the Black Women in Sport Foundation, according to Institute for Sport and Social Justice which sponsors the event.

Started in 1999, this capstone event is a decades-long tradition that honors individuals who use their power and influence in sports to break barriers and draw awareness to social justice causes.

The gala will take place on Saturday, October 21 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla.

This year’s Power of Sport Gala Honorees:

Hall of Fame: Billy Bean

Excellence in Sports Journalism: Jemele Hill

Power of Sport: Olivia Pichardo

Power of Sport: Eli A. Wolff (posthumous)

Power of Sport: The Black Women in Sport Foundation Founders – Tina Sloan-Green, Dr. Alpha Alexander, Dr. Nikki Franke, Linda Greene Esq.

“It’s a privilege to recognize this year’s honorees, each of whom faced enormous obstacles for the greater good, even when it resulted in more hardship for them, ” said Richard Lapchick, founder and president of the Institute. “We hope sharing their stories will move everyone to do more to use the power of sport to heal our world.”

The Power of Sport Gala is a convening of changemakers from the world of sport, corporate and community members who support the mission of the Institute, and dreamers who believe in the power of one to make a difference for the many.

Institute CEO, Dr. Jeffrey O’Brien added: “This year’s honorees embody our belief in the transcendent power of sport to change the world and will inspire us all with their courage and grit. Each of our honorees have shown courage in facing down social problems and using their platform in athletics to be the change we want to see in the world. We are thrilled to shine a celebratory light on their acts of self-sacrifice. Please join us for a transformational evening.”

“Due to the vision of these trailblazing leaders, the Black Women in Sport Foundation (BWSF) has helped hundreds of Black women and girls realize their full potential through the life-changing power of sport,” Institute officials said in a press release. “Founded in 1992, BWSF was radical in its time as one of the few organizations centering the lived experiences of Black women and women of color in sport. Since its inception, the organization has successfully delivered programs that introduce and sustain the ideals of competitive play, teamwork, and academic achievement.

Born in Tennessee, Alexander moved with her family to Dayton, Ohio at a young age.

While her high school didn’t offer women’s sports, she was a four-sport athlete at the College of Wooster where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education.

She obtained her Master’s and Doctorate from Temple University where she served first as a graduate assistant, then Assisistat Women’s Athletic Director before serving as Women’s Athletic Director from 1981 to 1983. She moved to San Francisco where she served at the YWCA of San Francisco before accepting a job with the National Organization in 1987.

In 1990 Alexander became special assistant to the chief executive officer of the YWCA. Alexander then worked as Chancellor to the New York City Board of Education Office in 2000–2001.

Alexander served on the Olympic and Pan-American Sports Advisory Council, the United States Olympic Committee Board of Directors, and was president of the Arthur Ashe Foundation.

She returned to Tennessee and began work at Walters State in 2001.

She is the chairperson for the Morristown Taskforce on Diversity.

Honoree Background Information

Hall of Fame: Billy Bean

It takes a special kind of resiliency to be the only one, and another level of leadership and courage to use that position to inspire an entire industry while advocating for inclusion. As one of only two openly gay Major League Baseball players (past or present) alive today, and the only one working at MLB, Billy sacrificed his playing career and made a stand for living authentically. He has dedicated his life to being an ambassador for inclusion in title and in deeds – a true disruptor to the status quo.

Excellence in Sports Journalism: Jemele Hill

Providing critical perspectives on sport and society through a variety of journalistic mediums, Jemele Hill has been an integral figure in sports journalism for nearly 25 years. Throughout her career, Jemele has been outspoken and centered on social justice and speaking truth to power. Whether through her writing, co-hosting SportsCenter, hosting her own podcast, or new creative media ventures, Jemele uses her platforms to address injustice, hypocrisy, misogyny, and more in the sports world.

Power of Sport: Olivia Pichardo

Olivia has chosen to take the road less traveled. As the first female athlete to make an NCAA Division I baseball roster and appear in an NCAA Division 1 game, her hard work and commitment to excellence paved the path for other girls and female athletes to follow. A courageous trailblazer stepping into history.

Power of Sport: Eli A. Wolff (posthumous)

As a connector, activist, educator and athlete, Eli was relentless in his pursuit for inclusion in the world of sports and beyond. He advocated for more inclusive policies and sport environments and fought to bring more awareness to the achievements of athletes with disabilities. He co-founded Disability in Sport International, Athletes for Human Rights, and the Olympism Project and was a United States Paralympic Soccer Team member at the 1996 and 2004 Paralympic Games.