Nike is aiming to change the future for women in sports with its newly announced Athlete Think Tank and donation program.
The international sportswear brand brought together 13 female athletes of different ages, backgrounds, and sports to participate in the project. During various discussions with company executives, the women presented their thoughts on how to “create a more equitable playing field” in the sports world, Nike said.
The athletes who participated were Serena Williams, Angela Davis, Dina Asher-Smith, Ada Hegerberg, Deyna Castellanos, Simone Manuel, Bebe Vio, Nafi Thiam, Scout Bassett, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Sabrina Ionescu, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Shalane Flanagan.
U.S. Olympic swimmer Simone Manuel tells BAZAAR.com that it meant the world to her to have been given a platform where she was able to have “conversations that are meaningful and thoughtful” and that offer “so much possibility in terms of impact.”
As a Black woman, she says she has long looked up to sports icons like Venus and Serena Williams, and “always felt a tremendous responsibility” to represent her community. “So, to be a part of this think tank with Serena was a bit of a pinch-me moment,” she says. “I can certainly relate to being a minority in your sport, and I view them as such trailblazers.”
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One of the issues the women raised to Nike was the need for equal opportunity and equal pay for women in sports—from the start, regardless of their race and upbringing. It’s something the Williams sisters—BAZAAR’s March cover stars—have been fighting for, for many years.
Venus wrote an essay for Equal Pay Day last year, in which she stressed the importance of dissolving sexism in the sports world. She also recalled winning her fourth women’s single and finally becoming the first woman to receive the same pay as her male counterparts. She addressed the issue again this year, via a video on her Instagram.
Serena, too, has advocated for the end of sexism in sports. In 2018, she was famously penalized during a match because she called a judge a “thief.” Male players quickly rushed to her defense on social media, admitting that they had said much worse things and were given passes.
In partnership with Serena, Nike will donate to Brown Girls Dream, which helps young women of color navigate their careers.
Other needs highlighted by the women of the Nike Athlete Think Tank were that women athletes’ unique bodies be respected (through periods, body changes, pregnancy, motherhood, and more), young girls be given more opportunities when entering sports, disabled athletes be supported and valued, and women of all backgrounds be set up for success through community efforts, programs, and scholarships.
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In hopes of providing aid and moving the conversation forward, the 13 women chose important organizations around the world to support through Nike, and the company agreed to donate $1.3 million across 20 grants on their behalf.
Flanagan chose Marathon Kids and Amputee Blade Runners. The first encourages kids to run the equivalent of up to four marathons over the course of a school year, and helps them set goals and track their progress. The second provides free running prosthetics for amputees.
Ionescu chose the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, founded “through the vision and loving memory” of Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, per its website. The nonprofit provides funding and sports programming for underserved athletes.
Manuel’s charity of choice was the Social Impact Fund, based in Los Angeles. The organization helps members build and grow their charitable footprint through grants, fundraisers, and more.
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Manuel tells BAZAAR that being able to help those who will come after her through her partnership with Nike is very special, “but it’s also a responsibility I take quite seriously.”
She adds, “I wouldn’t be where I am today without those before that paved the way, and I want to do the same for the next generation.”
Nike’s Athlete Think Tank comes amid Women’s History Month, and it’s no coincidence. The brand has long advocated for inclusion and equality in sports, and recently made an equity investment in the WNBA to grow the league with fresh talent and create more visibility for its female athletes. The company also regularly donates to more than 135 community partners supporting women and girls worldwide.
“Few things are stronger than the voice of an athlete, but the voice of a collective is unstoppable,” Tanya Hvizdak, Nike’s vice president of women’s global sports marketing, tells BAZAAR. “The Nike Athlete Think Tank brings together our elite female athletes and global catalysts to partner with us in creating a more equitable future. Together, we’re innovating to serve today’s women athletes, while partnering to redefine sport for a new generation of women, girls, and allies.”
She adds that the company hopes to continue having important discussions and collaborating with the 13 Think Tank athletes, as well as with many other women athletes in the future.
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