CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Harvard Athletics Black Varsity Association (HABVA) is set to host Valiant Voices and Vision on Friday, Feb. 5, at 4 p.m. ET. The hour-long webinar will feature Black Harvard alumni and former varsity athletes engaging in a powerful panel discussion on race and sport, finding their voice, and creating systemic change in 2021.
 
The star-studded panel features former Harvard All-American and professional tennis player James Blake, Chris Egi '18 (men's basketball), Koma Gandy Fischbein '95 (women's soccer, rugby) and All-American Gabby Thomas '19 (women's track and field).
 
The inaugural discussion is slated to be moderated by LZ Granderson, a sports and culture columnist for the Los Angeles Times. Granderson also serves as a political contributor for ABC and co-hosts a radio show on 710 AM ESPN in Los Angeles.
 
"Valiant Voices and Vision is the first in a three-part community conversation series presented by Harvard Athletics and our HABVA students," said Traci Green, The Sheila Kelly Palandjian Head Coach of Harvard Women's Tennis and Advisor for Harvard Athletics Black Varsity Association. "It's exciting to see all of the efforts from our students come together for this important and timely first discussion. It has also been an honor and a pleasure to serve as an advisor for HABVA. Our HABVA Board is an amazing group of students and the future looks bright for HABVA."
 
"It is awesome that our students have organized such a terrific panel to sustain engagement on race in sport and forward-thinking, systemic change," said Erin McDermott, the John D. Nichols '53 Family Director of Athletics. "It is a demonstration that they want to 'be the change' and will actually bring change, because their time has come to be that force."
 
For those interested in joining the first of the three-part discussion series, please click the Zoom link located at the top of the page.