Top Sports Diversity and Inclusion Speakers

Many organizations are seeking advice on how they can better promote diversity and inclusion. The sports world is known as a place where inclusivity and a level playing field are promoted more than most. The top sports diversity and inclusion speakers come from different backgrounds, but they champion underdogs in society. They make great keynote speakers for conferences, diversity training seminars, virtual events and more.

Cullen Jones

Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist

Cullen Jones is not only a two-time Olympic gold medalist, but he is a world record setter and holder, as well. Jones has changed history as he became the first African-American male to win a gold med

Simone Manuel

First African-American Swimming Gold Medalist

Simone Manuel made history at the 2016 Olympics. Manuel became the first African American woman to win an individual Olympic medal in swimming. She tied for gold with Canada s Penny Oleksiak in the

Tony Dungy

Pro Football Hall of Fame and Super Bowl Champion Coach

Tony Dungy has a very long history with the sport of football as he was both a player and a coach for a number of years. He first started playing as a quarterback for the University of Minnesota and w

Derrick Brooks

Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl Champion for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Derrick Brooks is one of the greatest football players in the history of the game. A native of Pensacola, Florida, it was evident during his days at Washington High School and Florida State Universit

Ibtihaj Muhammad

Retired Olympic Fencer

Ibtihaj Muhammad is a fencer who competed internationally for the United States. She was the first Muslim woman who wears a hijab to compete for Team USA at the Olympics. Muhammad first competed for

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Olympic Gold Medal Winning Legend and One of the Greatest Female Athletes of All-Time

Jackie Joyner-Kersee is a graduate of UCLA, where she was a decorated All-American in both track and field and basketball. During her decorated olympic career she earned six Olympic medals, including

Doug Williams

Retired Super Bowl Champion Quarterback for the Washington Redskins

When Doug Williams led the Washington Redskins to a win in Super Bowl XXII in 1988 he became the first black quarterback to lead his team to a championship in NFL history. At the time Williams was th

John Carlos

1968 Olympian and Civil Rights Hero

John Carlos became a part of Olympic history in the summer of 1968. After winning the bronze medal in the 200-meters, he and teammate Tommie Smith took the podium with hands raised in a Black Power sa

Katie Sowers

First Openly LGBT NFL Coach

Katie Sowers first broke through the glass ceiling by becoming just the second woman hired to be a full-time NFL coach. She was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an offensive assistant in 2017. Sow

Chris Kluwe

Retired Punter for the Minnesota Vikings

Chris Kluwe is a controversial, retired professional football player that played in the NFL from 2005-2013. Before his tenure in the NFL, Kluwe, a high school All-American, attended the University of

Brendon Ayanbadejo

Activist and Former Linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens

Brendon Ayanbadejo is a former professional linebacker who played 13 seasons in the NFL and the Canadian Football League. Prior to his time as a professional, Ayanbadejo was a star linebacker at UCLA,

Malcolm Brogdon

Retired NBA Guard and Former Sixth Man of the Year

Malcolm Brogdon was a top NBA star for nine seasons. After being a second-round pick of the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2016 NBA Draft, many did not expect Brogdon to blossom into the player he has become.

Stephen Jackson

Retired 14-Year NBA Veteran

Stephen Jackson had a standout 14-year career in the NBA, playing an important role for several successful teams. Jackson had an amazing road to the NBA, never playing in college but still being selec

Ron Rivera

Former Super Bowl Champion Player and Two-Time NFL Coach of the Year

Ron Rivera has had a storied life in football as a former Super Champion player and two-time NFL Coach of the Year. He attended the University of California as a linebacker where in his senior season

John Amaechi

Retired NBA Player, Organizational Psychologist, Leadership Speaker & Human Rights Advocate

John Amaechi is known for his outspoken opinions and trailblazing efforts for gay athletes. Amaechi became the first former NBA player to come out when he wrote his memoir, “Man in the Middle” (2007)

LZ Granderson

ESPN Writer, Producer & Host

LZ Granderson is an American journalist for ESPN and CNN. His candor about being gay has given him a unique platform in the sports media world. Granderson is best known for his writing online and in

Jemele Hill

Staff Writer for The Atlantic and Former ESPN Personality

Jemele Hill is known as one of the boldest personalities in sports media. She is currently a staff writer for The Atlantic and host of the podcast, "Jemele Hill is Unbothered." For nearly 12 years, HI

Gabby Douglas

Three-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Gymnast and the 2012 All-Around Champion

When Gabby Douglas was 16-years-old she made history at the 2012 London Olympics Games when she became the first African-American female to win a gold medal during women’s gymnastics all-around event.

Serena Williams

Record-Setting Grand Slam Tennis Champion

Serena Williams first captured the world No. 1 tennis ranking in 2002 and has since gone on to win 23 Grand Slam championships, including seven Australian Opens, three French Opens, five Wimbledon cha

Doc Rivers

Head Coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, Former All-Star Player and NBA Championship Coach

Doc Rivers has had a successful life in basketball and is best known today for his 25-plus years as an NBA head coach. Rivers is the current head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. Before taking over the B

Jason Wright

President of the Washington Football Team

Jason Wright has made history in his role as the President of the Washington Football Team. He became the first black president hired by an NFL team when he joined Washington in 2020. Wright has the u

Jennifer King

First Full-Time African American Female Coach in the NFL

Jennifer King is a current offensive assistant coach for the Chicago Bears who made history in 2020 by being the first African-American female hired as a full-time coach in the NFL. The Washington Red

Masai Ujiri

Toronto Raptors General Manager

Masai Ujiri is the general manager for the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. Prior to his basketball passion, Ujiri grew up playing soccer until he was 13 years old. Ujiri’s interest in basketball began whe

Laila Ali

Retired Professional Boxer and Daughter of the Legendary Muhammad Ali

Laila Ali is a retired professional boxer and she is the daughter of Muhammad Ali. Ali began her boxing career at 18 years old after watching a Christy Martin fight. She announced her decision to box

Richard Sherman

Retired Five-Time Pro Bowl Cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks

Richard Sherman is widely regarded as one of the greatest cornerbacks in NFL history. Sherman attended Stanford University to play football on an athletic scholarship. In his freshman campaign he led

Colin Kaepernick

Former NFL Quarterback

Colin Kaepernick, a Milwaukee born professional athlete, is best known as the former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. Kaepernick was born to a mixed family going through tough times and as a r

Magic Johnson

Basketball Hall of Famer and Los Angeles Lakers Legend

When Earvin Johnson earned the nickname "Magic" in high school, one could say that it foreshadowed what was to come in his career. After a magical career at Michigan State University in which he led t

Ben Watson

Retired Super Bowl Champion and Popular Speaker

Ben Watson is a former NFL tight end and Super Bowl champion He was drafted by the New England Patriots 32nd overall in the 2004 NFL draft. He played college football at Georgia. Watson has also playe

Coco Gauff

Rising American Tennis Star

Coco Gauff is one of the young stars in women's tennis. Gauff is best known for becoming the youngest player to qualify for the Wimbledon main draw at 15 years old. She notably upset Venus Williams an

Demario Davis

New Orleans Saints Linebacker

Demario Davis is one of the leaders of the New Orleans Saints defense. Davis has been with the Saints since 2018 and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2019. He had spent the previous two seasons befor

Donte Stallworth

Former NFL Wide Receiver

Donte Stallworth was a productive wide receiver during his ten NFL seasons. Overall, he grabbed 321 passes for 4,837 yards and 35 touchdowns. Stallworth shined early in his career with the the New O

Jaylen Brown

Boston Celtics Swingman

The Boston Celtics made Jaylen Brown the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft after he was a standout performer in his one college season at the University of California. He averaged 14.6 points

Larry Fitzgerald

Hall of Fame Wide Receiver for the Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald is a Minneapolis, Minnesota native and grew up with the dream of playing at football’s most elite level. When he stepped on the University of Pittsburgh campus in 2001 he took a giant

Royce White

Former NBA Player

Royce White was a 5 star athlete from Minnesota and was ranked in the top 10 of power forwards by all major scouting sites. Minnesota s Mr. Basketball in 2009 was a two-time State Champion and was off

Titus O'Neil

WWE Superstar and Community Ambassador

Titus O'Neil is a WWE Superstar. O'Neil got his wrestling start in Florida Championship Wrestling and NXT. He was apart of season two of the reality series "WWE NXT" and also appeared on "NXT Redemp

Chiney Ogwumike

WNBA All-Star and ESPN Radio Host

Born in Texas to Nigerian parents, Chiney Ogwumike found her talent for the game of basketball at a young age, playing alongside her sister, current WNBA player Nneka. Ogwumike had an impressive high

Aeneas Williams

Hall of Fame Defensive Back

Aeneas Williams is a former professional football player who played cornerback and free safety during his time in the NFL. After posting a record number of interceptions in his Junior year, and only o

Charlie Batch

Retired Quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers

After a record breaking career at Eastern Michigan University, Charlie Batch stayed in Michigan when he was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 1998 NFL Draft. Batch began his first few seasons with t

Dhani Jones

Former NFL Linebacker

Dhani Jones played 11 seasons in the NFL after being selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He’d go on to play for the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals un

Elana Meyers Taylor

Six-Time Olympic Bobsledding Medalist and the Most Decorated Black Athlete at the Winter Olympics

Elana Meyers Taylor is one of the most accomplished bobsledders in Team USA history, with six overall Olympic medals. That haul also makes her the most decorated Black athlete in the history of the Wi

Inky Johnson

Inspirational Former Football Player

Inky Johnson is a football celebrity. Growing up, Johnson had always wanted to play professional and he was making that dream a reality, until September 9, 2006. Johnson attended the University of Ten

Vince Young

Legendary National Championship Winning Texas Longhorns Quarterback

Vince Young is often remembered for giving us one of the most thrilling BCS National Championship Games in recent memory when his Texas Longhorns defeated the Trojans of USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl. Dur

Warren Moon

Hall Of Fame Quarterback for the Houston Oilers

Warren Moon was a 2006 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee and a trailblazing NFL quarterback. Moon went to nine Pro Bowls and led the NFL in passing twice. Despite having a banner college career, he h

Andre Ware

1989 Heisman Trophy Winner

Once a standout college quarterback, Andre Ware now makes his name as a prominent voice on college football. Ware rose to fame as the 1989 Heisman Trophy winner out of the University of Houston. He wa

Armani Williams

First NASCAR Driver Diagnosed with Autism

Armani Williams has already made NASCAR history, even as his begins his promising stock car racing career. Williams is the first NASCAR driver diagnosed on the autism spectrum and just one of three Af

Bubba Wallace

NASCAR Cup Series Driver

Bubba Wallace is a NASCAR Cup Series driver, known for being one of the most successful black drivers in the sport's history. Wallace originally started running in the Truck Series in 2013 before jump

Lewis Hamilton

McLaren Formula 1 Driver

Lewis Hamilton was born and raised in Stevenage, England and got his start in racing at a young age. At the age of seven he finished second at the national BRCA championship and then started on the go

Aaron Maybin

NFL Linebacker Who Retired to Become an Artist and Activist

Aaron Maybin is a former NFL and CFL football player who has become a powerful voice in the community. Maybin is a leader as an artist-activist, educator and motivational speaker. Maybin played c

Renee Montgomery

Former WNBA Player and Investor in the Atlanta Dream

Renee Montgomery is just one of the future leaders when it comes to making the sports world a more inclusive place. The former WNBA player actively spoke out against then-Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loe

Sarah Nurse

Hockey Star for Team Canada

Sarah Nurse has been a standout on the biggest stage for Team Canada. Nurse first competed on the Olympic stage in 2018, winning a silver medal. Her second time around, she scored the first goal in th

Briana Scurry

Legendary U.S. Goalkeeper, National Soccer Hall of Famer, Two Time Olympic Gold Medalist, World Cup Champion and Concussion Awareness Advocate

Briana Scurry was the goalkeeper for the U.S. women's national soccer team that an entire generation of girls looked up to. Scurry was part of the 1999 World Cup champion team and also won gold medals

Sandra Douglass Morgan

President of the Las Vegas Raiders

Sandra Douglass Morgan made history as the first black woman to serve as president of an NFL team when she was hired by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. Douglass Morgan is a Vegas lifer, having been bor

Jason Collins

First Active Gay Player in the NBA

Jason Collins began his NBA career with the New Jersey Nets in 2001 after an All-American career at Stanford University. In his rookie year with the Nets he played a significant role in the team’s fi

Gareth Thomas

Retired Rugby Player and First Public Gay Athlete

Gareth Thomas is a retired rugby player. Thomas’ rugby career began when he was a child at Pencoed RFC. His first class career began at Bridgend before he moved to Pontypridd. On May 27, 1995, Thomas