UF and ESPN’s The Undefeated host Wasdin Town Hall on race, sports and the media

Nathan Whitaker, New York Times best-selling author, moderates a conversation with Artis Gilmore, retired ABA and NBA basketball player, and Tom Wasdin, retired NCAA basketball coach, about college basketball during the late 1960's and early 1970's.

Updated Nov. 22, 2019 (Gainesville, Fla.) - How do black athletes use their influence through relationships with the media, leverage social media and then stay involved in the discussion once they retire?

On Nov.12, the University of Florida Wasdin Speaker Series welcomed prominent athletes and speakers—ranging from three-time Olympian Michelle Carter to New York Times best-selling author Nathan Whitaker—to speak on the panel “Sport, Social Justice and the Media.”

“Sport, Social Justice and the Media” provided moderated discussions on how black athletes establish and use their influence through their relationship with the media. Special guests shared their personal experiences, as well as the challenges and opportunities they faced during the course of their careers.

The Wasdin Speaker Series is an annual event sponsored by UF alumni Susie and Tom Wasdin. This year’s “town hall” installment was a collaborative effort between the College of Health and Human Performance, the College of Journalism and Communications and the Levin College of Law. It marks the first time the event was hosted in direct collaboration with The Undefeated, ESPN’s platform for exploring the intersections of race, sports and culture.

The event was recorded in front of an audience at the Harn Museum of Art on the UF campus.

2019 WASDIN TOWN HALL
Sport, Social Justice and the Media

Featuring:

A.J. Andrews, Professional Softball Player
Michelle Carter, Olympic Champion, Women’s Shot Put
Artis Gilmore, Retired ABA and NBA Basketball Player
Cameron Hall, UF College of Public Health & Health Professions Freshman
Grant Holloway, 110 Meter Hurdles World Champion
Mike “Mouse” Holloway, NCAA Men’s and Women’s Track & Field and Cross Country Coach
Kevin Merida, Senior VP and Editor-in-Chief, ESPN’s The Undefeated
Lonnae O’Neal, Senior Writer, The Undefeated
Marcus Pollard, Director of Player Engagement, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jason Reid, Senior NFL Writer, The Undefeated
Michael Reid, Professor and Dean, UF College of Health & Human Performance
Max Siegel, Entrepreneur and CEO, USA Track & Field
Alanis Thames, UF College of Journalism and Communications Senior
Etan Thomas, Retired NBA Player
Tom Wasdin, Retired NCAA Basketball Coach
Nathan Whitaker, New York Times Best-Selling Author
Cameron Wolfe, ESPN.com NFL Nation Reporter, Miami Dolphins