Ravens Reflections on Black Leaders in Sports Day

Eight Carleton Ravens attended the second annual Black Leaders in Sports Day (BLSD) from February 23-24, 2026 in Ottawa. This event, hosted by the Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network (ICSN) is focused on advancing inclusion in Canadian sport.

The two-day event brought together over 75 Black leaders involved with Canadian amateur sports.

For Gabrielle Francis, a Ravens basketball player and political science major, this was her first time attending BLSD. 

"The most impactful part of the experience was the realization that not only are the problems facing my community true priorities, but that my voice and my experience are veritably wanted in the conversation," said Francis. "As a young black athlete, it often feels that there is a lot of talk about solving problems facing my community, but little action. The event highlighted that while progress may be slow, it doesn't mean there is no progress being made or that people don't truly care."

Francis said the president of ICSN, Shauna Bookal, spoke to the table of athletes that Francis was sitting at and encouraged them to speak up and ask questions.

"Before that moment, I felt that as young athletes, we were mostly there to represent the athletes being discussed, but Shauna's comments struck me and made me realize that we were not there to be tokens in the room. We were there because our voices are truly valued," said Francis. 

Mia Hollingsworth, a psychology major and Ravens women's soccer player, spoke about how it was powerful to see Black leaders come together as a community to have their voices heard.

"A lesson I hope to carry on is the importance of advocating for the inclusion of Black voices and leaders in sport. Our visibility and advocation leaves programs better than we came in—directly affecting future generations," said Hollingsworth. "Our voices and concerns matter and can directly contribute to the budget allocated to programs that help athletes who experience racial barriers in sport by making it more accessible."

The first day of the event brought the BLSD attendees for a senate visit on Parliament Hill. Two Carleton football coaches, Nathaniel Griffith and Alex Lothian, shared that they learned a lot about sports policy, decision making, and funding. 

"I was able to learn more about how sport is handled at the legislative level in terms of where Canadian sports is positioned in our current state of affairs, how it's funded and what plans are being implemented for the future of sports in this country," said Lothian, who is the Ravens football co-pass game coordinator, head of recruiting and youth program coordinator.

Both coaches emphasized the importance of representation in sports. 

"I think having so many BIPOC leaders in one room was the most impactful portion of the day. Getting the opportunity to connect, listen and learn what is impacting our communities at different levels of sport and in different provinces," shared Griffith, the offensive coordinator for Ravens football.

"The opportunity to see black leaders in positions around Canada that I aspire to be in reminds me that there are people here at Carleton who I can have that same impact on. It's important to see someone similar to you in positions of power."

The second day of the BLSD event brought the leaders together for a full day of presentations, policy discussions and community dialogue. Involved in these conversations were Federal policymakers, Deputy House Leader Arielle Kayabaga and Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden.

"It was truly an honour to be in the room at the Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network's Black Leaders in Sport Day on Parliament Hill, surrounded by emerging leaders and decision-makers who are committed to moving sport forward in Canada," said Kwesi Loney, Carleton University's Director of High Performance Sport for the Department of Recreation and Athletics. 

"Representation matters—and being able to see, support, and help elevate diverse voices in spaces where decisions are made is critical to creating real pathways and opportunities for the next generation. As Director of High Performance Sport at Carleton University, I take great pride in advocating for environments where student-athletes and young professionals feel seen, valued, and empowered to lead. Moments like this reinforce that meaningful change happens when we listen intentionally, collaborate authentically, and lead with purpose."

Together, the Ravens coaches, athletes, and leaders who attended the Black Leaders in Sports Day are dedicated to bringing what they learned back to the Carleton community. 

One of these athletes is Raven's football quarterback and communications and media studies major, Elijah Barnes. He learned that effective sport leaders need to build partnerships with community organizations and governing bodies, while advocating for inclusive practices and representation within their institutions.

"As an emerging leader, my role is to act as both a connector and an advocate. This means sharing the insights and experiences gained from national events like Black Leaders in Sport Day with peers and colleagues. It also means encouraging students and staff to engage with conversations around equity and leadership in sport," said Barnes. 

"In my role within the department, I can apply these lessons by encouraging more inclusive programming, creating spaces where diverse voices are heard, and helping connect our department's work with broader conversations happening across the Canadian sport landscape."

The BLSD event reinforced the commitment these Ravens leaders have to advancing sport accessibility and inclusion in their communities. 

"The clearest message from the event is that we cannot continue waiting for direction from the top to effect change in the community," said Francis. "I think Carleton and its athletes can take steps to impact change now, even if we may not always do it perfectly. Trying and failing is better than not trying at all.