The value of Voice – it inspires and moves us to be the best Bae we can be. Our desire to amplify the amazing voices in TechBae is what drives Pass the Mic: blogs from Baes sharing what is important, meaningful, and requires action from us all.
To recognize Black History Month, we Pass the Mic to Fatou Bah to share her reflections on Being the Change: How AdTech and Hockey Helped Her Find Her True Self.
I wouldn’t necessarily describe myself as shy, but in the past, I was uncomfortable using my voice in the roles in ad tech. I never felt like I related to my colleagues enough to show up authentically. My real tribe was the community of friends and my family outside of work.
One special tribe, in particular, was my sports crew in NYC who, like me, were from the DC area and as passionate about sports as I am. They introduced me to hockey and it was love at first sight – as I fell hard for the energy, speed, and passion of the players. As big a sports fan as I am, I never gravitated toward hockey because I didn’t think it was for Black people, much less Black women.
Much like I felt in ad tech, it was hard to find others who looked like me but had similar passions. In my tribe, I felt safe and accepted, but going to watch a live game was the opposite. I felt lonely and unsafe. I experienced being heckled by fans; being told that I don’t belong and that the sport was not for me was nothing short of jarring. I knew I had two choices: either retreat and stop watching a sport I grew to love OR use my voice to make a difference, take back my power, and fight for inclusivity for awesome Black women like myself.
“You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines… You make progress by implementing ideas.”
– Shirley Chisholm
That horrible experience led to Black Girl Hockey Club (BGHC), a non-profit organization that focuses on making hockey more inclusive for Black women, our family, friends, and allies. Our mission is to inspire and sustain a passion for the game of hockey within the Black community and prevent exclusion based on race, gender, or sexual orientation. As a Director on the BGHC board, my mission is to remove barriers of entry for Black females by building partnerships, activating events, and evangelizing the amazing work of this organization.
It’s been an honor speaking to other organizations about our work and getting them to commit to our cause through donations, amplifying our work, and providing opportunities for Black girls to play the sport. The best part for me is we’ve created our own seats at the table to create opportunities for us and we are so honored that our voices are being heard and supported. In fact, my story inspired the NHL to create a Code of Conduct that will hold fans accountable for their behavior and ensure hockey is safe and welcoming for all.
Earlier this month, we were so honored to be the recipient of the Community Hero Award by the New York Rangers, an original six NHL team. They presented us with a $10,000 donation which will support more Black girls to follow their passion and continue to play hockey. Having a team of their caliber not only honor us during the game but interview us on the MSG Networks gave us a huge new audience of supporters, which will allow us to provide education, scholarship opportunities, and community spaces that will give Black women access to hockey.
My work with Black Girl Hockey Club has given me the confidence to show myself as my true self in all aspects of life. I’ve become a more present and purposeful worker in ad tech and have used my voice to advocate for the inclusion of different voices on panels, thought leadership opportunities, and leadership.
If you’d like to learn more about Black Girl Hockey Club and support the cause, please visit https://blackgirlhockeyclub.org/.