Welcome to Episode 121 of Shea Butter FC, a podcast by, for and about Black women in soccer.  In this very special Shea Butter episode, Sylvs interviews Brianna Pinto of the North Carolina Courage about the inaugural All State Next Wave 2025 National Showcase.  The Black Women’s Players Collective, of which Pinto is a board member, in collaboration with Blackstar are hosting the All State Next Wave 2025 National Showcase as a girl’s talent ID event that is solely focused on 20-30 high school aged Black girls. Black girls are a demographic who are a historic, double underrepresented group in the beautiful game. In this episode, Brianna walks us through what is being offered for these talented young players on and off the pitch during the showcase, and she discusses the barriers that exist for young Black players and the ways we can help eliminate them. Lastly,  Brianna is asked about her hits and riffs, which North Carolina barbecue is superior, and what’s her go to Cookout order. Tap in to learn more about this amazing event, and stay tuned to SBFC socials for more info and content around this fantastic showcase.  The All State Next Wave 2025 National Showcase takes place from November 22-25, 2025 on the campus of Prairie View A&M University, an HBCU.