Here's the Problem

At the conclusion of 2020 WNBA Season and fresh out of the bubble, WNBA champion, All-Star, musician, humanitarian, and advocate Essence Carson joined the podcast to talk about racial inequality in America, the quest for basic human rights, the pandemic, and her summer in the social justice spotlight.

Former collegiate standout and international basketball player Dominique Wilson joins the podcast to discuss her experience with social and racial injustices across the world and the importance of mental health when playing abroad.

Find your voice and create a better future at teenthinktankproject.com or on social media @teen_thinktank. Contact us at [email protected].

In the second part of our conversation with former NBA player and social justice advocate, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf joins Matt DeSantis and the Teen Think Tank Project Winter Research cohort for spirited, insightful, and heartfelt conversation on what it takes to effect meaningful change in society. The dialogue left our research cohort inspired and armed to make progress in their quest for social change.

Find your voice and create a better future at teenthinktankproject.com or on social media @teen_thinktank. Contact us at [email protected].

Former NCAA & NBA stand out and social justice advocate Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf sits down with host Kelly Nagle to talk about the misconceptions surrounding his protest, his inspiration for seeking social justice and how to think outside the box to create change in the first part of a multi-episode discussion.

Find your voice and create a better future at teenthinktankproject.com or on social media @teen_thinktank. Contact us at [email protected].

New Jersey City University Associate Vice President & Director of Athletics Shawn Tucker joins Kelly Nagle to discuss racial inequality, social justice, and empowering student-athletes on the collegiate level. The Rutgers University alums talk about the impact that the pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, and social protests have had on the community, both on campus and off.

Jeremy Evans, Esq. returns to the podcast for a one-on-one conversation. Host Kelly Nagle and Jeremy expound upon last week's discussion about the First Amendment vis-a-vis athletes' rights before veering into Hollywood to uncover why actors and athletes are treated differently when it comes to advancing social justice initiatives. Finally, the conversation examines how sports represents some of society's most revered ideals like equity, fairness and competition.

Matthew DeSantis and the Social Protest and Sports Research Cohort examine the origins, implications and limitations of the First Amendment, specifically as it relates to social protest in sports with the help of the Director of the First Amendment Clinic at SMU's Dedman School of Law, Thomas Leatherbury; NPR's Michigan Radio Morning Edition host, Doug Tribou; and the Founder and Managing Attorney of California Sports Lawyer, Jeremy Evans who's the Founder and Managing Attorney of California Sports Lawyer.

As we continue of our exploration of racism in society and social protest in sports, we are joined by Dr. Richard Lapchick, the nation's preeminent voice on social issues in sports. The noted activist, academic, author, and scholar joins Kelly Nagle to discuss his lifelong fight against racism, not only in American but around the globe.

The Teen Think Tank Project Winter Research Cohort is joined by four college and high school student-athletes who discuss their experience with racism in sports and society. NJIT Highlanders Andrew Elcock and Sydney Watson discuss what life is like for an NCAA Division I athlete juggling academics, athletics, and social justice issues. While high school basketball players Jordana Codio and Khadee Hession discuss their experiences with activism and censorship as they don Black Lives Matters shooting shirts in response to a racially-charged incident that drew national attention. http://bit.ly/BLMCodioHession

Matthew DeSantis is back to talk about the inspiration behind the social protest and sports research focus, his role as research coordinator with the Teen Think Tank Project's inaugural cohort, and the lessons he's learned working alongside these exceptional teens.