Monday afternoon, the article by former great Gamecock A’ja Wilson in Player’s Tribune was published.
In the article entitled “Dear Black Girls”, Wilson reflects on his personal journey growing up in South Carolina and dealing with racism along the way.
She wrote to encourage other black girls who may be struggling on their own journey, while validating their experience.
In the play, she describes how even her former coach Dawn Staley is not immune to racist attacks and describes the consequences that occurred after the 2017 national championship victory.
“And I still saw that happen to her. When we won the NCAA championship in 2017, do you know what we heard almost immediately?” Wilson wrote. “We are talking about the first women’s basketball championship in the state of South Carolina. And you know what it was, almost before we managed to put the flag on the rafters?
‘Coach Staley does not recruit white players. Why doesn’t she recruit our white girls?
You had a team of 12 black girls working until the end. No, working like hell. To make history. Under a black trainer. And yet it seemed that a significant part of our community did not want to fully celebrate. On social media, it was the worst. “
She continued to highlight the disparity in how black girls are prepared to go out into the world compared to black boys.
“At the end of the day, black girls across the country need to hear the truth,” she said. “They need to know what they’re getting into. Most of the time, they don’t take it “the conversation.” The boys understand that. They are told how they are seen as a threat to the police, how to navigate the world, how to just survive.
And this is very necessary. But what do black girls get?
(Crickets). “
Wilson is just days away from starting his third season at the WNBA with Las Vegas Aces.