Pitt Contingent returns from ACC Unity Tour
8/2/2024 9:26:00 AM | General, Life Skills
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Pitt student-athletes Haylee Mersereau (women's soccer), Caleia Johnson (women's track and field), Ishmael Leggett (men's basketball), and Jordan Villareal (wrestling) along with associate head coach Alonzo Webb III (track and field) joined student-athletes and administrators from the ACC's 18 member institutions to promote and encourage inclusion, racial equity and social justice through the league's 2024 Unity Tour, in historic Charleston.
"The ACC Unity Tour was a great experience that made me step out of my comfort zone while learning about the culture and history of Charleston." said Leggett. "The people I met there brought new perspectives to mind and filled the trip with amazing energy. Overall, I'm really glad I got to be a part of the tour and appreciate all the athletes and administrators I came across!"
This marks the third ACC Unity Tour, which began in 2022 when ACC student-athletes and administrators visited Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, for an immersive journey to one of the centers of the civil rights movement. In 2023, the event was held in Washington, D.C., with the attendees visiting key sites of the civil rights movement and engaging in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX.
"The 2024 ACC Unity was a fulfilling and humbling experience," said Webb. "A nice reminder of our history and how what we do on a daily basis is bigger than us. The opportunity to see so many wonderful student-athletes being moved to emotion and action, while connecting with peers they have never met before, reminds us all that the future is in very capable hands. No matter where we come from or what our experiences have been, through sports we can make our differences a strength and build a better future."
The theme of the tour was Journey of Resilience: Cultivating History through Community, Culture, and Cuisine. Participants engaged in an immersive educational experience in "The Holy City." Attendees visited key sites throughout the city such as the Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, the International African American Museum and the McLeod Plantation Historic Site. The trip highlighted a Gullah Geechee Tour, which offers a one-of-a-kind experience for locals, tourists, and anyone interested in true slave history in Charleston.
"I wasn't sure what to expect on the ACC Unity Tour," said Johnson. "It was a wonderful and unforgettable experience. Immersed in Charleston and its rich culture, I experienced a history lesson that could never be replicated in the classroom. I witnessed firsthand the resilience of communities like the Gullah Geechee people, who have withstood immense adversity. I was also met with the opportunity to connect with so many kind athletes outside of our competitive environments, which doesn't happen very often!"
ACC UNITE is part of the ACC's Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE - Champions of Racial Equity) C.O.R.E was created in June 2020 to support the ACC's commitment to social justice and racial equity. Members of C.O.R.E. include conference office staff members and campus representatives from each of the league's 18 institutions. C.O.R.E.'s mission is to promote and encourage inclusion, racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy
Players Mentioned
