SEASIDE, Calif. — Otter student–athletes, coaches and staff have come together to form MB United, a new committee that will strategize, organize and lead the athletics department's efforts against racism and social injustice.

Not only will MB United keep an open, active dialog between student–athletes and Otter coaches and administrators, it will provide a platform for action to address issues and affect positive change. Amongst the priorities of MB United will be:

• Mental health and counseling support services for black student–athletes.
• Education and tools to address matters of racism, prejudice, diversity and inclusion.
• Expand implicit bias and microaggression training to all coaches, staff and student-athletes.
• Participate in civic engagement programming in partnership with campus organizations..
• Voter education and registration among CSUMB student-athletes.
• Advance efforts to recruit and retain a diverse student-athlete population in all sports.
• Advance efforts to hire a diverse athletics administration and coaching staff.
• Use our collective voices to positively impact the University, the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and the NCAA in areas related to social justice.

"Through active conversations with our black student–athletes, coaches and staff it was clear we need to activate a working group committed to listen, learn and unite our department against racism and social injustice," says CSUMB Director of Athletics Kirby Garry. "We are proud of all student–athletes, alumni and coaches for using their voices to influence change. We are committed to unite Otter Athletics and build trust through love, respect and empathy. We will use the urgency of the movement to develop our ability to become advocates for change."

Several Otter student–athletes were proactively involved in the creation of MB United. Their voices have been important in helping bring awareness, change and growth through these turbulent times.

"Given the recent acts of violence against innocent black people, the silence and lack of leadership have angered and frustrated me and my fellow black student–athletes," says Otter women's basketball player Camille Parker. "We want to spearhead a future of open dialogue and unquestioned support from leadership. "We have tangible ideas and actions that should be put into place. We want to see an actual collective effort for change as a piece of mind that this movement we are creating has the momentum and backing it deserves and is long overdue."

"We are using our tools to fix the disconnect and dismantle as much racism as we can reach," says CSUMB track and field sophomore Nia Howard. "We want to reprogram our community to see  equality as a necessity and to use our leadership to lead and be the change we want to see in the world."

One of MB United's first projects will be hosting a Zoom conversation with UCLA Hall of Famer, National Champion, World Champion and Olympic Gold Medal softball player Natasha Watley on Thursday, June 18. She has traveled the world playing softball, with her experiences giving her a unique perspective on the challenges faced not just as a black student–athlete, but as a woman of color in a society still urgently needing to address racial issues.

"As an African–American woman, I have been racially profiled all the time," Watley recently told D1Softball.com. "Traveling first class and getting ready to board the plane and having them stop me and say it's not general boarding. It's the assumption that you are not supposed to be there. My neighbors wonder why I am living in a nice home and I am black. Contractors treat me differently because of my race. I feel like as a woman of color they don't even see you."

Like Parker, Howard and others in the MB United community, Watley hopes this discussion leads to more than just talk. 

"This isn't just about posting a trending hashtag. I don't want this to be a trending topic," she says. "It is going to take deeper action from us to change this. We all respond differently and internalize it in different ways, but what actions can you take that are constructive?

To learn more about how you can MB United, its goals and projects, please visit the MB United home page at OtterAthletics.com/MBUnited. A recording of the MB United dialog with Natasha Watley will be amongst the links available there.


MB United Committee:

Camille Parker – Women's Basketball
Nia Howard – Women's Track and Field
Aubrey Cousins – Softball
Kyle Johnson – Men's Basketball
Kyle Guerra – Baseball
Ryan Luke – Faculty Athletics Representative
Joshua Lewis – Athletics Operations
Christina Ferrante – Athletics Marketing & Creative Services
Emily Schmit – Head Coach Water Polo
Graeme Jaap – Head Coach Men's Soccer
Kirby Garry – Director of Athletics