Four-time track and field Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross will be speaking Tuesday in Grant Auditorium from 7–9 p.m.

Four Syracuse University student organizations will be co-sponsoring the event: the Caribbean Students Association, She’s The First, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and Sport Professionals of Color. During the event, Richards-Ross will be addressing questions from each organization as well as from the audience.

“The event is kind of like a real talk session with Sanya on her views about culture, life and sports,” said Chelsea Gill, president of CSA. She continued to explain that Richards-Ross addressed a lot of each organization’s interests.

Each group has prepared a list of questions directed at its individual organization’s initiatives. CSA will address Richards-Ross’ heritage and Caribbean upbringing and how immigrating to the U.S. affected her career, Gill said.

Vivienne Quow, president of She’s The First, said the organization started planning on bringing Richards-Ross to campus last summer. Once it was finalized, Quow said she contacted other groups on campus.

Quow said she has been in contact with Richards-Ross since last summer. She’s The First had attempted to bring Gabrielle Douglas, a member of the U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team in 2012, but when that fell through, she reached out to Richards-Ross.

“She has her own initiative that she’s trying to put forth, and they kind of align with everything that all the organizations are doing already,” Quow said.

Quow said she approached Alpha Phi Alpha because She’s The First has a new initiative called “He for She” that encourages men to support women’s education.

Tickets for the event went on sale Monday and cost $2. CSA president Gill said the funds will be donated to the national chapter of She’s The First.

Quow said each of the over 120 chapters of She’s The First sponsors a young girl’s education in a developing country. Funds from this event are going to 10-year-old Mbithe Puis, who attends a school for girls in Kenya.

“We get to have correspondence with her. She knows about us and we know about her,” Quow explained.

Both Gill and Quow emphasized that Richards-Ross’ speech does not apply just to women and that men are encouraged to attend as well.

Said Gill: “We’re hoping by Sanya sharing her experiences, it will empower the people.”

Published on March 23, 2015 at 9:31 pm

Contact Danny: dmantoot@syr.edu