How Sabrina Jenkins of Atlanta Braves uses her platform to help other minorities
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photo by steed media service
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Sabrina
Jenkins, director of special events for the Atlanta Braves baseball
team, wants the few . the proud . the sports-loving populace. But
Jenkins doesn’t want you to play sports, per se. She wants more African
American young people, students and graduates to matriculate into the
front office positions of major American sports teams. This
indefatigable and multifaceted businesswoman’s work has earned her the
Atlanta Business League Award as one of the 100 most influential
African American women in Atlanta. Jenkins works to increase minority
presence on the business side of sports in three key ways:
1. Mentorship:
“I remember 17 years ago when I started with the Braves. I didn’t have
anyone or any mentors to turn to . in order to get my foot in the
door,” she says. “To be able to do that for other kids is definitely a
privilege.”
2. Supply diversity:
Jenkins hosted a supply diversity trade show recently at the 755 Club
inside the Atlanta Braves stadium. The purpose of the trade show was to
help showcase entrepreneurs who wish to procure coveted contracts with
the Braves. “We brought in 40 minorities and women businesses, and
they’ll be able to show off their products and services to the Braves
front office people . to try to get business.”
3. National Association of Black Sports Professionals:
As the Atlanta chapter president, Jenkins works to create a mechanism
to make it easier for sports loving students and graduates to get hired
by professional sports teams for front office positions. “What we try
to do is to connect people with the sports industry and sports-related
industries to help young kids coming out of college get their foot in
the door of the front offices of sports organizations,” she says. “It’s
an organization that I’m proud of.”
Jenkins pride is sure to swell as the ratio of blacks in front office
positions gets closer to the percentage of blacks on the actual playing
field. –terry shropshire
