Rashan Ali’s Sporty Girls Inc. Opens Doors for Young Black Girls
 Photos by Steed Media Service |
If
you think Rashan Ali is just another smooth voice on the radio, you’ve
got it twisted. She’s also a force to be reckoned with in the
community. “I am the founder of Sporty Girls Inc. [a] nonprofit which
encourage[s] black girls to swim, play golf, soccer, and tennis. We
just had our first successful year … we did a summer camp, a fall camp,
and we’re actually about to kick off a spring camp,” beams the wife and
mother.
The host of the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
midday show is fervent about engaging young black girls in athletics.
“I went to college on a swimming scholarship and you just didn’t see
black girls swimming. Nowadays, if you can just do a little bit, you
can get a full scholarship. A lot of us just don’t want to do those
particular sports [so] they just go to other minorities because we
aren’t available,” says Ali, a graduate of Florida A&M University.
Serving DeKalb and Fulton Counties, Sporty Girls Inc. carefully selects
and screens young girls who are serious about at least one of four
sports: swimming, golf, soccer or tennis. “We encourage these girls to
take an interest in these sports because there’s money there —
[college] scholarship money. … Developing their life skills is
definitely a passion of mine,” says Ali.
Participants can look forward to staying on a college campus for a week
and swim at one of metro Atlanta’s premier swimming facilities, or play
at elite golf courses, soccer fields or tennis courts. “We’re going to
have a really good time,” shares Ali, who is actively seeking sponsors
and volunteers. –yvette caslin
