LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Illinois Volleyball's Cari Bohm represented Illinois at the 2024 Athlete Activism Summit, a four-day event from June 27-30 hosted by Athlete Ally, a non-profit LGBTQIA+ athletic advocacy group that aims to make athletic communities more inclusive and less discriminatory.Â
The summit served as an opportunity for student-athletes, coaches, and administrators from institutions across the country to build community, gain knowledge, and commit to actions to expand LGBTQIA+ inclusion and allyship on their campuses.
"There are no words to truly describe the impact this summit had on my personal growth," Bohm said. "This summit has given me self-confidence, purpose, and a community of friends that inspire me to be my best self in every capacity."
The four-day summit featured conversations with activists, professional athletes, and student-athletes on topics ranging from visibility and representation to collective power and intersectional activism. It also included breakout sessions that focused on campus advocacy and storytelling.
The opening day of the event featured the AEI award ceremony, during which Illinois was recognized as one of only 20 schools to achieve a perfect score on the Athletic Equality Index, which measures LGBTQIA+ inclusion policies and practices in collegiate athletic spaces.
The next day, attendees participated in plenary sessions and workshops that covered impactful storytelling that centers the athletes' voices and taught student-athletes how to craft their own unique stories. The group then got together for a barbecue and games and received a customized Pride jersey.
The third day included conversations with NWSL stars highlighting compassionate leadership and featured additional panels with trans, non-binary, asexual, and aromantic athletes sharing their own stories and lived experiences before closing out with a ceremony. The group attended a professional soccer game featuring Racing Louisville FC, an NWSL team based in Louisville, and the Illini representatives were honored and recognized during halftime for their perfect score on the Athletic Equality Index.
Closing the summit with team-building competitions on the final day, Illinois' contingent in Louisville returned to Champaign-Urbana following the four-day summit.
Bohm called the experience "empowering, inspiring, and transformative" while listing some takeaways from the summit: "The athletes that are the least silent are the most remembered; when you show up as your authentic self, you are giving others permission to as well; and when it comes to inclusivity, respect is the standard but celebration is the true mark of success."
"Come to Illini Allies!" shared Bohm, a second-year co-leader for Illini Allies, a student-athlete affinity group for LGBTQIA+ athletes. "The queer athlete experience is so isolating, and until you experience a community that centers you, you can't fully understand the extent of the positive impact it has."
Feeling recharged and inspired, Bohm is ready to take everything learned at the summit and bring it back to campus to continue making it a more inclusive and safe space for queer athletes.
