General
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DAC

“We’re proud and appreciative to have this opportunity to lead our department’s commitment to issues of diversity. Our Committee is excited to continue our work on education and advocacy regarding these issues.” – Ray Oliver and Tiffany Hayden

The University of Kentucky Athletics Department formed a Diversity Advocacy Committee made up of ten. staff members from different backgrounds, experiences and history. The Committee’s membership was chosen to provide diverse perspectives to yield the best outcomes. The Committee’s mission is to advocate for University of Kentucky student-athletes, athletics staff and coaches and the unique needs of the marginalized communities across those groups. The committee began meeting in June. The Committee, co-chaired by Ray Oliver and Tiffany Hayden, has been charged with maintaining a commitment to educating UK Athletics on issues facing all marginalized student-athletes, marginalized athletics staff and coaches. They have made a commitment to listening, identifying ways to create a more diverse athletics department, and training all student-athletes, staff and coaches to identify their own biases. They have committed to amplifying underrepresented voices. The Committee will work toward creating a strong diverse culture, one that is reflective of all the people in Kentucky Athletics.

“During summer of 2020, we began asking the question, ‘How can we be part of positive change? We began by forming a committee toward that goal, and they have begun building awareness, working with student-athletes and staff, and developing action plans.” – Mitch Barnhart

Mission Statement

We are a team of advocates for Diversity for our Student-Athletes, Athletics staff, and Coaches.
We are committed to educating UK Athletics on issues facing, Student-Athletes, athletics staff, and coaches with Diverse backgrounds.
We are committed to listening.
We are committed to identifying ways to create a more diverse athletics department.
We are committed to training all student-athletes, staff and coaches to identify their own biases.
We are committed to our underrepresented voices being heard.  
We are committed to creating a strong diverse culture, one that is reflective of all the people in the Department. Our different backgrounds, experiences, and history make us better.

 

STAFF

 

 

Staff

Name
Email
Ray Oliver (Co-Chair) ray.oliver@uky.edu
Tiffany Hayden (Co-Chair) tiffany.hayden@uky.edu
Rachel Baker rachel.baker@uky.edu
Aisha Foy aisha.foy@uky.edu
Courtney Love courtney.love@uky.edu
LaMont Love l.love@uky.edu
Ricky Lumpkin ricky.lumpkin@uky.edu
Passion Richardson passion.richardson@uky.edu
Jason Schlafer jason.schlafer@uky.edu

McLendon Initiative

The purpose of the McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative (MLI) is to provide minorities a jump-start to their careers through practical experiences, opportunities to build their network, and instilling the values of John McLendon: Integrity, Education, Leadership, and Mentorship.

“The MLI is about access and opportunity: real-world experience and networking platforms designed to elevate talented young women and men of color who have previously been ignored by a system that lacks diversity and inclusion. For this work, I couldn’t think of a more appropriate vehicle than the McLendon Foundation. I’m excited about where we’re headed and feel this is a great first step toward affecting measurable change in our corner of the world,” said John Calipari, Head Men’s Basketball Coach at the University of Kentucky.