Lawrence Nalls
Q: Who is your role model?
Lawrence: My dad is my role model. He got me into football. He also made sure I stayed on the right path as a kid. To me, he is the definition of what it means to be a good dad.
Q: What made you want to pursue football on a higher level?
Lawrence: Free College and the chance of being a professional athlete who inspires others.
Q: How old were you when you started?
Lawrence: I started playing football when I was 5. I come from a football family and also had an interest in playing it after watching it on TV.
Q: How do you define black excellence?
Lawrence: Someone who has succeeded in their field and now is pouring back the fruits of their labor into the black community.
Q: Any advice for people who want to play football at the college level?
Lawrence: To play football at the next level, you have to keep your grades up. Coaches don’t want someone who can be a classroom liability. Staying humble. You need to stay humble and grateful because everything you have can be taken in the blink of an eye. Never stop working. Only 2% of high school kids play college football… you have to work hard to separate yourself from the pack. Having faith in the lord is more personal to me. I don’t know everyone’s religion but for me, God is good all the time.
Q: Who is your role model?
Lawrence: My dad is my role model. He got me into football. He also made sure I stayed on the right path as a kid. To me, he is the definition of what it means to be a good dad.
Q: What made you want to pursue football on a higher level?
Lawrence: Free College and the chance of being a professional athlete who inspires others.
Q: How old were you when you started?
Lawrence: I started playing football when I was 5. I come from a football family and also had an interest in playing it after watching it on TV.
Q: How do you define black excellence?
Lawrence: Someone who has succeeded in their field and now is pouring back the fruits of their labor into the black community.
Q: Any advice for people who want to play football at the college level?
Lawrence: To play football at the next level, you have to keep your grades up. Coaches don’t want someone who can be a classroom liability. Staying humble. You need to stay humble and grateful because everything you have can be taken in the blink of an eye. Never stop working. Only 2% of high school kids play college football… you have to work hard to separate yourself from the pack. Having faith in the lord is more personal to me. I don’t know everyone’s religion but for me, God is good all the time.
Israel Bratton-Caesar
Q: Who is your role model?
Israel: My role models in my life right now are both of my parents. One is a personal chef, self-employed and works hard. He works hard to do what he loves and feed our family. My mother is a speech pathologist and a photographer. Just them in my life supporting me and working hard, it's always been a great influence on me.
Q: What got you into water polo?
Israel: Well, a couple of years ago when I was 10, I started swimming. I wanted to learn how to swim. I joined a park district club, and I was naturally good at it. The coach encouraged me to try water polo. We didn't know anything about it, but I talked with my mom and we got into the sport. We did a few competitions and I gained a love for the sport. Now I'm doing stuff as big as going to national tournaments! I really love the sport.
Q: What's it like being one of few African-Americans that do water polo? How does it feel seeing lack of representation? Is that representation important to you?
Israel: I always feel not welcome. I walk into every competition, these national competitions, and I stand out, and I know I stand out mainly because I'm one of the few African-Americans there. It hurts to know that, but it feels good that I can make a change one day and I want to make a change one day. That's my goal, to make it to the national teams and I want to set an influence for other people like myself and inspire the next generation.
Q: Any advice for anyone in your field or similar position?
Israel: Don't stop doing what you love. Take any and all opportunities u can get, work hard, make opportunities for yourself, always work for yourself, and focus on yourself. Don’t just be hardworking, you're mental too, don't overwork and make sure you love what you do. You don't want to lose love for what you do.
Q: What defines black excellence to you?
Israel: It's everywhere. Black people doing what they love and being successful for it. Making a change, setting influences, being a role model, and icon. How big or little fame is doesn't matter if you're excellent, you're excellent. If you're accomplishing things and love what you're doing you’re excellent.
Q: Who is your role model?
Israel: My role models in my life right now are both of my parents. One is a personal chef, self-employed and works hard. He works hard to do what he loves and feed our family. My mother is a speech pathologist and a photographer. Just them in my life supporting me and working hard, it's always been a great influence on me.
Q: What got you into water polo?
Israel: Well, a couple of years ago when I was 10, I started swimming. I wanted to learn how to swim. I joined a park district club, and I was naturally good at it. The coach encouraged me to try water polo. We didn't know anything about it, but I talked with my mom and we got into the sport. We did a few competitions and I gained a love for the sport. Now I'm doing stuff as big as going to national tournaments! I really love the sport.
Q: What's it like being one of few African-Americans that do water polo? How does it feel seeing lack of representation? Is that representation important to you?
Israel: I always feel not welcome. I walk into every competition, these national competitions, and I stand out, and I know I stand out mainly because I'm one of the few African-Americans there. It hurts to know that, but it feels good that I can make a change one day and I want to make a change one day. That's my goal, to make it to the national teams and I want to set an influence for other people like myself and inspire the next generation.
Q: Any advice for anyone in your field or similar position?
Israel: Don't stop doing what you love. Take any and all opportunities u can get, work hard, make opportunities for yourself, always work for yourself, and focus on yourself. Don’t just be hardworking, you're mental too, don't overwork and make sure you love what you do. You don't want to lose love for what you do.
Q: What defines black excellence to you?
Israel: It's everywhere. Black people doing what they love and being successful for it. Making a change, setting influences, being a role model, and icon. How big or little fame is doesn't matter if you're excellent, you're excellent. If you're accomplishing things and love what you're doing you’re excellent.
Mariah Bozeman
Q: Who is your role model?
Mariah: My role model in acting is Storm Reid, as she has become so successful at a young age, balances school so well, and manages to keep a level head socially and mentally through it all. In cheer, it would be Angel Rice, as she has been cheering for so long and built her career through it. She changed the game for many black cheerleaders.
Q: What made you want to pursue acting & cheer?
Mariah: I wanted to pursue acting from a young age, seeing others in front of me, but I realized I especially enjoyed being in front of the camera and had a talent for it as well. I’d been cheering since I was 6 years old, beginning with school cheer, then recreational, and wanting to push for something more challenging, soon committing to all-star.
Q: How old were you when you started?
Mariah: I was 6 years old when I began cheer, but 9 when I really committed to cheer and acting.
Q: What is a piece of advice you would give to young people on the pursuit of success?
Mariah: In both fields, my advice is to find balance. When things become difficult, it is hard to balance everything at once, so to begin with a plan and a system that compensates for everything. It helps in the long run.
Q: How do you manage stress?
Mariah: Stress is always a hard topic to touch on, as there have definitely been struggles. Though I can normally find balance and keep things together, sometimes it does become too much and I have to take a step back to prioritize, take a breath, and regroup. Sometimes it takes asking others for help, and that is not always easy, but it is beneficial to put me back on track.
Q: What defines black excellence to you?
Mariah: In the cheer world, black cheerleaders tend to be underrepresented, which is exactly why I am a Black Girls Cheer ambassador. Though I do come from a predominantly black gym, I do know others who have struggled with people understanding their culture, whether that be their hair, customs, being stereotyped, etc.
Q: Who is your role model?
Mariah: My role model in acting is Storm Reid, as she has become so successful at a young age, balances school so well, and manages to keep a level head socially and mentally through it all. In cheer, it would be Angel Rice, as she has been cheering for so long and built her career through it. She changed the game for many black cheerleaders.
Q: What made you want to pursue acting & cheer?
Mariah: I wanted to pursue acting from a young age, seeing others in front of me, but I realized I especially enjoyed being in front of the camera and had a talent for it as well. I’d been cheering since I was 6 years old, beginning with school cheer, then recreational, and wanting to push for something more challenging, soon committing to all-star.
Q: How old were you when you started?
Mariah: I was 6 years old when I began cheer, but 9 when I really committed to cheer and acting.
Q: What is a piece of advice you would give to young people on the pursuit of success?
Mariah: In both fields, my advice is to find balance. When things become difficult, it is hard to balance everything at once, so to begin with a plan and a system that compensates for everything. It helps in the long run.
Q: How do you manage stress?
Mariah: Stress is always a hard topic to touch on, as there have definitely been struggles. Though I can normally find balance and keep things together, sometimes it does become too much and I have to take a step back to prioritize, take a breath, and regroup. Sometimes it takes asking others for help, and that is not always easy, but it is beneficial to put me back on track.
Q: What defines black excellence to you?
Mariah: In the cheer world, black cheerleaders tend to be underrepresented, which is exactly why I am a Black Girls Cheer ambassador. Though I do come from a predominantly black gym, I do know others who have struggled with people understanding their culture, whether that be their hair, customs, being stereotyped, etc.
