Focused on those working behind the scenes, Story’s annual event is connecting women with skills from all different industries.
Courtesy of LaTonya Story
Sports Illustrated and Empower Onyx are putting the spotlight on the diverse journeys of Black women across sports—from the veteran athletes, to up-and-coming stars, coaches, executives and more—in the series, Elle-evate: 100 Influential Black Women in Sports.
How can a woman who is not a sports celebrity pack a room full of the most influential people in the industry? With a compassionate spirit and the deep desire to bring people together in an environment that encourages organic connections for success. LaTonya Story, creator of the Sports Power Brunch and founder of LPS Consulting PR, was born this way—full of life, service and love. She wants to illuminate the less visible sports careers so that everyone who aspires to be in this industry can not only grab their dream job, but also be successful in a field that they love.
Story just wrapped her third annual Sports Power Brunch, presented by Champion, celebrating the most powerful women in the industry. The event, which takes place in each Super Bowl host city, started in 2019 in Atlanta, Story’s hometown. Her goal was to create an event that’s affordable, dynamic and empowering.
“I want to honor the people who are of service and are behind the scenes doing the work,” she says. “That's why I do it. I've kind of been listening to people, tell me what makes it different from other events. The beautiful spirit that moves in the room. That's what I want people to feel. That's the feedback that I've gotten so far. And it’s such a blessing.”
Story wants people to make connections, especially for those who are not on television. “I know how hard it is to meet people and break into sports. The superstars to me are the people like Terry Hines, who was an executive vice president of communications for Fox Sports,” she says. “People who are executives and climbed their way to the top with little to no fanfare. It was my honor to shower them with honoree gifts and awards.”
The brunch hosted more than 250 people from leagues, teams and agencies—in front of the camera, behind the camera and in the corporate boardroom. Story accomplished above and beyond what she anticipated. People connected with one another in a room where deals were made, relationships began and people felt empowered, inspired and encouraged after they left the event.
The honorees at this year’s brunch in Los Angeles included Vanessa Bryant, founder of the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, who received the newly created Be Your Own Champion Award; Natalie White, senior vice president of the Los Angeles Sparks who received the Trailblazer Award; Denise White, CEO and founder of EAG Sports Management who received the She-Mogul Award; and Hines, who received the Power of Spirit Award. There were also three panels that received rave reviews: Dealmakers—She Changed the Game; Let’s Talk: Diversity Equity & Inclusion; and Self-Care & Wellness for Women in the Workplace.
Courtesy of LaTonya Story
Emotions ran high and tears were streaming when Natalie White’s name was called to receive an unexpected gift from Story. “We donated $20,000 to help renovate Natalie’s A10tion Foundation recreation center gym in her hometown,” says Story, who lost her 30-year-old son to cancer due to a misdiagnosis. “My son lived at the rec center in our neighborhood. So, I know how important a gym is in a local community. It keeps kids off the streets and gives them a sense of community, teamwork and togetherness. And being able to contribute to Natalie, as well as honor my son’s legacy, to keep his name alive, means a lot.”
Story’s ambitious personality is contagious. The self-proclaimed teen mother has always had an overload of passion to be great. “I remember walking to church, when I had my third child,” says Story. “I was 22 and no one could tell me that I wasn't going to be somebody. I just believed in myself. I went to a school for pregnant teens, and graduated valedictorian. I knew that there was a plan, purpose and destiny for my life.”
Story, who’s had a public relations and lifestyle marketing agency for the last 20 years, says when she was starting her career the only woman she saw in her field that looked like her was Marvet Britto, CEO of The Britto Agency. “I always knew that I wanted to work in sports and entertainment. I just didn't know how to get to that path,” she says.
The tenacious businesswoman found her way, and a basketball Hall of Famer was her first sports client. “My first experience in sports, I should say, was the Allen Iverson, for the celebrity summer classic, where I volunteered for two years back in 2000, 2001,” says Story. “Gary Moore, Allen's long time business manager, took a chance on me and believed in me. And I will never forget that.”
Now she gets to see dozens of athletes attend her event, which began as a small brunch at Atlanta’s Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse in Phipps Plaza. She started out honoring women whom she really admired—and the brunch grew from there. Now Story wants to create a visual for people so they can see any career path inside of the world of sports. She says that there is a match for all fields and for everyone’s talent or skills in the athletic world. “They can all be manifested in some areas of sport,” she says. “It can range from a graphic designer to a health expert for the United States Olympic and Paralympic committee.”
Quarterly events that she describes as mini-brunches are Story’s next plan. She will focus on the panel segment of her Power Brunch so that she can continue the conversations. Eventually, she would like to have them televised so that they are in the homes of young girls in rural areas across the country. Addressing the limitation of resources to travel to the Super Bowl host cities by extending beyond the room and reaching more people is crucial to growth and success in the industry.
“Of course, we want to be able to give more money to heads of organizations, so that we can help them accomplish the work in their communities,” she says. “These are the unsung individuals who are doing the work that a camera may not see them doing. I want to be able to help them achieve their goals and let them know that they’re seen, heard and that they’re loved.”
Bryna Jean-Marie is a contributor for Empower Onyx, a diverse multi-channel platform celebrating the stories and transformative power of sports for Black women and girls.