The Humanize Podcast
Amplifying Black Culture in Boulder
Join us as we bring the magic of The Humanize Podcast to the public stage for the first time!
It’s easy to say you believe in social justice, but engaging in honest conversations about race can be deeply uncomfortable, vulnerable, messy, and complex. Join co-hosts Courthney Russell (social entrepreneur, activist and doctor) and Emily Braucher (keynote speaker and mom) as they take on the kind of interracial dialogue needed to disrupt the current social order and create equity.
Something positive is evolving with Black culture in Boulder. We aim to explore this evolution through our live podcast series, “Amplifying Black Culture in Boulder.”
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About DaWon Baker:
DaWon Baker is on the CU athletic staff, as he began his role as the department’s first-ever Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) on May 1, 2021.
Baker joined the Colorado staff from the University of Nebraska, where he had served in a similar role as the Huskers’ Diversity & Inclusion Director in Life Skills and Enrichment since September 2018.
At Nebraska, he was responsible for diversity and inclusion initiatives for all staff, coaches and student-athletes. He provided oversight and direction on the annual Diversity and Inclusion Summit, Next Steps outreach, N-Vest Mentoring Program, direction of the campus-wide Husker Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Committee (HADIC) and Husker Inclusion Council (HIC). He also served as a Life Skills coach for three varsity programs (football, rifle and men’s
Though only at Nebraska for two-and-a-half years, he was heavily involved from practically the start in representing the athletic department in numerous campus partnerships, including the Diversity Engagement Team, comprised of a group of administrative professionals whose primary responsibilities are keenly focused on promoting diversity, equity, and/or inclusion across the UNL campus.
In August 2019, Baker co-founded the Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Council of Excellence (DIECE), a membership organization that provides support and resources for diversity officers who work in athletics. He is also an advisory board member for Return On Inclusion (ROI) and an advisory committee member for the Winning Edge Leadership Academy.
Baker is a 2015 graduate of the University of Missouri, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism and also participated in track and field (long jump). It is also where he received his first experience working in intercollegiate athletics as a marketing intern for the volleyball team and as a student customer service representative for the ticket office. His passion for DEI started while he was attending Missouri; born and raised in St. Louis, the tragic death of Michael Brown nearby his hometown of St. Louis, an event that drew national attention, prompted his initial interest.
Baker earned his Master’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s in Sport Business Management from the University of Central Florida in 2016. While attending UCF, he served as an academic mentor and game day intern in the athletic department, as well as a student assistant in the Office of Student-Athlete Welfare and Development. In addition, he was also a graduate research assistant for The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), where he was under the tutelage of Dr. Richard Lapchick, the well-respected national expert in diversity management, race relations, academics, sports and social issues.
After he earned his graduate degrees, he worked at the NCAA as a postgraduate intern in the Leadership Development department from June 2017 through June 2018. In that role, he worked on career, professional and personal development programs, which was designed to help student-athletes, coaches and administrators enhance their skills. He also worked closely with administrators to coordinate programs for minority administrators throughout the NCAA membership, and served as a member of the project team for the NCAA Inclusion Forum.
He is also an accomplished writer, as he spent three years as a contributor to FrontOfficeSports.com, writing features and contributing content about professional development opportunities and specific business professions in the world of sports.
A native of St. Louis, he graduated from Hazelwood East High School in 2011, where he lettered in football and track and field. His hobbies include podcasts, playing pickup basketball and flag football, and is passionate about advocating for social change. He is married to the former Brandy Leggins.
LIVE PODCAST RECORDING PROGRAM SERIES:
Thursday January 23rd 6:00PM-7:15PM: Adderly Grant-Lord on Parenting Black Children in Boulder County (episode now live, listen here!)
Thursday February 27th 6:00PM-7:15PM : Katrina Miller on DEI Under Fire: Myths, Truths, and the Future (episode now live, listen here!)
Thursday March 27th 6:00PM-7:15PM : Dr. Amy Pickens on The Cost of Performative Progress: Lessons from a Liberal Bubble (episode now live, listen here!)