Cougs Attend Athlete Ally Leadership Summit: Student-Athlete Reflection

Pictured: Lyshia Clarendon (left), the first openly non-binary player in the WNBA and WSU student-athlete Makayla Poloni (right).

Washington State swimming student-athlete Makayla Poloni was one of 60 student-athletes and staff members that attended the first ever Athlete Ally Athlete Leadership Summit in Miami, Florida. Athlete Ally is an organization whose mission is to end the rampant homophobia and transphobia in sport and to activate the athletic community to exercise their leadership to champion LGBTQI+ equality. Below are her own words surrounding the experience.

When I was told I had been given the opportunity to go to the first ever Athlete Ally Leadership Summit, a whole flood of…