Belonging in Sport Requires Shared Authority, Not Just Access
At an Aspen Institute roundtable on sport and belonging, sociologist Jay Coakley argued that inclusion requires more than being welcomed: people must be seen, valued and included in decision-making. Participants including Binta Brown, Brandon Bailey, Ezra Frech and Sue Enquist made related cases for sport as a route to agency, representation and social change, while warning that access without shared authority or institutional accountability leaves belonging incomplete.
The Aspen Institute·Aug 19, 2026·5 min read