Representation Matters On and Off the Field: Girls and Women in Sports Are Here to Stay

Victoria Fortune (second from left) and panelists at a 2026 National Girls & Women in Sports Day event for NYRR Run for the Future alumnae.

Author Victoria Fortune is a member of NYRR Contributors Circle.

I recently had the opportunity to moderate the National Girls & Women in Sports Day panel at the New York Road Runners offices. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with the warmest energy from the NYRR team and the Run for the Future alumnae. The room was filled with youth, parents, NYRR community members, and past program participants.

Run for the Future is a free program that introduces young women in high school to running. Participants train together for their first 5K and become part of a supportive alumnae network that extends beyond the program.

Community, Access, and Representation

Victoria's early experiences in sports included playing shortstop on her local softball team. She later captained her high school golf team as the only girl. Photos courtesy of Victoria Fortune.

Being in a room filled with both current and former participants felt full circle for me. Many of the girls came with a parent or guardian, which brought back memories of being a kid and showing up to sporting events with my own family. I would sometimes be hesitant to attend, but so excited I did once it was over. The friends I would make at events like that became something to look forward to.

As someone who has been an athlete from childhood to now, the conversation felt deeply personal. My love for sports started with my dad, a true sports fanatic who made sure my older brother and I stayed active. 

I joined my first team at 12 and became a proud shortstop on my local softball team. I was the only Black girl on that team, a dynamic that would later prepare me for many of my athletic experiences.

In high school, I played softball, ran track, and captained the golf team as the only girl. My journey to golf state championships was not built on talent alone. It happened because a local golf instructor decided to coach me free of charge. He believed in my talents. Community support and access made the difference for me. Representation did too. Watching Tiger Woods helped me believe there was space for me in a sport that did not often reflect back what I looked like. 

That is why moderating this panel felt like more than just hosting a conversation. It felt like honoring the many people and programs that helped carry me forward. 

Creating Equitable Environments for Girls and Women

The panel featured Latoya Shauntay Snell, who received the Lead Her Forward Award, and Run for the Future alums Safia Diagana and Dr. Patricia Lorquet. Together, we talked about access to sports, representation on and off the field, confidence, leadership, and what it takes to create more equitable environments for girls and women.

When I asked why access to sports matters for girls and women, the answer was simple and unanimous. “Representation matters.” The audience agreed. Representation creates permission to dream.

There is a saying that goes “You can’t be what you can’t see.” And when you do not see it yet, sometimes you have to be brave enough to become it. Latoya embodies that truth. As a Black, plus size, queer, chronically ill athlete, she carved her own path in an industry that often does not make room for bodies and identities like hers. Her athletic journey began as a response to physical, mental, and emotional health challenges.

She was honored for her leadership, courage, and commitment to showing up fully as herself. She encouraged the audience to embrace their “weirdness” and see the very things that make them different as their superpower. Her message around body positivity deeply resonated with me, because confidence in our bodies is often the first barrier girls face when entering sports spaces. (Check out my piece on body positivity here).

For the Future

Safia shared a powerful moment of seeing a woman athlete wearing a hijab for the first time. She spoke about how emotional it felt to witness someone honoring both their faith and athleticism without compromise. Representation gave her language for what was possible. Her words to the young girls in the room were simple. Do not let anyone discourage you from what you love. 

Dr. Patricia Lorquet grounded the conversation in reality. She named the lack of resources and access as a major reason women’s sports have historically lagged in visibility and respect. Progress requires advocacy. It requires moving our bodies. It requires showing up for ourselves and for each other, even when systems are slow to change. 

Programs like Run for the Future are a reminder that access changes trajectories. I am living proof of that. I did not get to where I am in sport alone. I was carried by the community. I was affirmed by people who saw potential before I fully did. 

I left the panel feeling inspired and grateful. Grateful for the women who shared their stories. Grateful for the girls who showed up curious and open. Grateful for programs that continue to create entry points into movement, confidence, leadership, and belonging. 

Representation matters. Access matters. Community matters. And when we invest in girls and women in sports, we are not just shaping athletes. We are shaping leaders.

Victoria Fortune is a member of NYRR Contributors Circle; find more of her content here. 

The summer 2026 application for NYRR Run for the Future is open through April 17. Learn more and apply here.

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