Our Sports Your Story: Vermont's Two Black Athletic Directors
According to the last U.S. Census, the population of Vermont is 94.2% white. A statistic that is reflected in local sports leadership.
In the entire state of Vermont, there are only two Black high school athletic directors. South Burlington High School's Mike Jabour and Burlington High School's Quaron Pinckney.
“You do see that there is a lack of diversity in our group, but also you see it in our faculty as well too, and across the state of Vermont,” Jabour said.
“It’s how the population is, we alluded to it earlier, Vermont is 95% white, you don’t get those opportunities to be a part of a diverse culture,” Pinckney said.
Jabour is now at his alma mater, a former South Burlington High School football standout, he used to keep his feelings of oppression from racism pushed under his pads.
“In high school, I tried to just block it out as much as I can and just say, they aren’t judging me on the color of my skin…I know that it was probably there, but I did my best to shield myself and kind of be oblivious to it,” Jabour said.
Pinckney on the other hand is from the Bronx. He did not call Vermont home until he put on the purple and gold for Saint Michael's College basketball team.
“When I had my freshman orientation, I actually lied to a lot of people and told them I did not play basketball when they asked. I wanted them to accept who I am as a person, and not necessarily go right to that stereotype,” Pinckney said.
Today, the conversation on racial injustice is on the forefront of most American minds, their position as Black role models is being spotlighted now more than ever.
"It’s really given us an opportunity for our voices to be heard. As the only two Black athletic directors. I think it has opened up a conversation and opened up a dialogue that a lot of people might not have necessarily been open to before,” Pinckney said.
“To me it doesn’t really matter what the color of your skin is. Obviously, the students of color do gravitate towards me. I try to be a role model towards them, I try to say yes I am a person of color, I’m a Black man, and this could be you,” Jabour said.
Jabour and Pinckney are doing everything they can, but they are just two people.
“We need more leaders for these students that look like them…We need to work together no matter what race is a part of the conversation to develop a society that is antiracist,” Pinckney said.
Jabour and Pinckney would go on to say that one of the most pressing issues in the Vermont High School athletic community is the lack of Black head coaches. According to them, it is the responsibility of all athletic directors to figure out a solution.