Dawn Staley talks championships and equal pay fight at Columbia Black Expo
University of South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley discussed faith, family and her fight for equal pay during a conversation at Columbia’s Black Expo. The three-time championship coach reflected on the lessons that shaped her record-setting career.
FULL STORY: USC’s Dawn Staley talks life philosophy, equal pay at Columbia Black Expo
Here are key takeaways:
- Staley reflected on the phrase “uncommon favor,” which she also used as the title of her book on 13 life lessons drawn from basketball, her North Philadelphia upbringing and her mother.
- She credited her undefeated 2024 championship season to faith, saying it followed the disappointment of the 2023 team falling short after entering the Final Four undefeated.
- Staley described her path to equal pay, saying she hired a local lawyer familiar with university decision-makers and got it done in about six months. She now earns $4 million a year, making her the highest paid college women’s basketball coach in the country.
- She accepted a statue in her honor after Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann told her women account for about 4% of statues worldwide, with an even smaller share representing Black women.
- The 29th annual Columbia Black Expo also featured actor Jonathan Majors and live music performances at the S.C. State Fair Grounds.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.
Javon L. Harris
The State