Jemele Hill

Suiting Up with Paul Rabil

After 5 college internships and 20 years of sports reporting in Raleigh, Detroit and Orlando, Jemele Hill decided to give up her dream job as a SportsCenter anchor to start her own network. Why? Her goal is to elevate the voices of Black women, and she's trailblazing a future she would've never thought possible from the beginning.

When she took her first job as a columnist in Orlando, she was the only Black female sports columnist in North America.

Today, Jemele's a contributing writer for the Atlantic, covering mostly American politics. She hosts a weekly show with Cari Champion on VICE TV, another show with Van Lathan at the Ringer, and her bi-weekly podcast called "Jemele Hill is Unbothered" – spanning sports, politics and culture.

With her millions of followers and wall-to-wall opportunities covering politics and pop culture, she's often asked by her colleagues why she continues to cover sports. She told me “Sports is the one thing in this country that brings us together.”

I met Jemele several years ago after she reported on a Native American team in South Dakota that faced racial slurs and were expelled from the league they played in. She uncovered those truths behind the incidents. After I reached out, she connected me with one of her interviewees, Angelo Ruiz from the 7 Flames lacrosse team, and I've been closely following her career ever since.

Among many topics, Jemele and I discuss her career, the rise and threat of uncredible news across social media, her biggest stories throughout the 2020 election, a learning moment with Kobe Bryant, and the best ways athletes and sports leagues can continue to advocate in the national spotlight and throughout their local communities.