Angel Reese is doing her part to help Black women build generational wealth.
The Louisiana State University star senior forward and Women’s Basketball 2023 Champion has joined forces with Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women (OMBW) to to galvanize lawmakers around driving economic mobility for Black women, a group that has proven time and time again that they’re hold the most merit, but receive the least financial support. The initiative comes on the heels of OMBW’s new national survey that details the disparities Black women face when striving for financial solvency.
To raise awareness of the challenges and triumphs Black women face, Reese alongside and her mother former college ballplayer Angel Webb Reese star in a national ad, to urge congress to enact policy that support the economic progression of Black women.
“I owe so much to my mom,” Angel Reese said in a statement. “She instilled in me my confidence, work ethic and my commitment to my community. It’s clear that from her generation to today, Black women are still facing challenges,” said Angel Reese. “But I believe change is possible. I’m proud to be teaming up with Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women to make sure the voices of Black women in my community and across the country are heard.”
The ad was written, produced and directed by Maura Chanz and ColorCreative, a Black women-owned and run management company aimed at amplifying Black women and their business endeavors.
The partnership was a match made in heaven, as Reese has been lauded for her ability to leverage her name, image and likeness to close millions of dollars in partnerships and brand deals in under two years following her harrowing performance in the 2023 NCAA championship.
As ESSENCE previously pointed out, in 2023 an On3 report estimated that Reese was earning around $392,000/year on endorsement deals with companies like Bose, JanSport, McDonald’s, Outback Steakhouse, Xfinity, among others.
“We fully expect her to be bringing in more deals coming after this,” Bob Lynch, SponsorUnited’s founder and CEO, told Forbes. “She’s a businesswoman as well as anything else. Every kid growing up right now who follows her is watching her, not only seeing her perform in basketball but seeing her do endorsement deals.”
Reese’s success is a lightning rod not only for student athletes to financial empower their futures after long being used as tools to drive dollars to the universities they play for, but also for Black women to demand what they’re worth.
“I’m proud to see Angel using her platform to level the playing field for Black women and talking about these important issues,” Angel Webb Reese says. “My hope is that these statistics and the real-life experiences that they represent will be a wake-up call for Congress and other leaders to work with Black women to create a future where everyone has an opportunity to achieve their goals and leave a legacy.”
The ad will run on ESPN and Connected TV during the Elite Eight and Final Four games at the end of March Madness.