As the MLB season comes to a peak in its offseason, new additions for MLB teams take place. The Boston Red Sox hired Bianca Smith for their coaching staff, making her the first African American woman coach in professional baseball history. With recent Black Lives Matter movements and protests just a few months back, a rise in movements for equality occurred all around the world. These pushes in equality, for example, can be seen through rise in Black Excellence; one example if this can be new jobs being filled with African American men and women. 

The first African American woman coaching in the MLB sends a message of empowerment that an African American woman can play a vital role on a pro baseball team. Current social issues such as racism and discrimination are still prevalent to this day, making equality much needed. African Americans are still not fully represented in large industries such as sports, which is why the addition of Bianca Smith is substantial. As an example in the NFL only three Black head coaches are present out of the 32 teams. 

In recent times more and more exposure for excellence for African American men and women has increased. For example, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, recent NFC Champions, have been the first team in NFL history to have three or more current African American assistant coaches in the league; now they led an explosive team to winning the 55th Super Bowl. Along with the rise in black excellence, more exposure and rise in women with high status in the sports industry has increased as well. In the MLB, the Miami Marlins named Kim Ng general manager making her the first female general manager in MLB history. Similarly, Vanderbilt’s Sarah Fuller became the first woman to score in a Power 5 conference college football game. 

From big names like Bianca Smith to Sarah Fuller, social barriers are broken every day. The rise of black awareness and excellence in our society continually prospers. Like most African American men and women in major industries, Smith overcame hardships such as colleagues and people around her constantly bringing her down. However, she overcame the unimaginable and is now sitting atop as a coach for the Boston Red Sox.