From AFLW to Advocacy: Akec Inspires Change With Sport

"I'm used to being the only one that looks like me in many rooms."

In this episode of Momentum, we sit down with former AFLW player and rising sports media voice Akec Makur Chuot (aka one of our favourite people on Instagram, ever).

Akec arrived in Australia as a 12-year-old refugee from Kenya and went on to become one of the first women of colour to play in the AFLW. Now, she’s shifting the game off the field too: using her **huge** platform in sports media to push for greater diversity and representation across the industry.

We speak about her early days in footy and what it was like being one of the few women of colour in the league, her transition from player to media personality, and the challenges she’s faced being in a space where she often didn’t see herself reflected. Akec shares why representation, both on screen and behind the scenes, is still crucial, and what legacy she hopes she’s leaving behind, both in sport and in the broader media landscape.

It’s a raw and honest conversation about identity, visibility, and the realities of breaking new ground. Aaaaand it's our final episode of Season 2 - we really couldn't think of a better episode to end on. It's a truly incredible episode.