April 13, 2025 • 27 mins
Listen as Raven Heyward, founder and host of DiversifyHER, converses with Brianna Pinto. Growing up in a sports-focused family with both parents being UNC student-athletes, Brianna's path seemed destined for athletic success. Yet her story reveals the complex challenges of finding identity as a Black woman in spaces where representation remains limited. "You have to be comfortable in your own skin, knowing that there's a place for you in this sport, that you belong," she explains, detailing how this self-acceptance journey prepared her for success both on the field and in business settings.
Brianna doesn't just play soccer - she's reshaping the landscape through her Pinto Football Foundation, working to create opportunities for children from underserved communities. Her philosophy that "in order to believe you can become something, you have to see it" drives her commitment to mentorship and community building. As a two-time NWSL Challenge Cup champion and UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School graduate, she brings unique perspectives on balancing athletic demands with personal growth.
Connect with Brianna :
LinkedIn : Brianna Pinto
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello everyone and welcome to Diversify Her Podcast
.
I'm your host, raven Hayward,and today I'm honored to have
Brianna Pinto.
She began playing soccer at theage of three in hopes of
fulfilling her lifelong dream toplay for UNC women's soccer and
the US women's national team.
She grew up in Durham, northCarolina, and is a product of a
sports family.
She is also a graduate of UNC,majoring in business at UNC
(00:25):
Keenan-Flagler.
Today she currently representsthe North Carolina Courage and
is beginning her fifthprofessional season.
In her first two seasons withNC Courage, she became
back-to-back National Women'sSoccer League Challenge Cup
champion in 2022 and 2023.
In her free time, she oftenparticipates as a color
commentator for NCAA Division Imen's and women's soccer
(00:49):
programs at local universities.
Thank you so much for joiningme today.
How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I'm good, Raven.
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
It's an honor to be on your podcast.
Thank you, I'm so excited tohave you here today, so I'd love
for you to first just start offby giving us a little bit more
information about yourself andjourney, as to how you got to
where you are today.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, absolutely so.
I am Brianna Pinto and I wasborn in New Haven, connecticut,
but I spent most of my childhoodin Durham, north Carolina.
Both my parents were studentathletes at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill,and I wanted to follow in their
footsteps.
I have two brothers, one older,one younger.
So the older one is Hassan.
He went to Elon undergrad, andmy younger brother is Malik.
(01:33):
He went to Princeton.
And we really grew up in asports family.
My mom played softball, my dadplayed soccer and we wanted to
use sports as a vehicle to opennew doors of opportunity.
So, thankfully to all theblessings and the care that our
parents put into us, we wereable to all become Division I
(01:54):
collegiate athletes and alsoreach the professional ranks,
which has been special.
But one of the things myparents always emphasized was
doing equally as well in theclassroom.
So we had big aspirations forour careers, like post-playing
and attending the UNC.
Attending UNC Chapel Hill gaveme the best opportunity to live
out the best of both dreams of,you know, conquering the
(02:16):
business world while alsopursuing my soccer dreams, and
you know when I finallycommitted at the age of 15, it
was super young.
It was such a dream come true,because I had thought of playing
for Antidorans in the UNCwomen's soccer program for my
entire life, so to have thatmoment alongside my family and
(02:37):
play there for three years wasso special.
I'm also so grateful to KenanFlywood Business School for
helping me achieve that degreeat the University of North
Carolina, because I met so manyincredible people from all walks
of life that have reallyinfluenced the way that I see
the world today.
But now I'm playingprofessionally with NC Courage.
It's my fifth season, which iscrazy to say.
(02:59):
It seems like since 2021, whenI left school and started my
professional career.
It seems like time has flown by, but I've been really enjoying
it and I've been able to applymy business degree to some of
the governance and advocacy workthat I do on the side to
advance soccer not only inunderserved communities, but to
advocate for greater playerrights within our collective
(03:22):
bargaining agreement for theNWSH.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I think that's so amazing, especially you
emphasizing how your parentswanted to instill in you the
same values in sports as well aseducation and I know,
unfortunately I wasn't able toattend school with you but me
also being a product of KeenanFlagler I definitely can agree
just with the multipleopportunities that they have at
the business school and just UNCas a whole.
It definitely is such a specialcommunity.
You have the best of bothworlds with sports.
(03:52):
I know the women's soccer teamhere is known for being such an
impressive program and with allthe national championships that
they've won, and even justcoming from Kenan-Flagler, and
with the amazing work thatyou're doing now, I know that
your parents are definitelyproud of you and I want to jump
into with you being a Blackwoman in professional soccer.
(04:15):
Did you have any challengesthat you faced and how were you
able to stay true to yourselfwith navigating them?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yeah, I think identity is the first thing that
comes to mind.
When I was growing up, thereweren't many other black girls
that were playing the sport, tobe quite honest, and there were
only a handful of stars that wecould look to to emulate, to
aspire to be like.
One of the examples is CrystalDunn.
She played for UNC, chapel Hilland then has represented the US
Women's National Team in WorldCups and Olympics, and she's
(04:45):
someone I kind of look tobecause I was the ball girl for
the team growing up and I got tosee just the way she navigated
all those spaces.
But going back to identity, youhave to be comfortable in your
own skin, knowing that there's aplace for you in this sport,
that you belong, that you'reloved and that you're divinely
and uniquely made.
And just really coming intothat realization was a big step
(05:08):
of growth and maturity for mepersonally, and I think having
gone through that, learning howto love who I am and my
background in a team full ofpeople that didn't look like me
it set me up for success in thebusiness world, because as a
minority in business,specifically as a Black woman,
you have to be able to advocatefor yourself, and I learned a
(05:30):
lot of those applicable skillson the soccer field.
I even played boys soccer at onepoint and not only was I the,
only girl on the team, but I wasalso one of the only Black
players, so really beingcomfortable being in
environments where I didn't havepeople that look like me.
But I will say it came with awhole host of challenges.
I had to unlearn a lot ofthings that the world might tell
(05:54):
you, like about how I styled myhair or the way that I spoke or
the things that I was into, andI really needed to do a lot of
work just to make sure that Iwas confident in who I am.
And I feel like I saw thatbiggest change in college, where
I got to be a part of all thesedifferent social groups.
I joined a lot of clubs while Iwas at the University of North
(06:16):
Carolina.
I was part of the soccer team, Iwas part of the golden fleets
and all of those differentenvironments, um just gave me a
foundation and like a reminderthat we all end up where we're
supposed to be because we have aunique set of gifts that we're
here to bring to the world.
And when you step into thatauthenticity of like who you are
(06:41):
, the world's a better placebecause of it.
So just to answer your questionof like how that manifests in
the professional soccer world, Iwant to use my platform for
good and remind young blackgirls and boys that there's a
place for them in this game.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
And that's actually why.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I started Pinto Football Foundation because in a
lot of underserved communitiesthere's a lot of untapped
potential and we want to getthose kids into this sport and
remind them that it can be avehicle that can take you all
over the world.
And I'm really, reallyfortunate to have traveled with
youth national teams for thelast 10, 12 years and have seen
(07:18):
countries all over the world,and it's given me a global
perspective of how the game canunite people of different walks
of life and unite people in away that little else can.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
I think that's so important, especially the last
thing that you touched on.
I know that just through myclasses and with my study abroad
experiences, you know thethings that truly unite people
is entertainment, whether it'smusic or sports.
Unite people is entertainment,whether it's music or sports,
and it really does show you thatyou may all be different and
come from different backgroundsbut at the end of the day, like
we all sort of share the samething or ultimately like want to
(07:54):
enjoy whatever we're there forwhich I think is really unique
and special.
And you mentioning the Order ofthe Golden Fleece I was a recent
inductee of it, so, and youthank you and also just you
mentioning the multiplecommunities that the University
of North Carolina has to offer,I think just goes to show that
you know, even in spaces whereyou may not think that there's a
(08:16):
place for you, I really lovethe community that you're able
to build and just theconnections that you're able to
foster when you're at thoseplaces so that you're not
feeling as alone, and I knowI've definitely taken advantage
of them since being here.
And you mentioned yourmentorship and the foundation
that you started.
So, from your own perspective,what role has mentorship played
(08:36):
in your journey and how are youhoping to pay it forward for the
next generation?
I know you touched on that alittle bit, but I just want to
go more into it to pay itforward for the next generation.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I know you touched on that a little bit, but I just
want to go more into it.
No, I think that's such awonderful question because I
feel like I'm a product of mycommunity.
I grew up in John, northCarolina.
I was surrounded by theuniversity.
At a young age, my parents putmy brothers and I in the
university and showed us this isa place you could be one day.
So when we're going to college,sporting events and being
(09:06):
around the business programs,both at UNC and Fuqua Business
School, for example, with my momand my brother attending, we
came to realize that this was apossibility for us in the future
.
So, when it comes to mentorship,the reason that's so important
for me is I believe you.
(09:27):
In order to believe you canbecome something, you have to
see it, and representation isthe most important thing.
So, having had like a wealth ofexperience in business world and
my success with soccer, I wantto pay it forward to the next
generation of young girls andboys that are coming up and are
navigating these processes,because I know I would have
(09:48):
loved to have someone who couldtell me what this journey would
be like and all the challengesand the rewarding parts that
will come with it.
But I find it really enrichingbecause I get to reflect on all
of the lived experiences thatI've had and I I think speaking
to other people allows us tostart a conversation about, like
(10:12):
you know, we need to make thesespaces more open for people of
all walks of life, of alldifferent nationalities, ethnic
groups, religions, genders,things like that, so that the
world can become a morewelcoming place.
So mentorship has meant theworld to me, because sports are
really, really challenging.
It's obviously great when youget to lift a trophy and win a
(10:36):
championship, but a lot of whatsports entails is the grind like
where you are setting a goaland working to achieve it every
single day and trying to become1% better.
But when you have a lot ofsuccess or playing sports as an
elite athlete, a lot of yourself-worth can get caught up in
how you're doing as an athlete,because it's such an important
(11:00):
part of your identity for a lotof these people.
So, getting to reflect on thatexperience and how I separated
who I am as a student, who I amas a friend, who I am as a
soccer player.
Like who I am as a student, whoI am as a friend, who I am as a
soccer player, who I am as amentor, I became much more
fulfilled in various aspects ofmy life and I understood that in
(11:21):
order to perform your best inthe classroom, on the field, in
your social life, you've got towater all of those environments
and really instilling thatbelief in younger people reminds
them that balanced lives aretruly so important, especially
coming out of COVID, A lot ofpeople were isolated and we've
(11:43):
lost that sense of communitythat really made sure that
people were cared for.
So again to your point aboutmentorship.
I just want to be a resourcefor the people around them, and
I get a lot out of it too.
So I know that's a long-windedanswer, but mentorship is really
(12:03):
like a testament of all thepeople that have fed into me and
me pouring it into the nextgeneration.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
My thoughts yeah, no, I think you touched on some
very important things, and youmentioning balance is something
that I want to make sure that Icome back to, but the same.
I feel the same way aboutmentorship.
You know, we have these doorsopened for us and as we're
continuing to kind of move upthe ladder, we have to make sure
that we're looking back andextending our handouts to make
(12:30):
sure that other people can comeup with us as well.
So, definitely, it's such animportant thing to me service
leadership as well, and justmaking sure that you're leading
by example and having thosefollow you in the path.
And so now I want to go back toyou mentioning finding that
balance and having to water allof those aspects, whether it's
socially, educationally, or toyour sport as an athlete,
(12:54):
especially you mentioning COVIDand coming out of isolation.
How were you able to find thatbalance?
I know a lot of the time peopleare saying you kind of have to
find your groove, you have tofigure out your balance, you
have to set boundaries, but howare you actually able to do that
as a student athlete and now aprofessional athlete?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
That was honestly the biggest area of growth for me
personally, because my last yearat UNC, when I was a student
athlete, was 2021.
And my team had actuallyestablished a bubble where we
could only see teammates andnobody else.
And that was really challengingbecause, for example, I lived
with three of my teammates whowere also my roommates and you
(13:33):
know, we would go from being inclasses online in our rooms on
the computer to then going totraining together, to then going
to lift and going to eattogether, and it just became a
little bit monotonous and youhad to, like really figure out
who you were and how you wantedto spend your time.
So, when it became safer toengage in group activities again
(13:54):
, like I really made it apriority to figure out who I was
outside of, like soccer,outside of being a student, like
what am I passionate about?
Yes, mentorship has been one ofthem, but I realized that, like
you have to do what makes youhappy and then also you have to
(14:15):
express gratitude along the way,and a big pillar of my identity
and me coming into thatrealization was fostered through
my spirituality, believing thatwe're put in situations to
serve the world.
Servant leadership is somethingthat's important to me, so
that's why I started thefoundation.
That's why I continuously giveback to the MWSL.
(14:36):
That's what gives me thefulfillment I need to be my best
self and, by virtue of beinginvolved in all these different
organizations, I'm meetingincredible people and I really
take time to like sow into them,because those relationships
matter.
You never know who's going tocome into your life and who will
have a material impact on yourfuture.
And if you really just showcare, like taking the time to
(14:58):
like understand who someone isand what their background is,
how they view the world, it canreally shape and influence your
own views.
And I'm someone who's alwayschasing constant growth.
I want to be challenged in.
You know my beliefs.
I want to be pushed to bebetter.
I want to be accountable, bothin school, on the soccer field
(15:20):
and as a friend.
And you know if I canprioritize servant leadership,
relationship building, like mysocial life so going to play
pickleball with friends or goingto get to fight to eat, but
also my preparation for who I amas an athlete, so making sure
I'm doing extra work, whetherthat's fitness wise or like
(15:43):
weightlifting wise, or studyingthe game.
all of those boxes have to bechecked so that I can be whole,
being that God designed me to be.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
I love that.
And also you just mentioningspirituality, I think that's
definitely something that I'vebecome more intentional with,
especially in this new chapterand just this new year in
general.
I felt like before I kind ofjust went through the motions
and, you know, was like, okay,yes, I do this because I have to
or because I should, but notnecessarily for that fulfillment
or for me actually beingconvicted by it.
(16:15):
So I think that that'ssomething that's very important
and it really does just reflectin your character and the way
that you treat certainsituations or even just go about
your daily life.
So I really appreciate you formentioning that.
And, as you were talking aboutthat, a question that sparked
into my mind is just how did yougo from shifting to be a
(16:35):
college athlete to now aprofessional athlete and you
taking those college courses,shifting to now you running your
foundation or doing whateveryou were doing before your
foundation, like how kind ofdoes your day to day life change
and how are you able to kind ofget back into a routine?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I think that's a fantastic question mainly
because time management iseverything, and I think that's
what most people learn incollege, like how to stay on top
of their studies and allocatetime to, you know, doing their
homework or preparing for aproject, or, you know, speaking
to professors in office hoursAll of those things apply to the
soccer field.
So you know, with myprofessional sport it's my job
now, so my relationship with ithas inherently changed.
When I was a student athlete, mystudies was my job.
(17:22):
So I had to take like all ofthose lessons and all those soft
skills and hard skills too,like those time management
skills, to prepare me to be mybest.
So I need to ensure that I get,you know, eight hours of sleep
every night.
I can't say that I was doingthat consistently in college
because I had assignments thatwere due and all kinds of stuff
(17:45):
to worry about, but now thatit's my job, first priority is
making sure I'm getting enoughsleep and I'm fueling my body
properly and I'm doing stuff inthe free time to recover.
All of that stuff mattersbecause in order to be a
professional athlete, the bestof the best sharpen one another
(18:05):
and you are responsible forholding up your end of the stick
as a teammate.
Because in order for us to winchampionships, we need to make
sure that we're crossing our t'sand dotting our i's to ensure
that, like we give ourselves thebest chance to win um.
So those skills that I learnedas a student are really, really
applicable as an athlete andthen also um, in terms of
(18:30):
fighting for playing time, forexample.
One of the ways you can do thatis not only by performing well,
but by having a goodrelationship with your coaching
staff, like being able toeffectively advocate, like what
are the skills that you bringand I want to bring this up
because it does apply to thebusiness world and like I have
dreams after I'm done playing um, but I find that within women,
(18:52):
women, um, we don't advocate forourselves as well as we could,
and I was actually in anegotiations class in Chapel
Hill and they find that men arejust able to ask for what they
believe they're worth and some.
And really building thatskillset while I was at Keenan
Flagler was something that Irealized is really important in
(19:14):
other areas of life.
So effectively being able tocommunicate what you bring to
the table, I think, will reallyset you apart, not only in
sports, but also in life.
So, to answer your question,it's how I take care of my body,
how I advocate for myself, howI perform in training and in
games, and then also, you know,just making sure that I am doing
(19:38):
all the things I need to do tobe successful.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
I think those are very important.
And you bringing up thenegotiations class is funny.
I actually registered to takethe class this upcoming fall, so
hopefully I get it, and if Idon't, then I'm definitely going
to try to take it in the springso I can get that course before
I graduate, since I'll beheading into my senior year.
So I want to know, before wecome to the last question, if
(20:05):
you could go back and give your18-year-old self advice,
especially during those earlyyears at UNC, whether this is
soccer-wise or businessstudent-wise, what would you say
?
Speaker 2 (20:20):
I think, seeing how quickly time has gone by since
I've left Carolina, it's reallythe piece of advice that I would
give myself is to be in themoment, because time truly does
fly by when you're having fun.
Like you know, my youthnational team days I was 16
years old, traveling the worldLike I spent my 16th birthday in
Lake Como, italy, with youth 17national team.
(20:41):
That was so special and thoseare always moments that I'll get
to reflect on with fondmemories.
And, you know, being in themoment allows you to appreciate
not only the people you're with,but the places that you are.
What you're learning in themoment allows you to appreciate
not only the people you're with,but the places that you are,
what you're learning in themoment, the adversity that you
face.
(21:01):
I'd also say that I thinkjournaling is really important
because you get to reflect onall the lived experiences that
you've had and then how youhandled it at that moment in
time, because as you mature, yousee things in a different light
.
So, um, just getting to likelook back on those inner
thoughts of the kind of personyou were, I think is really
(21:23):
really good for just personalgrowth.
Um, so just being in thatmoment, I think, is the best
piece of advice, because youreally get the most out of the
environment you're in and youlearn the most from the people
that you're around.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
I hear that a lot, just reminding us to live in the
moment and to just really takeup these experiences, and even
journaling.
I think it's super important,but it's just hard.
It's definitely easier saidthan done, especially because at
least in the business world Ican say at the business school
you know people are alwaystalking about their internship
or you know what's coming upnext, or this networking
(22:02):
opportunity or ways that theycan secure their job for next
year.
So it's just all thesedifferent moving parts and it's
hard in the moment to say OK,let me take a breath, let me
take a step back, let me enjoythis moment that I'm in,
remember to be grateful,remember to you know, be
thankful for this moment andthen also have 30,000 things on
your mind at the same time.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
I'm so glad you brought that up, because I
remember being in in um collegeand I'm like, oh, like I need to
think about internships, or Ican't wait till I'm playing
professional soccer, not knowingthat like I was living some of
the best days of my life, like Ithink there will be many more
best days of my life in thefuture, but like I think society
just pushes this idea that youneed to plan five and ten years
(22:45):
ahead.
But like you really have toappreciate where you are when
you're there, because, likeyou're never getting that time
back.
So, um, yeah, I just think likelooking too far ahead can allow
you to miss what's right infront of you exactly so.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
my last question, my signature question that I have
on my podcast, is what is onepiece of advice you would give
Gen Z to go out and diversifythemselves?
I know throughout this episodeyou've definitely given a lot of
golden nuggets, and so I'mexcited to see what your answer
is to this question.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
Oh, thank you.
I think your questions havebeen fantastic, just like just
reflecting on my life as astudent and also as a
professional athlete.
But my piece of advice todiversify yourself as Gen Z is
to treat yourself as aprofessional athlete, but my
piece of advice to diversifyyourself as Gen Z is to treat
yourself as a personal brand.
Everybody knows that we're inthe age of social media, where
we can post like all of our bestmoments or our worst moments,
(23:43):
if you choose to, and it's kindof like a highlight reel.
But the reason I'd say treatyour life as a personal brand is
because you're building aresume for the type of person
that you are today and the typeof person that you want to
become.
So if somebody is speakingabout you, how do you want to be
spoken about when you're not in?
(24:03):
the room, and that's what yourpersonal brand is also is really
all about.
Like you know, are you someonewho's accountable?
Are you someone who's kind?
Are you someone who'sthoughtful, who's hardworking,
who's dedicated?
Are you someone who is classy,who treats people well, even
when those people can do nothingfor them?
Like?
(24:23):
Those are all core values thathave shaped, like how I want to
live out my life, and if I canshow that not only on social
media but in my interactionswith people I'm meeting for the
first time, or my businesscommunity at Keenan Flagler, how
I interact with my teammates onthe soccer field, that all
contributes to my personal brand.
(24:45):
So to anyone listening, thinkabout how you want to be
remembered and take those stepsto accomplish that every single
day.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
That was really good.
And even you saying think of itas like a highlight reel, I
think that was really good.
That's the part that stuck outto me.
And even just you saying youknow the way that people talk
about you when you're not in theroom, that really resonated
with me as well, because even insome past episodes of just me
networking, you know you alwayshear the difference between a
mentor versus a sponsor.
So I feel that your sponsor canreally speak to your personal
(25:17):
brand and advocating for you andrecommending things for you
when you're not in the room whenyou're trying to get to a
certain place.
So thank you so much.
Did you have anything else thatyou wanted to add before we
wrapped up the episode?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Well, I think just relating it back to you know,
like when you're not in the room.
One of the things I've learnedis what matters especially with
networking is who you know andwho knows you.
Who's looking to make arecommendation on your behalf,
and that really helps withopportunities for jobs in the
(25:51):
future or for new experiencesthat you get with.
You know certain elite groups,and I think we've seen that in
our Golden Police community.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
Congratulations again for being invested.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
But you know those things matter, like because
you've built a body of work thatpeople respect at the
university and you know I'm sureyou're doing it at the Kenan.
Flagler Business Program aswell.
So that's the other piece ofadvice to Gen Z Just remember
(26:23):
who you know and who knows you,and then the people that will
you know go to all ends to makerecommendations on your behalf,
because that does help withnetworking in the future.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Yes, it really does.
It truly does and I think,since being inducted into the
fleece and just also hearing somany different stories, it is
true, like everything thatyou've said, I have seen it in
fruition and in real time.
So thank you again so much forcoming on.
Thank you everyone forlistening to this episode.
I'll be sure to link Brianna'sLinkedIn below if you'd like to
(27:00):
connect with her or you have anyfollow-up questions that you'd
like to ask her.
Thank you all so much forlistening to Diversify Her and
I'll see you next time.
Thank you.
Hello everyone and welcome to Diversify Her Podcast
.
I'm your host, raven Hayward,and today I'm honored to have
Brianna Pinto.
She began playing soccer at theage of three in hopes of
fulfilling her lifelong dream toplay for UNC women's soccer and
the US women's national team.
She grew up in Durham, northCarolina, and is a product of a
sports family.
She is also a graduate of UNC,majoring in business at UNC
(00:25):
Keenan-Flagler.
Today she currently representsthe North Carolina Courage and
is beginning her fifthprofessional season.
In her first two seasons withNC Courage, she became
back-to-back National Women'sSoccer League Challenge Cup
champion in 2022 and 2023.
In her free time, she oftenparticipates as a color
commentator for NCAA Division Imen's and women's soccer
(00:49):
programs at local universities.
Thank you so much for joiningme today.
How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I'm good, Raven.
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
It's an honor to be on your podcast.
Thank you, I'm so excited tohave you here today, so I'd love
for you to first just start offby giving us a little bit more
information about yourself andjourney, as to how you got to
where you are today.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, absolutely so.
I am Brianna Pinto and I wasborn in New Haven, connecticut,
but I spent most of my childhoodin Durham, north Carolina.
Both my parents were studentathletes at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill,and I wanted to follow in their
footsteps.
I have two brothers, one older,one younger.
So the older one is Hassan.
He went to Elon undergrad, andmy younger brother is Malik.
(01:33):
He went to Princeton.
And we really grew up in asports family.
My mom played softball, my dadplayed soccer and we wanted to
use sports as a vehicle to opennew doors of opportunity.
So, thankfully to all theblessings and the care that our
parents put into us, we wereable to all become Division I
(01:54):
collegiate athletes and alsoreach the professional ranks,
which has been special.
But one of the things myparents always emphasized was
doing equally as well in theclassroom.
So we had big aspirations forour careers, like post-playing
and attending the UNC.
Attending UNC Chapel Hill gaveme the best opportunity to live
out the best of both dreams of,you know, conquering the
(02:16):
business world while alsopursuing my soccer dreams, and
you know when I finallycommitted at the age of 15, it
was super young.
It was such a dream come true,because I had thought of playing
for Antidorans in the UNCwomen's soccer program for my
entire life, so to have thatmoment alongside my family and
(02:37):
play there for three years wasso special.
I'm also so grateful to KenanFlywood Business School for
helping me achieve that degreeat the University of North
Carolina, because I met so manyincredible people from all walks
of life that have reallyinfluenced the way that I see
the world today.
But now I'm playingprofessionally with NC Courage.
It's my fifth season, which iscrazy to say.
(02:59):
It seems like since 2021, whenI left school and started my
professional career.
It seems like time has flown by, but I've been really enjoying
it and I've been able to applymy business degree to some of
the governance and advocacy workthat I do on the side to
advance soccer not only inunderserved communities, but to
advocate for greater playerrights within our collective
(03:22):
bargaining agreement for theNWSH.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I think that's so amazing, especially you
emphasizing how your parentswanted to instill in you the
same values in sports as well aseducation and I know,
unfortunately I wasn't able toattend school with you but me
also being a product of KeenanFlagler I definitely can agree
just with the multipleopportunities that they have at
the business school and just UNCas a whole.
It definitely is such a specialcommunity.
You have the best of bothworlds with sports.
(03:52):
I know the women's soccer teamhere is known for being such an
impressive program and with allthe national championships that
they've won, and even justcoming from Kenan-Flagler, and
with the amazing work thatyou're doing now, I know that
your parents are definitelyproud of you and I want to jump
into with you being a Blackwoman in professional soccer.
(04:15):
Did you have any challengesthat you faced and how were you
able to stay true to yourselfwith navigating them?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yeah, I think identity is the first thing that
comes to mind.
When I was growing up, thereweren't many other black girls
that were playing the sport, tobe quite honest, and there were
only a handful of stars that wecould look to to emulate, to
aspire to be like.
One of the examples is CrystalDunn.
She played for UNC, chapel Hilland then has represented the US
Women's National Team in WorldCups and Olympics, and she's
(04:45):
someone I kind of look tobecause I was the ball girl for
the team growing up and I got tosee just the way she navigated
all those spaces.
But going back to identity, youhave to be comfortable in your
own skin, knowing that there's aplace for you in this sport,
that you belong, that you'reloved and that you're divinely
and uniquely made.
And just really coming intothat realization was a big step
(05:08):
of growth and maturity for mepersonally, and I think having
gone through that, learning howto love who I am and my
background in a team full ofpeople that didn't look like me
it set me up for success in thebusiness world, because as a
minority in business,specifically as a Black woman,
you have to be able to advocatefor yourself, and I learned a
(05:30):
lot of those applicable skillson the soccer field.
I even played boys soccer at onepoint and not only was I the,
only girl on the team, but I wasalso one of the only Black
players, so really beingcomfortable being in
environments where I didn't havepeople that look like me.
But I will say it came with awhole host of challenges.
I had to unlearn a lot ofthings that the world might tell
(05:54):
you, like about how I styled myhair or the way that I spoke or
the things that I was into, andI really needed to do a lot of
work just to make sure that Iwas confident in who I am.
And I feel like I saw thatbiggest change in college, where
I got to be a part of all thesedifferent social groups.
I joined a lot of clubs while Iwas at the University of North
(06:16):
Carolina.
I was part of the soccer team, Iwas part of the golden fleets
and all of those differentenvironments, um just gave me a
foundation and like a reminderthat we all end up where we're
supposed to be because we have aunique set of gifts that we're
here to bring to the world.
And when you step into thatauthenticity of like who you are
(06:41):
, the world's a better placebecause of it.
So just to answer your questionof like how that manifests in
the professional soccer world, Iwant to use my platform for
good and remind young blackgirls and boys that there's a
place for them in this game.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
And that's actually why.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I started Pinto Football Foundation because in a
lot of underserved communitiesthere's a lot of untapped
potential and we want to getthose kids into this sport and
remind them that it can be avehicle that can take you all
over the world.
And I'm really, reallyfortunate to have traveled with
youth national teams for thelast 10, 12 years and have seen
(07:18):
countries all over the world,and it's given me a global
perspective of how the game canunite people of different walks
of life and unite people in away that little else can.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
I think that's so important, especially the last
thing that you touched on.
I know that just through myclasses and with my study abroad
experiences, you know thethings that truly unite people
is entertainment, whether it'smusic or sports.
Unite people is entertainment,whether it's music or sports,
and it really does show you thatyou may all be different and
come from different backgroundsbut at the end of the day, like
we all sort of share the samething or ultimately like want to
(07:54):
enjoy whatever we're there forwhich I think is really unique
and special.
And you mentioning the Order ofthe Golden Fleece I was a recent
inductee of it, so, and youthank you and also just you
mentioning the multiplecommunities that the University
of North Carolina has to offer,I think just goes to show that
you know, even in spaces whereyou may not think that there's a
(08:16):
place for you, I really lovethe community that you're able
to build and just theconnections that you're able to
foster when you're at thoseplaces so that you're not
feeling as alone, and I knowI've definitely taken advantage
of them since being here.
And you mentioned yourmentorship and the foundation
that you started.
So, from your own perspective,what role has mentorship played
(08:36):
in your journey and how are youhoping to pay it forward for the
next generation?
I know you touched on that alittle bit, but I just want to
go more into it to pay itforward for the next generation.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I know you touched on that a little bit, but I just
want to go more into it.
No, I think that's such awonderful question because I
feel like I'm a product of mycommunity.
I grew up in John, northCarolina.
I was surrounded by theuniversity.
At a young age, my parents putmy brothers and I in the
university and showed us this isa place you could be one day.
So when we're going to college,sporting events and being
(09:06):
around the business programs,both at UNC and Fuqua Business
School, for example, with my momand my brother attending, we
came to realize that this was apossibility for us in the future
.
So, when it comes to mentorship,the reason that's so important
for me is I believe you.
(09:27):
In order to believe you canbecome something, you have to
see it, and representation isthe most important thing.
So, having had like a wealth ofexperience in business world and
my success with soccer, I wantto pay it forward to the next
generation of young girls andboys that are coming up and are
navigating these processes,because I know I would have
(09:48):
loved to have someone who couldtell me what this journey would
be like and all the challengesand the rewarding parts that
will come with it.
But I find it really enrichingbecause I get to reflect on all
of the lived experiences thatI've had and I I think speaking
to other people allows us tostart a conversation about, like
(10:12):
you know, we need to make thesespaces more open for people of
all walks of life, of alldifferent nationalities, ethnic
groups, religions, genders,things like that, so that the
world can become a morewelcoming place.
So mentorship has meant theworld to me, because sports are
really, really challenging.
It's obviously great when youget to lift a trophy and win a
(10:36):
championship, but a lot of whatsports entails is the grind like
where you are setting a goaland working to achieve it every
single day and trying to become1% better.
But when you have a lot ofsuccess or playing sports as an
elite athlete, a lot of yourself-worth can get caught up in
how you're doing as an athlete,because it's such an important
(11:00):
part of your identity for a lotof these people.
So, getting to reflect on thatexperience and how I separated
who I am as a student, who I amas a friend, who I am as a
soccer player.
Like who I am as a student, whoI am as a friend, who I am as a
soccer player, who I am as amentor, I became much more
fulfilled in various aspects ofmy life and I understood that in
(11:21):
order to perform your best inthe classroom, on the field, in
your social life, you've got towater all of those environments
and really instilling thatbelief in younger people reminds
them that balanced lives aretruly so important, especially
coming out of COVID, A lot ofpeople were isolated and we've
(11:43):
lost that sense of communitythat really made sure that
people were cared for.
So again to your point aboutmentorship.
I just want to be a resourcefor the people around them, and
I get a lot out of it too.
So I know that's a long-windedanswer, but mentorship is really
(12:03):
like a testament of all thepeople that have fed into me and
me pouring it into the nextgeneration.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
My thoughts yeah, no, I think you touched on some
very important things, and youmentioning balance is something
that I want to make sure that Icome back to, but the same.
I feel the same way aboutmentorship.
You know, we have these doorsopened for us and as we're
continuing to kind of move upthe ladder, we have to make sure
that we're looking back andextending our handouts to make
(12:30):
sure that other people can comeup with us as well.
So, definitely, it's such animportant thing to me service
leadership as well, and justmaking sure that you're leading
by example and having thosefollow you in the path.
And so now I want to go back toyou mentioning finding that
balance and having to water allof those aspects, whether it's
socially, educationally, or toyour sport as an athlete,
(12:54):
especially you mentioning COVIDand coming out of isolation.
How were you able to find thatbalance?
I know a lot of the time peopleare saying you kind of have to
find your groove, you have tofigure out your balance, you
have to set boundaries, but howare you actually able to do that
as a student athlete and now aprofessional athlete?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
That was honestly the biggest area of growth for me
personally, because my last yearat UNC, when I was a student
athlete, was 2021.
And my team had actuallyestablished a bubble where we
could only see teammates andnobody else.
And that was really challengingbecause, for example, I lived
with three of my teammates whowere also my roommates and you
(13:33):
know, we would go from being inclasses online in our rooms on
the computer to then going totraining together, to then going
to lift and going to eattogether, and it just became a
little bit monotonous and youhad to, like really figure out
who you were and how you wantedto spend your time.
So, when it became safer toengage in group activities again
(13:54):
, like I really made it apriority to figure out who I was
outside of, like soccer,outside of being a student, like
what am I passionate about?
Yes, mentorship has been one ofthem, but I realized that, like
you have to do what makes youhappy and then also you have to
(14:15):
express gratitude along the way,and a big pillar of my identity
and me coming into thatrealization was fostered through
my spirituality, believing thatwe're put in situations to
serve the world.
Servant leadership is somethingthat's important to me, so
that's why I started thefoundation.
That's why I continuously giveback to the MWSL.
(14:36):
That's what gives me thefulfillment I need to be my best
self and, by virtue of beinginvolved in all these different
organizations, I'm meetingincredible people and I really
take time to like sow into them,because those relationships
matter.
You never know who's going tocome into your life and who will
have a material impact on yourfuture.
And if you really just showcare, like taking the time to
(14:58):
like understand who someone isand what their background is,
how they view the world, it canreally shape and influence your
own views.
And I'm someone who's alwayschasing constant growth.
I want to be challenged in.
You know my beliefs.
I want to be pushed to bebetter.
I want to be accountable, bothin school, on the soccer field
(15:20):
and as a friend.
And you know if I canprioritize servant leadership,
relationship building, like mysocial life so going to play
pickleball with friends or goingto get to fight to eat, but
also my preparation for who I amas an athlete, so making sure
I'm doing extra work, whetherthat's fitness wise or like
(15:43):
weightlifting wise, or studyingthe game.
all of those boxes have to bechecked so that I can be whole,
being that God designed me to be.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
I love that.
And also you just mentioningspirituality, I think that's
definitely something that I'vebecome more intentional with,
especially in this new chapterand just this new year in
general.
I felt like before I kind ofjust went through the motions
and, you know, was like, okay,yes, I do this because I have to
or because I should, but notnecessarily for that fulfillment
or for me actually beingconvicted by it.
(16:15):
So I think that that'ssomething that's very important
and it really does just reflectin your character and the way
that you treat certainsituations or even just go about
your daily life.
So I really appreciate you formentioning that.
And, as you were talking aboutthat, a question that sparked
into my mind is just how did yougo from shifting to be a
(16:35):
college athlete to now aprofessional athlete and you
taking those college courses,shifting to now you running your
foundation or doing whateveryou were doing before your
foundation, like how kind ofdoes your day to day life change
and how are you able to kind ofget back into a routine?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I think that's a fantastic question mainly
because time management iseverything, and I think that's
what most people learn incollege, like how to stay on top
of their studies and allocatetime to, you know, doing their
homework or preparing for aproject, or, you know, speaking
to professors in office hoursAll of those things apply to the
soccer field.
So you know, with myprofessional sport it's my job
now, so my relationship with ithas inherently changed.
When I was a student athlete, mystudies was my job.
(17:22):
So I had to take like all ofthose lessons and all those soft
skills and hard skills too,like those time management
skills, to prepare me to be mybest.
So I need to ensure that I get,you know, eight hours of sleep
every night.
I can't say that I was doingthat consistently in college
because I had assignments thatwere due and all kinds of stuff
(17:45):
to worry about, but now thatit's my job, first priority is
making sure I'm getting enoughsleep and I'm fueling my body
properly and I'm doing stuff inthe free time to recover.
All of that stuff mattersbecause in order to be a
professional athlete, the bestof the best sharpen one another
(18:05):
and you are responsible forholding up your end of the stick
as a teammate.
Because in order for us to winchampionships, we need to make
sure that we're crossing our t'sand dotting our i's to ensure
that, like we give ourselves thebest chance to win um.
So those skills that I learnedas a student are really, really
applicable as an athlete andthen also um, in terms of
(18:30):
fighting for playing time, forexample.
One of the ways you can do thatis not only by performing well,
but by having a goodrelationship with your coaching
staff, like being able toeffectively advocate, like what
are the skills that you bringand I want to bring this up
because it does apply to thebusiness world and like I have
dreams after I'm done playing um, but I find that within women,
(18:52):
women, um, we don't advocate forourselves as well as we could,
and I was actually in anegotiations class in Chapel
Hill and they find that men arejust able to ask for what they
believe they're worth and some.
And really building thatskillset while I was at Keenan
Flagler was something that Irealized is really important in
(19:14):
other areas of life.
So effectively being able tocommunicate what you bring to
the table, I think, will reallyset you apart, not only in
sports, but also in life.
So, to answer your question,it's how I take care of my body,
how I advocate for myself, howI perform in training and in
games, and then also, you know,just making sure that I am doing
(19:38):
all the things I need to do tobe successful.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
I think those are very important.
And you bringing up thenegotiations class is funny.
I actually registered to takethe class this upcoming fall, so
hopefully I get it, and if Idon't, then I'm definitely going
to try to take it in the springso I can get that course before
I graduate, since I'll beheading into my senior year.
So I want to know, before wecome to the last question, if
(20:05):
you could go back and give your18-year-old self advice,
especially during those earlyyears at UNC, whether this is
soccer-wise or businessstudent-wise, what would you say
?
Speaker 2 (20:20):
I think, seeing how quickly time has gone by since
I've left Carolina, it's reallythe piece of advice that I would
give myself is to be in themoment, because time truly does
fly by when you're having fun.
Like you know, my youthnational team days I was 16
years old, traveling the worldLike I spent my 16th birthday in
Lake Como, italy, with youth 17national team.
(20:41):
That was so special and thoseare always moments that I'll get
to reflect on with fondmemories.
And, you know, being in themoment allows you to appreciate
not only the people you're with,but the places that you are.
What you're learning in themoment allows you to appreciate
not only the people you're with,but the places that you are,
what you're learning in themoment, the adversity that you
face.
(21:01):
I'd also say that I thinkjournaling is really important
because you get to reflect onall the lived experiences that
you've had and then how youhandled it at that moment in
time, because as you mature, yousee things in a different light
.
So, um, just getting to likelook back on those inner
thoughts of the kind of personyou were, I think is really
(21:23):
really good for just personalgrowth.
Um, so just being in thatmoment, I think, is the best
piece of advice, because youreally get the most out of the
environment you're in and youlearn the most from the people
that you're around.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
I hear that a lot, just reminding us to live in the
moment and to just really takeup these experiences, and even
journaling.
I think it's super important,but it's just hard.
It's definitely easier saidthan done, especially because at
least in the business world Ican say at the business school
you know people are alwaystalking about their internship
or you know what's coming upnext, or this networking
(22:02):
opportunity or ways that theycan secure their job for next
year.
So it's just all thesedifferent moving parts and it's
hard in the moment to say OK,let me take a breath, let me
take a step back, let me enjoythis moment that I'm in,
remember to be grateful,remember to you know, be
thankful for this moment andthen also have 30,000 things on
your mind at the same time.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
I'm so glad you brought that up, because I
remember being in in um collegeand I'm like, oh, like I need to
think about internships, or Ican't wait till I'm playing
professional soccer, not knowingthat like I was living some of
the best days of my life, like Ithink there will be many more
best days of my life in thefuture, but like I think society
just pushes this idea that youneed to plan five and ten years
(22:45):
ahead.
But like you really have toappreciate where you are when
you're there, because, likeyou're never getting that time
back.
So, um, yeah, I just think likelooking too far ahead can allow
you to miss what's right infront of you exactly so.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
my last question, my signature question that I have
on my podcast, is what is onepiece of advice you would give
Gen Z to go out and diversifythemselves?
I know throughout this episodeyou've definitely given a lot of
golden nuggets, and so I'mexcited to see what your answer
is to this question.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
Oh, thank you.
I think your questions havebeen fantastic, just like just
reflecting on my life as astudent and also as a
professional athlete.
But my piece of advice todiversify yourself as Gen Z is
to treat yourself as aprofessional athlete, but my
piece of advice to diversifyyourself as Gen Z is to treat
yourself as a personal brand.
Everybody knows that we're inthe age of social media, where
we can post like all of our bestmoments or our worst moments,
(23:43):
if you choose to, and it's kindof like a highlight reel.
But the reason I'd say treatyour life as a personal brand is
because you're building aresume for the type of person
that you are today and the typeof person that you want to
become.
So if somebody is speakingabout you, how do you want to be
spoken about when you're not in?
(24:03):
the room, and that's what yourpersonal brand is also is really
all about.
Like you know, are you someonewho's accountable?
Are you someone who's kind?
Are you someone who'sthoughtful, who's hardworking,
who's dedicated?
Are you someone who is classy,who treats people well, even
when those people can do nothingfor them?
Like?
(24:23):
Those are all core values thathave shaped, like how I want to
live out my life, and if I canshow that not only on social
media but in my interactionswith people I'm meeting for the
first time, or my businesscommunity at Keenan Flagler, how
I interact with my teammates onthe soccer field, that all
contributes to my personal brand.
(24:45):
So to anyone listening, thinkabout how you want to be
remembered and take those stepsto accomplish that every single
day.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
That was really good.
And even you saying think of itas like a highlight reel, I
think that was really good.
That's the part that stuck outto me.
And even just you saying youknow the way that people talk
about you when you're not in theroom, that really resonated
with me as well, because even insome past episodes of just me
networking, you know you alwayshear the difference between a
mentor versus a sponsor.
So I feel that your sponsor canreally speak to your personal
(25:17):
brand and advocating for you andrecommending things for you
when you're not in the room whenyou're trying to get to a
certain place.
So thank you so much.
Did you have anything else thatyou wanted to add before we
wrapped up the episode?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Well, I think just relating it back to you know,
like when you're not in the room.
One of the things I've learnedis what matters especially with
networking is who you know andwho knows you.
Who's looking to make arecommendation on your behalf,
and that really helps withopportunities for jobs in the
(25:51):
future or for new experiencesthat you get with.
You know certain elite groups,and I think we've seen that in
our Golden Police community.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
Congratulations again for being invested.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
But you know those things matter, like because
you've built a body of work thatpeople respect at the
university and you know I'm sureyou're doing it at the Kenan.
Flagler Business Program aswell.
So that's the other piece ofadvice to Gen Z Just remember
(26:23):
who you know and who knows you,and then the people that will
you know go to all ends to makerecommendations on your behalf,
because that does help withnetworking in the future.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Yes, it really does.
It truly does and I think,since being inducted into the
fleece and just also hearing somany different stories, it is
true, like everything thatyou've said, I have seen it in
fruition and in real time.
So thank you again so much forcoming on.
Thank you everyone forlistening to this episode.
I'll be sure to link Brianna'sLinkedIn below if you'd like to
(27:00):
connect with her or you have anyfollow-up questions that you'd
like to ask her.
Thank you all so much forlistening to Diversify Her and
I'll see you next time.
Thank you.
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