... you've had to kinda teach yourself?

Yeah, I mean, I think the confidence for me is just kinda knowing who I am.

Um, but it definitely wasn't always there, and I think, um, you know, coming, coming from the Bahamas and coming from, um, you know, such a really religious background, I think it took me a while to really find myself.

And I think that's probably one of the most beautiful things that I found when I, when I actually looked at the WNBA, when I came into the league, was just seeing people live their life and like live their truth unapologetically, and it gave me the strength to really just step out and, and step into who I am, you know, as a lesbian woman and as a member of the LGBTQ, um, community.

Um, and so I think my confidence comes in that, just knowing who I am.

I think my confidence also comes from going against the norm of like what my country and, um, I guess what Bahamian society told me I was supposed to be, and kinda just stepping out of that and like fully just being myself and not worrying about the naysayers, not worrying about people, you know, who think differently than I think.

Um, and I think being able to live that every day has given me like that extra boost and that extra confidence.

[laughs]

... why was it important to do that?

Um, well, it was important for me because I just understand that, like, in the Bahamas, sometimes the opportunities really aren't there and, um, the representation really matters in terms of, like, the, like kids getting to see that there's so many different avenues that, that you can take, um, you know, to kind of find a career that you wanna kind of professionalize yourself in or whatever.

And so, um, for him, I think he loves, he loves basketball, he loves sports.

He's grown up watching me play.

Um, it's a big part of his lifestyle at home.

Like, he plays basketball and all that and I think he wanted to kind of understand, like, what were the different, um, ways that you could kind of be around basketball, be in basketball without necessarily being an athlete.

Um, and I thought it was really important for him to kind of come here and, and really, really be able to have that opportunity.

How does that make you feel? And what was the message that you wanted to get across?