Sports Illustrated and Empower Onyx are putting the spotlight on the diverse journeys of Black women across sports—from the veteran athletes, to up-and-coming stars, coaches, executives and more—in the series, Elle-evate: 100 Influential Black Women in Sports.
Baseball has played a major role throughout Nichol Whiteman’s life. She wasn’t a professional player, but one of the most iconic names in the game, Jackie Robinson, has followed her like a guardian angel. His legacy and family have helped blaze trails in Whiteman’s education and career. From the time she graduated high school and received the Jackie Robinson Foundation scholarship to attend Spelman College, to now, as she sits as the CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF), Whiteman is carrying the Robinson legacy forward by ensuring the L.