Beyond Barriers: Tiffany Greene
“You are enough and you can do it.”
Dressed in an elegant red dress, Tiffany Greene dazzled the audience at Beyond Barriers at Amalie Arena. Right before my eyes, I was listening to the inspiring story of the first ever African-American woman to be an ESPN play-by-play commentator.
At the age of five, Greene decided she wanted to become a sports commentator. Growing up, her father was the first ever African American man to be on television for the Tampa Bay area as a news anchor and reporter. The two would practice how their voice would sound on television together. She loved to spend time as a child watching baseball and listened to the commentator’s voices. While she was young, the television channels did not have any female commentators. She felt that she needed to be a part of the action and wanted to do something special. Greene shows other women that it is possible to do something that you love while serving as a role model for young girls and women. Ms. Greene personally encouraged me to believe I can do anything by having the confidence and desire to accomplish my goal. To me, her inspirational message was that she was not afraid of who she was and was proud of her family roots. Like Ms. Greene, I look up to my father and respect his wisdom. Her father taught her new things. With her time and determination, his encouragement helped her succeed. My father helps me learn new things, pushes me to be my personal best and always encourages me. My favorite quote from Ms. Greene is, “You are enough and you can do it.” This truly inspires me because if I can try and do my very best, I will be able to succeed at anything.