Can you relate to this commonly used phrase coined by actor Judy Garland as Dorothy in the classic film Wizard of Oz? Whether it’s rambunctious school kids anticipating the three o’clock dismissal time or big city folks awaiting the evening rush hour, the thought of going home to unwind after a long day’s work is a welcoming concept to most.
The typical end-of-day scenario for today’s youth may resemble pure jubilation upon hearing the sweet sound of the dismissal bell go off. Students crowding the halls while powering their way through multiple exits straight out into freedom! The excitement, the joy, just the thought of getting home and throwing down a ten pound backpack with the jacket still attached brings fulfillment.
As the urgency hits, it’s off to the nearest bathroom followed by a deep sigh of relief after thankfully making it to the toilet. In full routine mode the pantry is up next with no mercy grabbing the remaining snacks from yesterday’s raid. Lastly with full speed ahead leaping up the stairs to hit the shabby consoles…needless to say, it’s game time! Although this may sound like the typical series of events for most adolescents but unfortunately not for all and certainly not for Michigan born sports journalist Jemele Hill.
In the autobiography Uphill by author Jemele Hill, she recounts a heartbreaking upbringing being raised by a young teenage mother who struggled for many years with substance abuse. Despite her on-going battle, Jemele’s mother worked tirelessly to support her family with minimum help and financial resources. Low wage jobs were not enough to maintain her and her young daughter. Jemele’s mother would often enter romantic relationships as a means of survival, realizing that she needed the financial help of a partner to leverage the burden and responsibility of maintaining a household.
After relocating to Houston with her new husband and hoping for a new start, an unexpected sudden turn of events would cause Jemele’s mother to return back to Detroit with young Jemele to start over yet again after another failed relationship. Jemele’s mother quickly fell back into drug use as a means to cope with the years of abuse she endured as a young girl.
Jemele recalls how she would often travel with her mother to their old neighborhood to satisfy her mother’s addiction. This experience in turn caused Jemele to carry an on-going fear for her mother’s safety. When Jemele wasn’t writing in her journal which became her safe space, she would often daydream habitually to resolve the overwhelming feeling of resentment towards her mother. Jemele’s overactive imagination would often cause her to fantasize about having other adults adopt her, removing her from her own reality.
Jemele was able to gain some sense of normalcy when she resided with her grandmother during her second year in high school. Jemele’s grandmother became a pillar of strength and provided her with much-needed stability. Jemele was able to feel safe in a nurturing supportive environment as their relationship began to thrive while bonding over commonality. Jemele no longer carried the fear and anxiety she felt while residing with her mother. In the comfort of her grandmother’s home things really started to turn around for Jemele…a much needed turn for the better.
After many years of navigating her mother’s turbulent life, Jemele was able to dedicate herself to education knowing that it would be her only way out. Jemele was able to invest in her own interest and focused on the things that inspired her. Once presented with the opportunity and encouragement from those in leadership roles around her, Jemele applied to various programs and apprenticeships in support of her desire and future goals of becoming a journalist.
Jemele networked with those who would unknowingly become life long mentors to a young girl with an infinite amount of potential and drive. Jemele excelled academically and was able to secure a full scholarship to attend Michigan State University…and as it’s often said, “The rest is history!”
Today Jemele Hill is a well-known T.V personality and a household name in the field of sports journalism. Jemele is one of a few black women to have held a co-anchor position on the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network better known as ESPN. During her time at ESPN, she co-anchored Numbers Never Lie, His and Hers and SC6. Unfortunately, her years at ESPN did not come without controversy when she tweeted multiple messages in response to racial injustice. After the infamous tweets and firestorm that followed, Jemele’s future with ESPN became uncertain and eventually she parted amicably with the network.
Since then Jemele has launched a successful podcast Jemele Hill is Unbothered on Spotify which covers sports, politics and culture. Jemele has won an Emmy award for Outstanding News Special for the ABC News Special The president and The People and was named Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists. In 2019 Jemele was named one of Worth’s 21 Most Powerful Women in the business of Sports. Jemele’s extraordinary journey has proven how an unfortunate circumstance can still forge a new path with endless possibilities.
Leaving a troubled childhood in the past and looking ahead with so much more to accomplish, perhaps now, Jemele has something to look forward to and the thought of going home has indeed become a welcoming concept!
How was Jemele Hill able to overcome these obstacles and transform her life in becoming a trailblazer in the world of sports journalism?
