Hoosiers Represented At Athlete Ally Activism Summit
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Three Indiana University student-athletes recently attended the “Athlete Ally Activism Summit,” held June 12–15, 2025, in Portland, Oregon, and Stevenson, Washington. The event was hosted by Athlete Ally in partnership with Adidas and centered around the theme of “spirit”—exploring its connection to self and mental health, the environment and personal values, and team and community.
The IU student-athletes in attendance were Sadie Canelli (Field Hockey), Charlotte Rozzi (Rowing), and Chase Boyer (Women’s Tennis). Chase Boyer was selected as one of 13 inaugural athletes featured in the Athlete Ally Collective to empower college athletes to champion allyship in athletics and provide them with access to NIL deals.
Over the course of four days, the student-athletes engaged in a variety of thought-provoking workshops and experiences. They explored the concept of spirit in depth, examined their roles as leaders and advocates, gained insights into personal identity and brand development, and learned about the Native American history of the land at Skamania Lodge. The summit also offered the opportunity to connect with others while taking in the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Indiana’s student-athletes reflected on and shared their experiences from the summit:
Chase Boyer, Women’s Tennis
“The Athlete Activism Summit was an educational and eye-opening experience for me. Firstly, I did not know of many of the struggles that LGBTQ+ athletes dealt with, such as connecting with their fellow athletes or feeling welcomed into their athletic program. I always thought I tried to be inclusive, but hearing others' stories made me realize I can do more. I especially enjoyed meeting and befriending athletes of all types of backgrounds from all over the country. I hope to bring the bright spirit from the summit back to Bloomington, in hopes of making the athletes here more confident and comfortable in all aspects of their identity. “
Sadie Canelli, Field Hockey
“Entering Athlete Ally, I initially felt apprehensive about meeting new people and sharing my personal experiences. However, as I encountered more individuals who spoke openly and vulnerably about their own lives, I came to understand that being able to share my story—and to be genuinely heard—is a profound privilege. Advocacy and allyship are not defined by a single action; rather, they involve a sustained commitment to using one’s resources and privileges to amplify the voices and experiences of others.
Just being able to hang out and do fun activities with people who understand and hear you is such an amazing experience. One of my favorite experiences was the first day of getting there when people went so far out of their way to connect with others, and I met some amazing friends through just making friendship bracelets on a couch together. I would wholeheartedly recommend Athlete Ally to anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of allyship or looking for a genuine, welcoming community.
Charlotte Rozzi, Rowing
“I had a great experience at the Athlete Ally Activism Summit. My favorite part of the program was getting to hear different panelists and speakers discuss hard conversations that directly affect student athletes. We also attended breakout rooms where we got to discuss the issues further within small groups and touch on our individual experiences.
The biggest thing that I took away from this weekend is that there are many ways we can work on expanding the outreach of Indiana’s ally group, Hoosiers Out Loud. While I am not sure we have the capacity to work alongside a group such as Athlete Ally, there are many of their strategies we can implement.
I think that the most important thing I would want to share with others is the reminder that safe spaces are created, they don’t appear out of thin air. It takes time, commitment, and community to create long lasting spaces where student-athletes can feel appreciated and heard within their sports, and athletic departments.
I hope that we can bring back a new sense of urgency for helping to develop Indiana’s Ally group and instill values that Athlete Ally holds. I want to expand our group to be known as an Ally group and not solely a LGBTQIA+ community within athletics. Getting more people involved strengthens the numbers as well as the impact of the group Lastly, I hope to have more consistent meetings and events which could consist of pride games, honoring history months, and more.