How Does Basketball Affect My Identity

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Growing up as a Muslim black girl navigating the difficulties of identity in a diverse world, basketball has been the unexpected spark in my life. In a society often marked by misunderstandings and barriers, basketball became the only sport that really helped me through everything and helped me view the world differently. High school came around and freshman year I told myself why not try out for the school basketball team. I was excited and nervous at the same time, so I made my decision and tried out for the school basketball team. I was afraid I would be rejected or treated differently because of my identity, even though I was really excited to show off my skills and prove my value on the court. I tried out, unfortunately I didn't get the chance to play or even show what I could do on the court because of my identity. I moved to Kitchener, Ontario, with my family during the summer of my ninth grade year, and I found myself in a new school, community, and environment. I had to get used to being in a new environment; everything seemed strange, and I missed my regular activities and friends. I had a terrible time trying to fit in and it took me quite a while to get used to everything. …show more content…

It took me a while, and after about a week, I went to a community center close to my home. At the time, I had no idea what a community center was, as there weren't any in the city I had moved from. When I went inside, a really kind woman asked me what I was there for, and I explained that I was just there to play sports. The kind lady then handed me a paper and told me to write my parents' contact information, she then directed me to the gym so I could play sports, and there I met my two closest friends to this day. I found out that we had lots in common, especially because they both really liked to play basketball, and so did

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