Most of the speakers at the National Football League’s first-ever women’s summit gave plain old talks on Thursday, with the exception of Holly K. Peterson. The women’s tackle football player, charter school athletic director and spoken word artist known as “HK Poet” took the stage either side of big names like Condoleezza Rice and Billie Jean King—and still may have gotten the biggest round of applause for her rhythmic, emotional opus about what it means to be an athlete and a woman.
The summit took place over two days in San Francisco leading up to Sunday’s Super Bowl, with speakers explaining what sports mean to them and why that common endeavor may be a key factor in crafting the next generation of women leaders.
More Must-Read Stories From TIME
- Employers Take Note: Young Workers Are Seeking Jobs with a Higher Purpose
- Signs Are Pointing to a Slowdown in the Housing Market—At Last
- Welcome to the Era of Unapologetic Bad Taste
- As the Virus Evolves, COVID-19 Reinfections Are Going to Keep Happening
- A New York Mosque Becomes a Refuge for Afghan Teens Who Fled Without Their Families
- High Gas Prices are Oil Companies' Fault says Ro Khanna, and Democrats Should Go After Them
- Two Million Cases: COVID-19 May Finally Force North Korea to Open Up
Read More From TIME