Lanier & Stevenson Are Tar Heel ACC UNITE Recipients

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – As part of the 2023 Fall Unity Week, the Atlantic Coast Conference has announced the recipients of the 2023 ACC UNITE Award, which was created to honor individuals affiliated with the league's member institutions who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice. Former Tar Heels Ricky Lanier (football) and Karen Stevenson (track and field) are UNC's winners.

The UNITE Award is an initiative of the ACC's Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE - Champions of Racial Equity) and was developed and approved by its 15 member institutions.

The UNITE Award is presented annually to individuals who:
·       Best exemplify ACC CORE's mission to promote and encourage racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy.
·       Have helped create meaningful, lasting change by improving systems, organizational structures, policies, practices and attitudes.
·       Have been a pioneer and/or helped pave the way for minorities either at the institution or in the community.

Each school selects two recipients based on the above criteria and determines how best to celebrate their respective selections at campus events throughout the academic year.

Lanier, who was recognized as one of the first four Tar Heel Trailblazers in February 2014, was the first African-American scholarship football player in North Carolina history in the fall of 1967. In 1969, he set a record for most yards rushing from the quarterback position in a 61-11 win over VMI.

Lanier was a standout for Coach Herman Boone (of Remember the Titans fame) at Williamston's E.J. Hayes High School, once scoring 13 touchdowns in a single game, a state record. As a National Merit Scholar finalist, had had several scholarship offers. When Carolina came calling, Lanier's parents, both educators, encouraged him to visit Chapel Hill. Upon entering UNC, Lanier was a suitemate with former Carolina great Don McCauley and past ACC commissioner John Swofford.

After his playing days and graduating from North Carolina, Lanier joined the coaching staff at North Carolina Central University. From there, he worked for IBM for several years, then left to become a teacher. Teaching allowed Lanier the opportunity to give back and do something his parents would be proud of. Teaching is in his blood and Carolina is still in his blood.

Stevenson was the first Black woman to be granted a Morehead Scholarship in 1975. She also won a Rhodes Scholarship in 1979, making her the first woman from the University of North Carolina and the first black woman in the nation to receive the honor.

The Washington, D.C., native broke gender barriers in high school by attending The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, and joining the almost all-white prep school's first co-ed class in history. As a high school senior, she became the first African-American woman to receive the Morehead-Cain Scholarship.

During her four years at Carolina, the track team captain etched her name in the record books no fewer than 14 times, including one mark that also broke the state record for the 400-meter dash. Her best events were the 200 and 400-meter sprints and the 4x400-meter relay. She won the Jim Tatum Award for athletic and academic leadership twice.

After receiving her M.A. in European History at Oxford and spending some time in the working world, Stevenson earned a J.D. from Stanford. For several years, she was a civil litigator in Los Angeles, working on complex business cases and advising clients on insurance matters. Since 2015, Stevenson has served as a magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

"We are humbled to once again honor an amazing and inspirational collection of ACC UNITE Award recipients," said ACC commissioner Jim Phillips. "This year's class of honorees deserve to be recognized for their incredible contributions in affecting change by promoting racial equity and social justice. Each of these pioneers are tremendous examples of what can be accomplished when you remain committed to steadfast prioritization of diversity, equity and inclusion. We are proud of CORE's steadfast efforts with what will remain a prominent conference priority."

The UNITE Award recipients were recognized as part of a one-hour show on SiriusXM ACC Radio, channel 371 hosted by Roddy Jones and Dalen Cuff.

2023 UNITE Award Recipients
Boston College: John Austin & Joana Maynard
Clemson: Dr. James E. (Jim) Bostic Jr. & Dr. Rhondda Thomas
Duke: Dr. Kevin White & Marissa Young
Florida State: Angel Gray & Corey Simon
Georgia Tech: Charles Easley & Carla Gilson
Louisville: Wade Houston & Alyssa Murphy
Miami: Dr. Laura Kohn-Wood & Dr. Donald Spivey
North Carolina: Ricky Lanier & Karen Stevenson
NC State: Chavonda Jacobs-Young & Cullen Jones
Notre Dame: JP Abercrumbie & Justin Morrow
Pitt: Ron Idoko & Sheila I. Velez Martinez
Syracuse: Clothilde Ewing & Noah Singlemann
Virginia: Milla Ciprian & Craig Littlepage
Virginia Tech: Kahlil Dover & Jacelyn Lazore
Wake Forest: Dr. Larry Hopkins & Professor Muriel "Beth" Hopkins

ACC UNITE 2023 all winners graphic

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