Chiney spoke for the BCHS Committee for Social Equity, mesmerizing a few hundred students with her messages: the essential role of education; living a life of purpose and passion; striving for excellence; acquiring strength of character and personal confidence from active role models – parents, teachers, and mentors.

Chiney conducted an extended Q&A in which she shared hilarious, heart-warming, and insightful stories on the challenges of basketball, the values of her Nigerian roots, the treasure of a close knit family, and the dilemmas of social media.

TWI veteran Isaiah Miller asked about the importance of writing in Chiney’s education; her answer was how much more indelible and essential the act of writing is in life, beyond any form of texting or tweeting or posting on social media.”Words matter.”

Senior Mersadez Chaleman asked about Chiney’s experience with racial challenges; her response was to “answer hate with love” and to echo Michele Obama’s “when they go low, we go high” advice.

The Writing Initiative made a $1000 donation to causes close to Chiney Ogwumike’s philanthropic pursuits such as her efforts to establish sports based academies for young people in Nigeria.