Essence_USA__February_2018

ISSUES : REPORT
While she stands behind her statements, Hill does
believe she was targeted by the White House because of
where she works. After all, her role as a commentator at
ESPN is to criticize the game, not our current leader.
But, in a déjà vu moment, Hill found herself in the middle
of another Twitter-induced firestorm just a few weeks later.
This time her tweets were in response to a threat made by
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who said he would
bench any of his players disrespecting the American
flag—a notion erroneously linked to several ballers who
had recently knelt in protest during the national anthem.
Hill’s tweet suggested that NFL fans boycott Jones’s
sponsors, citing that “change happens when advertisers
are impacted.” Her actions were in defiance of the social
media policy of ESPN (which is owned by the Walt Disney
Co.), and she was immediately suspended, sending shock
waves throughout the country and the Web.
“While I don’t believe in regrets, I believe there is an
opportunity to learn from every situation, even if it’s a
painful one,” says Hill. “My suspension was certainly
awkward at times. I remember the first day walking into
a restaurant and seeing myself on both Fox News and
CNN. I’m used to being seen on ESPN, but to have
people outside of the sports bubble talking about me as
a walking think piece was weird. As is the case when you
experience something difficult, you have to cling to
those who love and support you the most.”
At the top of that list is her cohost and confidant,
Michael Smith, who, following the announcement of Hill’s
suspension, refused to appear on the SC6 broadcast
without her. Her mentor, Johnette Howard, an awardwinning
author and sports columnist, immediately advised
Hill simply to ignore the noise swirling around her.
“Jemele has been through some rough times and
found herself at junctures in life where she had to
choose who she is,” says Howard, who has known Hill
for more than 25 years. “When I first met her, I was
struck by her obvious intelligence and sense of
self-possession. Even then she knew who she was and
she wasn’t going to let the world distort her.”
When it comes to sports commentary, Hill and Smith
are at the forefront of what’s fresh, authentic and
exciting. This experience may have raised her public
profile, but that was never her intention. Moving past
the suspension and notoriety, Hill has a newfound
desire to be even more true to herself as an individual,
a Black woman and a professional.
“I have a firmer understanding of who I am. I have
always been a self-aware person, but you don’t know
what you are made of until that test actually comes,”
says Hill. “Now I feel like I’ve gained clarity. When you
are thrown into the fire in this kind of way, you figure
out very quickly exactly what you’re about.”
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Wendy L. Wilson (@WendyLWilson_) is an award-winning
journalist and a former news editor at ESSENCE.
BE KIND, REWIND
Here are some of Jemele Hill’s most
memorable moments over the past year
FEBRUARY 2017
MARCH 2017
In the cutest parody
ever, Hill and Smith
persuade several original
cast members from the
hit TV show A Different
World to join them in
re-creating the comedy’s
famous intro as a
promo spot for their
new show. #Classic
OCTOBER 2017
After a series of
tweets about Dallas
Cowboys owner Jerry
Jones, Hill is officially
suspended for two
weeks. ESPN believed
she had violated the
company’s social
media guidelines—for
the second time.
Hill and her ESPN cohost,
Michael Smith, take their love
of Black culture and passion
for all things sports from
their show His & Hers to
SportsCenter’s muchcoveted
6 P.M. slot.
SEPTEMBER 2017
“Trump is the most
ignorant, offensive
president of my
lifetime. His rise is a
direct result of
White supremacy.
Period” is one of
three tweets from
Hill that started the
backlash against her
on social media.
NOVEMBER 2017 AND BEYOND
Celebs who are fans of Hill
respond to her suspension by
publicly rallying on Twitter
using #IStandWithJemele.
From Gabrielle Union to
Common to Michael Eric
Dyson, folks gave rousing
support for Hill’s right to
free speech that rang loud
and proud. —W.L.W.
FROM TOP: JOE FARAONI/ESPN IMAGES; COURTESY OF ESPN; TWITTER; JOE FARAONI/ESPN IMAGES; THEARON W. HENDERSON/GETTY IMAGES.
72 ESSENCE.COM FEBRUARY 2018