This is Me... VSP
My name is Vincent S. Pierson. I am an award-winning culture, diversity, equity, and inclusion (CDEI) professional with nearly a decade of experience activating transformative projects for clients, partners, and employers. I've been responsible for infusing diverse business practices into entire industries and coaching chief-level executives through enhancing cultural competence to support their diversity efforts. My work has been highlighted in publications like ESPN Undefeated, Forbes, and many more.
I fell in Love with sports early in my childhood growing up in Roanoke, Virginia. My playing career wouldn't last very long, but I experienced enough to know that there was something special about sports. I quickly realized that my commitment to the sports space was about more than the exciting atmosphere we created. Sports have the unique ability to transcend the space we occupy to impact and transform lives well beyond the field of play. Now, my work focuses on activating this unique power to impact positive social change in society.
I attended Virginia State University - an HBCU in Petersburg, Virginia. My experience at VSU had a tremendous impact on my journey. I met professors and mentors who prepared me for my career and life. I made friends who've been the catalysts to many of my favorite memories. And, perhaps most importantly, I experienced an unapologetic blackness that provided a safe space for me to grow personally and appreciate my community.
I can't tell the full story of who I am without giving Love to my mom. She has been the anchor in my life and the fuel to my dreams. My best friend, role model, mentor, and partner in crime if necessary! Because of my mom, I have done and become many things in my life. Without her, I would be absolutely nothing. My story is incomplete without acknowledging this. Love you, Mama!
I truly believe that disrupting an inequitable status quo will create a better reality for everyone. My passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion revolves around my compassion for humanity. Understanding different perspectives begins with recognizing our common humanity especially when unique lived experiences exist.
Today, I operate at the intersection of sports and social justice. VSP Impact Strategies supports individuals and organizations along their D&I journeys. Our partners include colleges and universities, media companies, sports teams and leagues, technology companies, and more.
I live in Jacksonville, Florida, and the virtual environment has allowed me to connect with partners across the globe.
