Forget waiting for an invitation. Tomeka B. Holyfield isn’t just setting a table; she’s building a movement.
The inaugural She’s Got Now Empowerment Luncheon, timed to the electric energy of WNBA All-Star weekend, aims to be far more than a celebration. It aspires to be a healing force and a powerful declaration for women in sports.
“This is going to be a movement,” Holyfield said in an exclusive interview with the Indianapolis Recorder. “It’s one of those events that you know is going to be a movement. That’s what we’re feeling.”
Scheduled amidst record-breaking WNBA viewership and surging female ownership in sports, the luncheon honors legends, current stars, executives and media leaders. Names like A’ja Wilson, Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, Dawn Staley and Doris Burke are central, with Serena Williams receiving a special recognition award.
Holyfield sees this moment as undeniable.
“Why not now,” Holyfield asked. “Now is the best time, more than ever. Women are the fastest-growing entrepreneur. This year alone, the WNBA will gross upwards of one billion dollars.”
She contrasted historic NBA viewership lows with Clark-Reese matchups, drawing tens of millions.
“The tide is changing. It’s been in the making for two or three years… She’s Got Now spoke to me,” she said. “You have to do it now. It’s not tomorrow. It’s not yesterday.”
Black women focused while building bridges
Crucially, the event centers on (but is not limited to) Black women, athletes and entrepreneurs who are shaping a historically male-dominated arena. Honorees represent generations of groundbreaking effort. Holyfield highlighted pioneers like Nancy Lieberman and Lisa Leslie, media icon Doris Burke and current moguls like Candace Parker.
“What they’re doing is why this thing is bigger than business and basketball,” Holyfield said. “The ball is the foundation, but it’s helping them get the bag … These ladies are turning over the veil of what they thought they couldn’t do.”
‘A melting pot of hugs’
Beyond accolades, Holyfield envisions profound connection.
“My number one goal is that this grows into a networking and meeting place,” Holyfield said. “We could take our Superwoman capes off and just be glad for the next person … We subliminally know what each other is going through.”
She described her hope for “a melting pot of hugs and admiration for each other.”
“I want to make sure that when they leave, they’re uplifted and clapping for everybody else … everybody has something they’ve gone through.”
She sees the luncheon as a catalyst for unity during a competitive season.
“We have to talk about the elephant in the room,” Holyfield said, referencing league tensions. “I’m hoping this is the platform to bring all of them together, collectively despite their dreams, goals, even their scars … I’m hoping their scars turn into celebrative memories.”
Strategic synergy and a call to action
Holding the event during All-Star weekend in Indianapolis was deliberate. Holyfield cited the city’s welcoming atmosphere and proven capability to host major events like the 2024 NBA All-Star.
“The numbers are changing … it’s a strategic move,” Holyfield said. “It was a no-brainer.”
While high-profile honorees draw attention, Holyfield makes space for community. Initially focused on corporate tables, her team persuaded her to release a limited number of community tickets.
“I wanted to have company tables and keep it cohesive … but we do have some individual community tickets,” Holyfield said, directing interested parties to the She’s Got Now Empowerment Luncheon website.
Don’t wait, curate.
Ultimately, Holyfield’s message extends far beyond the luncheon. It’s a clarion call for every woman everywhere.
“I just want the readers to know we are no longer waiting for a table or to be invited. We curate our own tables,” Holyfield said.
Her challenge is direct.
“Wherever you are, you don’t need to be validated,” Holyfield said. You don’t need to wait for a seat at the table. Create your own table … It’s over waiting for somebody to validate who we are … We make our own tables, we make our own decisions, and we create our own narratives of our lives.”
Holyfield believes this self-validation breeds peace.
“When we begin to do that … that’s when peace and enjoyment come into us … because we have peace within ourselves,” she said.
The She’s Got Now Empowerment Luncheon is the physical launch. But Holyfield’s vision — of women curating their own tables, celebrating shared struggles and triumphs, and forging unity in a fragmented landscape — is the true movement.
As she put it, “This is going to change lives and perspectives.”
Learn more about the She’s Got Now Empowerment Luncheon at eventbrite.com/e/shes-got-now-empowerment-luncheon-tickets-1432524773159.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on Facebook @horsemensportsmedia. For more news, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
