Student Athlete Spotlight: Sophomore soccer player Emmanuel Hewitt discusses activism both in and out of athletics.

When George Floyd was murdered in May 2020, many young Black people came out to their local cities to march for Black Lives Matter. Emmanuel Hewitt, a sophomore at Eastern, was one of those people. The Mechanicsburg, PA native, found it important to bring awareness to the struggles of young Black Americans. Hewitt is a great example of an active member of the Eastern community: a student athlete who is passionate about social justice and loves the Lord.

Since last summer, Hewitt, a communication studies major, has become extremely involved with Black Lives Matter, the Black Student League, and has begun to educate his peers about the importance of including and listening to Black voices. Hewitt explained that he protested because “it was not just for [Hewitt], but for other people who go through discrimination” to elevate their voices. Not only is Hewitt marching for Black Lives Matter, but he is bringing the topic into the classroom. In his classes, Hewitt has done a number of papers and projects highlighting Black History Month, his identity, and the racism that professional athletes
face.

Similar to his in class projects, Hewitt discussed how Eastern’s soccer team has tried to make an effort to educate the team on racial injustices. Hewitt discussed a Zoom meeting that the team had over the summer that created a dialogue within the team. Had it not been for COVID, the team had hopes of bringing activism into
more events and activities.

On the field, Hewitt is a midfielder and a wing. Despite being in his second year at Eastern, Hewitt has had limited time on the field due to COVID restrictions. Hewitt, along with his teammates, have not seen a regular season game since the fall 2019 season. They played four scrimmages this spring, but the Eagles are excited to have a full season in the future. “It’ll be a lot of responsibility,” said Hewitt. Juggling academics, activism, and a leadership role within the team, Hewitt has a lot on his plate going into his junior year this fall. However, the team is looking to continue building their strength and hopes to come out on top in the 2021 fall season.

Despite the challenges and hurdles Hewitt has faced during his time at Eastern, he enters each day with a smile. He values his faith and trusts God more than anything else. He is a dynamic presence in the classroom and on the field, and his journey in life is just beginning.