Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes launches New Orleans sports career fest for young women

By AI, Created 10:14 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes has launched Her Game, Her Future Fest, a one-day career exploration event for high school and college women set for July 2, 2026, at LSU New Orleans. The festival is designed to build a direct pipeline into sports careers through hands-on activations, mentorship and scholarship-backed access.

Why it matters: - Her Game, Her Future Fest is built to move young women from interest to access in a sports industry where career entry can be hard to navigate. - The event aims to connect students with mentors, hands-on experience and practical pathways into media, business, science and innovation roles. - Scholarship support and sponsor funding are meant to reduce cost barriers and expand participation.

What happened: - Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes, commissioner of the HBCU Athletic Conference and founder of SYWACIA™, announced Her Game, Her Future Fest on May 6, 2026. - New Orleans Magazine recognized Barnes as a 2026 “Top Female Achiever” the same day. - The festival is scheduled for Thursday, July 2, 2026, at the newly named LSU New Orleans. - The one-day event targets high school and college women interested in sports careers. - Registration is open now, and the event offers scholarship opportunities. - A $125 sponsorship secures a spot for a student. - More information is available through the registration page.

The details: - The festival includes four experience zones: The Spotlight, The Front Office, The Lab and The Next Play. - Each zone is led by industry professionals. - Students will build, create, analyze and present during the day’s activations. - The program includes a keynote, rotating career activations, a Mentor Match-Up and a closing Styled for the Game fashion showcase. - Tracee Dundas, executive producer of New Orleans Fashion Week, will produce the fashion experience. - Confirmed sponsors and partners include Ochsner Sports Medicine, Girl Scouts Louisiana East, Lakeside Shopping Center and Faces of Virtue. - Hahn Enterprises is also supporting the event. - The sponsor base is intended to expand access, mentorship, wellness, style and real-world career exposure. - LSU New Orleans is hosting the event on campus. - Dr. Kathy Johnson, president of LSU New Orleans, said the festival aligns with the university’s mission to engage the community and promote student development.

Between the lines: - Barnes is using SYWACIA™ and her HBCU leadership platform to create a structured entry point into sports careers rather than a one-off networking event. - The festival’s focus on “access” suggests an effort to address both awareness and the practical barriers that keep students from industry opportunities. - The July 4th holiday-week framing appears designed to connect the event’s message to independence, opportunity and future-building. - Hahn Enterprises’ support points to an argument that youth career access is also an economic development strategy. - LSU New Orleans’ role gives the event institutional credibility and a campus setting that may help students imagine themselves in higher education and professional spaces.

What’s next: - Organizers are still seeking additional sponsors to help more young women attend. - Sponsor support will directly fund student participation, mentorship access and hands-on career experiences. - The festival will unfold on July 2, 2026, with the stated goal of turning exposure into a lasting pipeline into the sports industry.

The bottom line: - Her Game, Her Future Fest is positioning New Orleans as a launchpad for women who want careers in sports, not just a place to learn about them.