Esther Wallace: Representation Is Hope

Credit: Katherine Taylor
Savanna Collins
Jun 17, 2022

Esther Wallace is the designer and founder of Playa Society. She is an artist, turned athlete, turned entrepreneur. She created Playa Society to bridge the gap in women’s sports. 

Wallace went from a kid who played sports to falling in love with basketball and earning a Division I scholarship to Fairleigh Dickinson University.

After a career playing and coaching basketball overseas, Wallace wanted to create the brand she needed when she was younger – one that would prioritize representation and recognition for female athletes. Playa Society is inspired by Wallace’s personal experiences and promotes equal access for Black girls to athletics and the growth of women’s sports.

Her talk focused on the opportunities and access basketball gave her, and how it encouraged her to stop hiding. She explains how representation goes beyond role models but powerfully affirms that there is no ceiling to our potential.

You can watch Wallace’s full TEDxBoston talk below:

Representation isn't just about role models [or] admiration. Representation is power and it is truth.
Esther Wallace