Steelers teach us about diversity

Before speaking at Comcast’s Diversity and Inclusion Council event at the Roberto Clemente Museum, they asked me to talk a little about why diversity matters. My book The Color of Sundays tracks the racial integration of the National Football League through the Civil Rights Era, and I make the case that the team’s colorblind approach to player scouting resulted in its championship successes.

I am available for more speaking opportunities like this, with details here.

Many thanks to Josephine Posti at Comcast for inviting me to be part of this important discussion!

Back to school!

I have been heading back to elementary school recently to talk about Roberto Clemente. Students at Mt. Lebanon’s Foster Elementary and Ligonier Valley’s R.K. Mellon Elementary have been so awesome. It’s a testament to the teachers that the students are so enthusiastic about writing! Gives me hope for the future.

If anyone else is interested in having me speak with their students, let me know: andrew.c.conte@gmail.com.

Clemente Jr. visits Point Park

Roberto Clemente Jr. came by the Center for Media Innovation today. He was a huge help while I was working on the book, All About Roberto Clemente, and it was great to reconnect with him now that it’s finished. He has a great understanding of his father’s legacy and a vision for carrying it forward. Plus, he’s constantly thinking about Pittsburgh.

My friend Chris Rolinson made the visit possible. He and Roberto are working on ways to provide clean water to places in the Dominican and Africa where it’s needed. And yet I shamelessly cropped him out of the photo!

Columbia: Profile on my Clemente book

 

Columbia University has posted a blog entry from me about the new Clemente book. You can check it out here.

What I learned in grad school:

I learned that quality matters, and I have worked hard every day since graduating to maintain high standards for my own work and for the craft of journalism. It’s something that I try to pass along to my students. 

My time at Columbia really shaped the rest of my life. With the master’s degree, I have been able to teach at the college level and that has become a rewarding part of my career and life. Beyond that, the Columbia experience made me aware of the potential to tell meaningful stories and to connect with newsmakers. More than that, the experience helped me set a high standard for my future work. Read more.

Book review: ‘Clemente’ tells story bigger than baseball

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote a colorful review of my latest book, “All About Roberto Clemente.” They noted that the book spends a lot more time talking about Clemente, the human being — and not just his activity as a ballplayer. An excerpt:

Those who saw Clemente play will never forget his laser-like throws from right field that froze baserunners, or his daring moves on the basepaths. But Conte’s book gives as much if not more time to Roberto Clemente the human being.

Read the full review here.