Simply put, Mo’ne Davis is a star. And a role model. And not exactly a reluctant one.
Sure, being 13-years-old and thrusted into the limelight can make even the most skilled individual exhibit growing pains, yet the Little League pitching phenom has everybody saluting her every move. Whether it’s handling inevitable criticism with the utmost dignity or aligning herself with charitable causes, Davis has been living up to the definition of “star athlete” even as expectations for each generation increases to demanding heights.
Speaking of charitable causes, Davis recently aligned her celebrity with M4D3 (Make A Difference Everyday) to release a new collection of stylish and affordable sneakers that benefit Plan International USA’s Because I am a Girl initiative.
Hip-Hop Wired chopped it up with Davis during a busy trek throughout Manhattan and she was more than eager to share her reasoning for aligning with the M4D3. After all, her phone has been ringing off the hook since being the first African-American girl to play in the Little League World Series, let alone to pitch a shutout.
“It goes to a good cause and helps me make a difference everyday,” she tells HWW in reference to her choice to pick M4DE. “I got to choose a design, choose some of the colors and some of the patterns.”
“It was different than I thought it would be and I enjoyed it,” she says of her newfound venture.
Given her stance on positivity in the media, it’s inevitable that Davis is considered a role model–especially for younger female fans who aspire to be taken seriously as athletes. It’s not a position that she shys away from and says she wants everyone who sees her on TV to “have confidence in themselves,” no matter what their dream is.
“I try to be a role model. I try to help not only girls but boys to have a great future. I still have time to throw a baseball, shoot a basketball or kick a soccer ball,” she claims, revealing that if there’s any pressure, it hasn’t rattled her yet.
Speaking of shooting basketball, Mo’ne was money at this year’s NBA Celebrity All-Star Game, especially when she made Kevin Hart go the complete opposite direction with an incredibly athletic spin move. Naturally, she opted not to embarrass the Get Hard star even further (even at our playful behest) but remembers the viral incident saying, “I saw him reach and thought that would be the best move to do at the time.
When Davis isn’t engaged in sporting events, she says lounging to music (“something on Pandora. Beyoncé, Rihanna or Chris Brown”).
Which makes her your typical teenager, if you want to overlook her extraordinary talent.
For more information on M4D3, visit: www.made-shoes.com.
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Photos: M4D3
