Penn graduate, NCAA All-American and NACAC 800-meter silver medalist Nia Akins discusses with DyeStat editor Erik Boal her experiences of May 18, the day of her graduation, and receiving racist threats and having her human rights compromised, which resonate more in the aftermath of the recent deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Sean Reed and Tony McDade as a result of the actions of law enforcement. Akins shares her recent experiences of being part of peaceful protests, but also being confronted by police officers. She also shares the steps she hopes people take in an effort to create resolution and reform in their own communities, and how seeing the response of those not only in the United States, but around the world, creates optimism that this might be the turning point that several flaws relating to inequality and injustice in our own society can hopefully be corrected. She reflects on the silent protests of both Colin Kaepernick and Gwen Berry, and how they can potentially be inspirations for future athletes to inspire change. Akins also shares what her future holds in the medical field, as she nears a decision with regard to what the next chapter will be in her running career.