Alyssa Thompson ’23, spoke about her soccer career at the Women of Color Club (WOCC) on Feb. 2. Thompson was the first overall pick in the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Draft, and currently plays for Angel City FC and the US Women’s National Team.

Thompson said her interracial identity helps her to be heard by her communities as an athlete and woman of color.

“Being able to enter the league and [Angel City Football Club] as a Black woman, as a Hispanic woman and as an Asian woman, I have all these different communities that support me,” Thompson said. “Angel City does a really good job of spreading awareness for women of color and minorities in general.”

Thompson said a goal of hers is to encourage young girls of color.

“I get really excited that I inspire little girls that look like me because growing up I didn’t really have a lot of role models that were of the same ethnicity,” Thompson said. “Being that for someone else is really special for me.”

WOCC leader Nicola Dadlani ’25 said one way club members can get inspired is by hearing from professionals, especially one who is an alumnus of the school.

“There are a lot of affinity groups on campus that focus on individual identities, but we are women of color, so we focus on intersectionality,” Dadlani said. “Bringing in people who have had professional experience gives us the opportunity to see what life is like after Harvard-Westlake.”

WOCC leader Bronwyn Vance ’24 said it is important for students to realize that their identities are integral to their careers, and more so their lives as a whole.

“Being a person of color can enhance your experience in a sport or in anything that you do,” Vance said. “It’s important that we see a former student who has immediately found success in the outside world.”

Maylie Macias ’26 said she enjoyed hearing Thompson speak about how intersectionality has impacted her professional career.

“[Thompson] is such an empowering woman, especially being a woman of color and a professional athlete,” Macias said. “One big takeaway for me was the talk about intersectionality and how the different parts of her identity have influenced her experience.”

Thompson said confidence is important for aspiring athletes.

“Keeping confidence is a big part of what I’m still working on,” Thompson said. “If you have confidence, you are so much better on the field and off the field.”