Antoinette Iroko is the current Manager of Social Responsibility for Dallas Wings, the
WNBA team in Arlington, TX. Antoinette’s responsibilities include fostering relationships
with organizations and getting players involved in the community. Antoinette is a graduate
of Mary Hardin-Baylor where she played a forward on the women’s basketball team and
majored in Speech Communication. Antoinette enjoys reading, CrossFit, and learning
about politics.
What advice do you have for girls who feel like they should hide their intelligence because they won’t be seen as “cool”?
There are a lot of things in life that you’re going to do that seem “uncool.” If you live your life based on what people think is “cool” or “uncool” you’ll either end up doing nothing at all or everything that you hate. Do what you know is right and what you love regardless of what other people think.
What advice do you have for girls who feel like they aren’t smart?
Comparison is the thief of joy. If you’re comparing your intelligence to anyone else’s, it’s easy to feel like you don’t measure up. You are smart. Don’t listen to anything or anyone telling you otherwise.
How has being smart benefitted you in your career and on your path to your career?
Being “smart” in my career is all about thinking outside of the box and being proactive. By doing these things, I’ve shown that I am prepared, because I can look ahead and think through every possible scenario, and that I’m a visionary because I think of the big picture.
How did you deal with obstacles on your path to where you are now in your career?
The way that I deal with obstacles (and everything else in life) is by analyzing them. I always think through the best way to approach and overcome the obstacle and weigh out my pros and cons, if necessary. I also believe that everything happens for a reason so it’s important for me to think about what I can learn from the situation.
What goals do you have set to accomplish in the next 5 years to advance your career or life?
One of my goals in the next 5 years is to attend law school.
When and how did you know you were on the right career path?
I knew that I was on the right career path whenever work began to feel less like work and more like living out my passion.
What’s your support system like, which people in your life would you say support you the most and why?
My family is my biggest support system. They encourage me, challenge me, give me advice, and always love me. Even when things seem terrible, I can always count on my family to help me find a silver lining.
What does being smart mean to you?
Being smart means challenging yourself mentally to think past what you believe your limits are.
If you could talk to your 14-year-old self what advice would you give yourself?
If I could talk to 14-year-old Antoinette, I would tell her that you don’t need to be around people all the time. It’s okay to spend time alone, getting to know yourself and self-reflecting. You don’t need the approval of others in order to feel confident in who you are.
What is an interesting little-known fact about you?
An interesting fact about me is that I played tackle football on the boys’ team for 2 years in 7th and 8th grade.
To keep up with Anette follow her on social media:
Twitter @irokoa32
Instagram @irokoa32
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