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Maia Chaka is the
first Black woman to be named to the NFL's officiating staff,
the league announced Friday.
The NFL made the announcement on "The Today Show" prior to a
live interview with Chaka.
"It didn't really hit me until just now when I saw the
introduction," Chaka said on the show. "I'm like, this is really
real. This is something that we're always taught to work hard
for and sometimes we just don't take time to stop and smell our
own roses. And I've just been grinding for so long in this. It's
an honor to be able to join the National Football League."
Chaka is a health and physical education teacher at Renaissance
Academy in Virginia Beach, Va.
She has officiated at the collegiate level, including games in
the Pac-12 Conference and Conference USA.
Chaka joins Sarah Thomas as the NFL's only female officials. The
pair worked together in Conference USA in 2014.
"Maia's years of hard work, dedication and perseverance --
including as part of the NFL Officiating Development Program --
have earned her a position as an NFL official," said Troy
Vincent Sr., NFL executive vice president of football
operations.
"As we celebrate Women's History Month, Maia is a trailblazer as
the first Black female official and inspires us toward
normalizing women on the football field."
--Field Level Media
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