BHM Highlight: Quincy Hildreth
This year’s Black History Month carries a theme of Black History and the Arts. Over the course of history, art has always been a form of voice for Black people—sometimes the only form of expression available to make a statement.
This Black History Month, we reached out to Quincy Hildreth (former MLQ designer and Charlotte Aviators star) about their experiences as the creative specialist for the African Nations team.
Q: What got you into marketing and design?
A: Art has always been my passion, and the desire to create has been a constant in my life. Growing up in southern Arkansas, the artistic influence was limited. Despite drawing and painting extensively as a kid, I took a hiatus around fifth grade. It wasn't until my second year of college, when I changed my major, that I rekindled my connection with the creative space.
Q: Is there anything in your life you draw inspiration from that helps you through the creative process?
A: Inspiration is everywhere for me, whether it's observing store packaging, exploring painted murals in cities, or marveling at the architecture that surrounds us.
Q: How did you end up getting connected with African Nations? What was it like being asked to support the team in this way? What did it feel like making the roster?
A: I stumbled upon African Nations through Facebook posts, and the opportunity to support and play on the team felt like a tremendous honor. There are only a few World Cups one can participate in and having that chance with a new team is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Q: What was your favorite moment at the IQA World Cup?
A: Beating Norway remains my favorite moment. The game reached a nail-biting "next goal wins" situation, inducing a cocktail of stress and excitement. There's nothing quite like scoring that final goal for the win.
Q: What was your least favorite moment at World Cup?
A: Missing the fifth place game and settling for a tie with France was a tough moment. Due to scheduling delays caused by weather and lightning, the tournament was going to run out of time before the final. Unfortunately, we were unable to play our final game for a definitive fifth/sixth place ranking. However, taking into account that our only two losses on the weekend came from the finalists feels amazing.
Q: If you could send a message back in time to yourself on July 1, 2023 (pre-event) what would you say?
A: Honestly, just be yourself and do what you do.
Q: The design for the team’s logo is sick! What went into making it? What does it mean to you? How did you decide what you wanted to portray?
A: Crafting logos can be quite a challenge. For the African Nations logo, I aimed to encapsulate African heritage while also nodding to African American history. The logo's shape pays homage to the first African American Heritage crest. The colors within represent the Juneteenth flag, and the chains at the bottom symbolize freedom and the end of slavery, transforming into birds flying back to Africa.
The African Nations, which debuted at the IQA World Cup 2023, was started in a joint effort by Christian Barnes (New York Titans) and Alexander Obanor (Minneapolis Monarchs). After being approved in March 2023, they were joined in leadership by Olive Jim-Daniels (former League City Legends), Lee Hodge (Charlotte Aviators), and James Hicks (former Washington Admirals). Their record on the weekend was 4-3, with wins over Mexico, Hong Kong, Norway, and Australia, and losses to the finalists, Belgium and the US National Team.