She was a track star at her Tennessee high school and an NCAA All-American at UCLA who qualified for the 2008 Olympic trials. But ask San Diego City College cross-country coach Krishna Curry what her proudest achievement is and she’ll tell you it has nothing to do with personal records. It’s helping young people maximize their personal potential through lessons of competitive sports to teach resilience, discipline, teamwork, and healthy habits that will serve them throughout life. And at City, her role as a coach allows her to engage in social justice.
“I saw what a community college education did for my mom, a teenage parent, and how higher education opened up so many opportunities,” said Curry who grew up in Nashville. “We’re here making a difference in trajectory of people’s lives. There is no better feeling and I’m grateful to be here.”
It was quite the journey from Nashville to becoming the first African American head cross-country coach at City College and one of an unprecedented four Black coaches at the East Village campus Athletic Department, a journey that reflects the accomplishments of the African American community celebrated during Black History Month.
“Black history is every American’s history. It’s critical that everyone understands how black contributions to civil rights advancements elevate everyone. Black liberation leads to universal liberation,” she said.
Curry, 37, got her first taste of coaching while mentoring young kids at summer track camps when she was in high school. While running at UCLA, she also worked part time for UCLA Athletics, supporting operations for the football team and picking up pointers about recruiting along the way. It also piqued her interest in a possible future sports career.
The social justice legacy of many prominent African American sports figures such as Wilma Rudolph, a Tennessean Olympian and the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic game, inspired Curry to overcome adversity and pursue big goals in California. She knew UCLA was the perfect school for her because of the numerous campus buildings commemorating black leaders. “It was powerful feeling to live on Charles Drew Drive, and run around Jackie Robinson Baseball stadium, take classes in Ralph Bunche Hall, and receive medical care at the Arthur Ashe Center. I didn't see this type of Black historical representation on other predominantly white colleges that I visited. Flo-jo and Jackie Joyner-Kersee were also my heroes and former Bruins, too. Their Olympic teammate, Jeannette Bolden was my head coach. It was amazing to see black excellence affirmed in so many ways.”
Shortly after moving to San Diego with her husband in 2021, La Jolla High School reached out with an offer to serve as a part-time sprint coach. San Diego City College hired her as an assistant cross-country coach in the summer of 2023 and head coach of the women’s cross-country team less than a year later.
“What makes City College so special is interdepartmental collaborative efforts to serve adults at a critical point in their lives,” said Curry. “I love being able to help my students access the numerous incredible resources at this college, such as the Undocumented Students Resource Center, Umoja, the transfer office and tutoring services. Every staff member and department here is doing incredible work that advances equity and social justice.”
Curry applauds City’s dedication to diversity, the importance of which is lost on critics of DEI policies. “When you’re serving a working-class, predominately minority, primarily low-income population, having a diverse staff that is representative of those experiences is critical,” she said. “I know what it’s like to rely upon public transit. Our student-athletes who live near the border, or in East County, sit on a bus for an hour-and-a-half to get to school every day. I know what it’s like to struggle financially, working multiple jobs to survive, and competing in sports while also going to school. We have to serve with an ethic rooted in equity and compassion. We’re transforming individual lives and communities here.”