Transcript
vlvibespodcast: Welcome to another episode of Victory Lane Vibes. We are your hostesses with the mostesses. It's Jared, it's Madeline, it's Peyton, and we are here. On a Tuesday.
vlvibespodcast: We have a special guest with us this afternoon. Um, we are able to interview Miss Camilla. um I'm not sure if you've seen it, but she's been all over the NASCAR socials. She had a hand in designing a show car.
vlvibespodcast: for her sorority. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. down at their regional conference in Charlotte. um I got sent a lot of pictures and a lot of poses next to the car. and i We talked as a team. I was like, hey, you know, we should ah we should talk to the brain trust behind this idea and see how it all came together. so um We got it. Sweet setup for y 'all. We get an interview.
vlvibespodcast: um with the the mind behind it and uh Hopefully you all enjoy. Peyton I'll let you start us off. I will.
PEYTON: Thank you, Sam.
vlvibespodcast: No, I take that back. I will.
PEYTON: Yeah.
vlvibespodcast: I sort of, that's a little, I can't pass for time, it's a little awkward.
PEYTON: Man, got shoved as tight already.
vlvibespodcast: Yes, yes, yes, yes. So. um camilla i guess my first question for you Um, Were you a fan of the sport? before you started. working for the sanctioning body.
vlvibespodcast: And if you were. Who is your favorite driver?
Camilla WB: um I was a little bit of a fan. Growing up, my dad had an NASCAR on in the background. We weren't too involved in the sport. We knew the cars went around in laps, but we couldn't tell you anything about.
Camilla WB: the drivers. or an NASCAR as an organization. So I was very familiar with the sport, just not in depth with it. um
Camilla WB: i've said it in a couple other interviews i loved the cars movie growing up back when we watched movies on dvd i had to keep it on at all times my mom said we went through three dvds like it was just on all the time so i was familiar with racing um And when I saw the opportunity get posted, I applied. I want to work in sports in the future. A lot of what I do now since being in college is sports related. So when I saw something, an opportunity that would make it full circle.
Camilla WB: It was a no -brainer. um Since being at an NASCAR, my favorite driver is Bubba Wallace. I love 2311 Racing, um so that's my side on that.
vlvibespodcast: ah You can come back anytime. That's a good answer. Good answer. Good answer.
Camilla WB: Okay.
vlvibespodcast: I don't know. Peyton, what you got?
PEYTON: So in terms of... you know getting into this. the internship, how do you sort of find your way there? um Was it related to your major? Sort of, you know, because I know there are a lot of folks who probably listen to this who are interested in working in the sport. and so Can you tell us a little bit about how that looked and how you were able to work that in with your... college studies.
Camilla WB: Yeah. So the background on finding the opportunity was. I went on LinkedIn. This was, I believe, in December of last year. And I applied to a bunch of internships in sports. um I ended up moving along the process with NASCAR. I didn't know any executives or any employees in NASCAR. so I was really navigating it by myself. and remaining true in my faith that it would all work out.
Camilla WB: um And then I got the offer letter. and then I got down to Charlotte and I immediately got to work. As far as finding opportunities for anyone that's interested. very
Camilla WB: Utilize um linkedin for sure and then if you go to a big university i go to louisiana state university make sure you really um grow connections with your professors they always have opportunities um specifically at my school we have a professor that gets sent off opportunities often and she'll email them out to us.
Camilla WB: Sometimes she does flood our email. I bet the NASCAR application was in there at some point. I just didn't see it. But again, just using your network. um While I didn't know anyone in NASCAR specifically, it was an opportunity that worked out and clearly it worked out very well for me in the long run But yeah, I want to work in sports, so I make sure I'm looking for a sports related opportunities.
vlvibespodcast: Absolutely. That's awesome. Sounds like you have a... a good set of professors there to make sure that Um, the students have some. I wouldn't call them layups, but easy opportunities to get internships. So all the the sweating and the hassle of finding it on your own doesn't. overwhelming so that's uh that's a really awesome experience that you have there
Camilla WB: Okay.
vlvibespodcast: Um... Madeline.
Madelyn: um My question is a little bit more, I'm super fascinated about how... the idea of the show car even came into being and like what that process looked like. How?
Madelyn: you came about like doing that. And just like... Your take on it. I thought it was super cool. It was all over my social media. So when they brought up interviewing you, I did in fact leave work early so that I could join the interview. So I wanted to hear a little bit about like how that came to be and how you thought of like doing that and what that looks like on your end.
Camilla WB: Yeah, definitely. So Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated has a regional conference every other year We have multiple regions. um North Carolina is a part of the South Atlantic region. and the conference was in the um Convention Center, which actually is connected to the NASCAR office. um So before I was an intern,
Camilla WB: I don't know when exactly the opportunity was given to NASCAR, but it was before I was an official intern. When I got to NASCAR, they were like, oh. you're a Delta, right? And I was like, Yes, I am. And they showed me a version of the car that had been created and they just asked if I could take a look at it, if I had any input.
Camilla WB: um I gave them some details back. um I created a rough draft of a design. I'm not very familiar with the software they use, so I tried my best. I sent it over and they fell in love with it and they ended up turning. my puzzle piece of a graphic design into a real graphic design and after some tweaking.
Camilla WB: it became the official one that social media has seen so It was an opportunity that was there before me. So this would have happened regardless if there was a Delta intern or not over the summer, um which I love to hear that NASCAR is trying to reach audiences where they're at. But with me being there, I was able to make it more personalized. Not sure if you guys saw, but on the back, it says intelligence is a torch. is the torch of wisdom.
Camilla WB: Which is something you might not know if you're not a delta So I was just able to add small details like that such as the pearls which also have a significant meaning um So I was just able to run with the idea and I ended up redesigning the whole thing, which was really cool.
vlvibespodcast: that's awesome i know i'm gonna make sure that uh I don't know if you were here when we were talking about it, but ah both my mom and Peyton's mom are both Deltas, so. um They'll be excited to hear the the small tidbits that you just dropped.
vlvibespodcast: um when when I share the episode with them. um I guess based on based on everything that you've you've had the experience to learn with the sport. um Outside of you designing the car, are there any fun takeaways that you'll take moving forward in either a future role with a sanctioning body or another company that you may lead to as anything that NASCAR?
vlvibespodcast: sort of talk to you in the in the sports marketing world about Um... Anything, did you keep moving forward?
Camilla WB: NASCAR has taught me so much. Honestly, when I got the internship, I knew I would leave with a whole bunch of new information and new inspiration, but it has surpassed anything that I thought it would be. i left way more I left way more inspired. um way more passionate about motorsports um if I had to pick it would have been
Camilla WB: specifically basketball in my future career, but the idea of working in motorsports now not only feels so familiar to me, but there's so many. new avenues to market to different people. um And I would love to be a part of that if the opportunity arises. um Outside of that,
Camilla WB: I strengthen my skills in marketing. I got to learn more about graphic design, which was great communications. They also give us the opportunity to speak with.
Camilla WB: any and everybody in NASCAR if you set up a meeting so I got to talk to so many different departments learn about not just nascar and motorsports but about people's paths in There's Sports world. Cause some. people at NASCAR didn't go to school for sports administration or voter sports administration. So it's just cool to hear how there's so many different paths that led them to an NASCAR and I can use.
Camilla WB: bits and pieces of that and whatever career. I. end up in next
vlvibespodcast: That's awesome. Pay what you got.
PEYTON: Yeah, so I want to... dive a bit more into the scheme itself and sort of like your thought and creative a process. So when you were working on this, did you get a chance to look at you know other cars that have actually raced so for inspiration or do you know strictly look at it you know as
PEYTON: incorporating as many details and incorporating as many of the sorority's themes. Sort of how did that process go? Because it looks like a car that could race on Sunday. you know It's got some cool things about... love to hear you know hey i looked at this car or that car you know how'd you sort of work through that
Camilla WB: Yeah, definitely. So like I had said, I had been interested in racing for pretty much my whole life. So I'm familiar with what a NASCAR looks like. um Before I started designing it for intern orientation weekend, we were able to go to the Coca -Cola 600. So I was right there with all of the cars, um not knowing that that would spark some more inspiration later down the line. So immediately NASCAR gets you.
Camilla WB: invested into the actual community of racing, not just what we do behind the scenes on the business side. So then the opportunity came to me um and I did see an older version of what they created. So I was able to see what specific car model they were using.
Camilla WB: but i think Honestly, I just have a very creative brain. and I saw the image in my head and I was just able to do it. There's not much of explanation I can do. on that um With things like the pearls, I knew it would just be a really good eye catch. um So I knew that could go on it. And then it was small details that I knew being a member of the sorority, like having our founding year 1913 on it. um And then the conference motto, I guess you could say, was Delta's reign.
Camilla WB: So. It was, I don't know what it was. Deltas. reign in the queen city i think it was something like that put that on the hood i just wanted to incorporate as much as possible and then on the back have it very specific to delta with um intelligence is a torch of wisdom um it was a very quick thought for me I just wanted to have fun with it. The less stress I put on myself. i've realize the better it became so thats That was the design aspect.
PEYTON: Turned out real well.
Camilla WB: Thank you.
vlvibespodcast: madeleine
Madelyn: Yeah, so I know you just mentioned that basketball was kind of like where... before you ended up here in NASCAR for your internship where you were like aiming towards for like going into working in sports, what kind of like was that driving force behind you kind of like falling into? or going into sports administration and that kind of.
Madelyn: Like. career path. I'm Just curious.
Camilla WB: Yeah, so again, I'm a... i actually started my senior year yesterday at louisiana state university i'm from boston massachusetts i'm also a first generation college student so back when it was time to research colleges I had a...
Camilla WB: One image of college in my head, and it was a big university with a big sports program. um So LSU was number one on my list. um at the time i was an athlete i had been dancing for 15 years i had just stopped playing basketball like two years before so i was always involved in the sports world When I realized that I would no longer be an athlete, I knew that my love was still in athletics. um I also have a love for social justice and law.
Camilla WB: So I learned about. different careers that intersect both of them And then I found out that Louisiana State University has a sports administration major. with a concentration in sports commerce.
Camilla WB: um So I started as a freshman. And I slowly experiment experimented and explored different career paths. And I just fell in love with it more and more every single day. um And yeah. That's. That's the background on that.
vlvibespodcast: No, I've... I've seen there's been a couple. hearing the the Richmond area, at least. I remember that. um um ah The music artist escapes me now, but they had a NASCAR show car out front.
vlvibespodcast: of the concert. on Currency. Currency was here.
Camilla WB: Okay.
vlvibespodcast: and they had uh they had a show car um similar to yours and they had Um, like some some music images on it and they had of course the richmond raceway advertised on it um I know you mentioned that the Delta car was already a planned thing and you sort of helped catapult it forward. Um,
vlvibespodcast: Do you think that... with the success and the notoriety that your car has brought to NASCAR and the sports world and the Black community. Do you ever think that you ah you might get a phone call one day and say, hey, Camilla, let's run it back. Let's do it again.
vlvibespodcast: Do you have another plan for us to... Cheers. lightning to strike twice.
Camilla WB: That would be the dream, honestly. I hope that for one day I do get that call. um it see With my manager, and the team I work with specifically, we're very close. I talk to them.
Camilla WB: all the time, almost every single day. So I'm hoping that that connection. helps whether it's working in nascar or just navigating the sports world as a whole i genuinely loved everyone that i worked with directly and then nascar as an organization um as for nascar doing more things along these lines i would love to see it i can't speak for the organization obviously but working on a project that reached
Camilla WB: ah an audience that I'm a part of and seeing how much they loved it, I think there's definitely more opportunities for NASCAR to get involved. um Oh, and as far with JetLife, actually, when I first started, they allowed me to be on some of those meetings just talking about the data. So that goes back to just how well they treat their interns, seeing them as the team, not just.
Camilla WB: the stereotypical intern that grabs coffee and things of that nature. We don't do that at NASCAR. I really learned so much and I was a part of so many different conversations and ideas and planning. um So to tie it back to jet life, it was great to hear the data side of that. And now.
Camilla WB: or later on. being a part of a project just like that. um And now seeing the data as well and just watching people fall in love with something I created has been really cool. So if the opportunity ever arised, I would love to be a part of something like that. ah So...
Camilla WB: Ascor. Let me know. but Yeah.
vlvibespodcast: but For sure. ah Aiden?
PEYTON: Yeah, and this and you started to touch on it a bit, but I'd love to hear. I imagine you did a lot of different projects. Uh... know Did a lot of that. sort of different roles while you were interning at NASCAR, what are the things would you, you know, real highlights, real other projects that you got a chance to work on that you think? ah our listeners might be really fascinated by, you know, obviously the car itself, but, you know, what other awesome projects or experiences did they allow you to take part in?
Camilla WB: Yeah, so um I want to say within my first month. I traveled with my team to Washington, DC. NASCAR sponsors the Black Sports Business Symposium.
Camilla WB: So it's a conference for. I mean, anyone can come, but for black professionals in the sports industry. um sorry someone just opened my um So we were there and I was able to talk with.
Camilla WB: so many students about the sports world, how I got this opportunity. And ultimately, I was just able to network and meet other students who are doing different things in sports as well so that was number one it was really cool to see NASCAR.
Camilla WB: be a part of an event that I would have benefited from as well if I wasn't an intern. Outside of that, I just helped with some marketing aspects um obviously the car number one um but i helped my team create things like we have. custom note cards and thank you cards now so some small stuff um along those lines.
Camilla WB: I've been working on a internal project for the employees. um I did so much. We also have the campus lab. which is on the campus of bethune cookman university and winston and salem university so getting to know the folks over there watching them get ready for the program as it has started because school has started so just being a part of everything was was so great internally and externally.
vlvibespodcast: Love to hear that. That's awesome. um Madeline.
Madelyn: going back to the car a little bit i guess i was wondering if you obviously like it's been a little bit on social media we're interviewing you about it But have you had like. any one reaction or any like anything about like getting to design the car how people have reacted to it that's been like exciting for you I'm sure fellow members of your sorority were very excited to see it. like Have you had a favorite reaction to the car?
Madelyn: That's it. was designed.
Camilla WB: um a favorite reaction honestly um The other day, Ebony Magazine had posted it. in NASCAR driver Raja was in the comments. And that was... just really, really cool to me. um My dad loves him as well. So seeing that might've been number one for me so far. Outside of that, I've just gotten an... Insane amount of.
Camilla WB: of love and support from not only members of my sorority but Everyone in the Divine Nine just... if you go through the comments you'll see like congratulations sister greek like just being able to really feel the greek unity has been so awesome regardless of what organizations we're a part of and um so that would probably be close. second Taraja, so.
Camilla WB: Those would be my top. Definitely.
vlvibespodcast: Shadow Raja Guru. Cool. Um, Paid Madeline, do you all have any other questions for? Um. Camila, before we wrap this thing up.
PEYTON: I appreciate the time you've been able to share with us. and Yeah, just reiterate. I know my mom got a... Big kick out of it. and We'll definitely be you know sending this episode.
PEYTON: Two.
vlvibespodcast: Straight to mom's inbox, I promise you. Well, cool. Well, thank you all for listening. Thank you for being here. Like, comment, subscribe. Tell your mammies, tell your grammies. I don't know what day you'll hear this, but make sure you tune in.
vlvibespodcast: And we will. Be back live Sunday. after the Coke Zero. 400. Peace.
