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Ericka N. Goodman-Hughey is a writer, editor and passionate storyteller living in the New York Metro area.

About Me

Ericka N. Goodman-Hughey is a Deputy Editor for ESPN’s digital storytelling unit. She develops, writes and edits multi-platform content that primarily focuses on women athletes, the intersection of sports and culture, combat sports and Disney-synergy initiatives. Additionally, she launched and co-produces an ESPN franchise podcast, acts as the Communications Co-Chair for ESPN’s Black Affinity group and is a founding member of the Disney Black Writer’s Club.

Before joining ESPN in 2016, Goodman-Hughey was a Senior Editor at Ebony Magazine, where she wrote, styled and edited cover stories and managed the entertainment section. She was formerly a contributor for Vogue, Lucky, Glamour and New York Magazine. Goodman-Hughey has more than a decade of digital and print editorial experience, covering various subjects, including style, lifestyle, wellness, sports, politics and nightlife.

Goodman-Hughey is a graduate of Howard University, where she received a B.A. in Journalism. She attained an M.S. in Media Management from Fordham University’s graduate school of business. She is a passionate runner and has completed several Tough Mudder and Spartan Races. Goodman-Hughey lives with her husband and daughter in Connecticut. 

Things I've written, edited or produced

ESPN.com •

The magical day Kobe Bryant became Lord of the Rings at Rucker Park

On July 18, 2002, fresh off the Lakers' third straight title, Kobe Bryant plays pickup basketball at Rucker Park to the delight of the New York City crowd. (1:21)

ON JULY 18, 2002, Kobe Bryant approached Rucker Park, the streetball institution in Harlem. He wore a powder blue sleeveless shirt and dark shades; an oversized key-pendant swung from his chain with each step. Onlookers sprinted toward the park's metal fencing, meant to separate superstars from the streets, to catch a glimpse. A boom
ESPN.com •

Tyler Zombro's remarkable recovery (Story Editor)

Warning: This video contains images that may be disturbing to some viewers. Durham Bulls reliever Tyler Zombro talks to Jeff Passan about his recovery from being struck in the head with a line drive and his future playing baseball. (6:19)

ON JUNE 3, Tyler Zombro stepped to the mound at Durham Bulls Athletic Park and threw the 2,245th pitch of his minor league career -- a 90.6 mph sinker. He faced his first batter of the night, Brett Cumberland of the Norfolk Tides, with a 1-2 count to open the
ESPN.com •

Jake Paul wants you to read this (Story Editor)

JAKE PAUL HAS taken to scrawling poster board messages in the living room of his home in Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico. Consider the writing on the wall: "Make History." "Inner Athlete." "Win." "Win!!" "Give Back." "What Would Jordan Do?" "Secretary Bird," "Orca Energy," "Box Jellyfish -- no heart, deadliest animal."

On the other side of sliding glass doors that lead outside to his pool, Paul shudders through his daily ice bath in what looks like a toppled refrigerator. Paul's assistant, Marcos Gue
ESPN.com •

Why Black women athletes continue to say Breonna Taylor's name

Breonna Taylor was asleep in her home, alongside her boyfriend Kenneth Walker, as the clock crept past midnight. Soon after, plainclothes officers of the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) forced entry into her apartment via a no-knock warrant. Walker and Taylor called out, asking who was at the door. They feared it was a break-in. Walker fired off one shot from his licensed firearm in hopes of deterring the assumed intruders. He struck an officer in the thigh. The LMPD officers returned
ESPN.com •

The power of walking and moving forward (Story Editor)

It's 5 o'clock and the sun is beginning to dip as my daughter pulls on her coat and heads out for her daily walk. She is 20 and has been living at home since the onset of the pandemic, a stark shift from her former independent life in New York City, and a tight arrangement that chafes us both.

Her 19-year-old sister is also home, remote learning away from her college campus, and while we are grateful beyond imagination to thus far be healthy and to have a house in which to quarantine, bumping u
ESPN.com •

Why Kamaru Usman wants to break Jorge Masvidal's soul at UFC 261 (Story Editor)

According to Usman, reuniting with Jorge Masvidal in the Octagon after defeating him at UFC 251 last July provides the Nigerian Nightmare the opportunity to finally "fully break" his opponent. Blake Jackson for ESPN

DAVID MUDGETT IS still the wrestling coach at Bowie High School in Arlington, Texas. He's been there for 27 years. He was the one who called Kamaru "Marty" at the start of his first practice. Coach Mudgett gave everyone on the team nicknames as a way of bringing the group together.
ESPN.com •

'The Last Dance' reminds us that Michael Jordan was once a style icon

Michael Jordan shuffled papers as he sat overlooking the basketball court on the Charlotte Bobcats sideline. It was March 2010, and the five-time NBA MVP was awaiting a final decision on league approval for him to be a majority owner of the Bobcats. As a camera panned down, you could see that his black leather-heeled boots landed well above the ankle. They paired with wide-leg jeans frayed at the bottom and a penny-brown corduroy blazer with epaulets and elbow patches.

An image of Jordan in his
ESPN.com •

Around the Rim Presents 'I'm Speaking' -- Podcast Series Launch (Co-producer and Editor)

I'm speaking: A reminder to take up space, be advocates, make waves and never, ever shrink. The phrase serves as a signal to boldly be all of you. It also is a call to action for espnW's new podcast, Around the Rim Presents "I'm Speaking" with LaChina Robinson. The podcast curates conversations with dope Black women in sports, entertainment, business and culture about how to navigate life and address the racial inequalities in our world.
ESPN.com •

An oral history of 'Love & Basketball,' 20 years later

Twenty years after "Love & Basketball" hit theaters, the cast and crew share behind-the-scenes stories of how the New Line Cinema production went from dream to reality. And its writer-director, Gina Prince-Bythewood, speaks on what initially inspired her to "make a movie about a black girl who wants to be the first [woman] in the NBA."

Prince-Bythewood, a former UCLA track runner who played basketball in high school, was working as a TV writer in the mid-1990s. But she longed to tell a semi-aut
ESPN.com •

Simone Manuel on Olympic gold, glory and unforgettable firsts

Olympic gold medalist and swimmer Simone Manuel and WNBA champion Jewell Loyd talk about finding inspiration in little things, giving back and being gracious with yourself during this pandemic with Maria Taylor. (25:20)

Being first often carries a sense of responsibility. You are the standard, the game-changer. You're expected to create a path for those who follow.

Olympic swimmer Simone Manuel manages to do so on her terms.

Manuel made history at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro wh
ESPN.com •

How 'In Living Color' won the 1992 Super Bowl

Before Jennifer Lopez was a Super Bowl LIV halftime headliner, she was performing as a Fly Girl during the "In Living Color" halftime show. The sketch comedy show upstaged the 1992 Super Bowl halftime performance and forever changed the game. The Fox series' cast members, the network's former president, NFL insiders and a couple of Olympic gold medalists discuss the culture-shifting moment.

Washington led Buffalo 17-0 at the half of Super Bowl XXVI in Minneapolis. Those tuned in to the CBS broa
ESPN.com •

Black women design a LeBron James sell-out sneaker

The HFR x LeBron 16 limited edition women's sneaker, the first for women in LeBron James' line, was sold out by 10:05 a.m. on Friday. It took just five minutes, or 300 seconds, for the collaboration between Nike and Harlem's Fashion Row (HFR), a movement founded to increase diversity in fashion, to deplete its inventory.

James attended HFR's Style Awards and Fashion Show in New York City the Tuesday before the release, where he was honored for his style and philanthropy. When he stepped to the
EBONY •

Cover Story: The Evolution of Alicia Keys

You can’t help but feel a bit protective of Alicia Augello- Cook (the singer’s birth name) when you meet her. REALLY meet her, that is. Arriving on the set of her EBONY cover shoot on a muggy day in early July, the singer, instrumentalist and philanthropist is sporting a faded Bob Marley T-shirt, worn-in jeans and high-top Melody Ehsani for Reebok sneakers. So casual and carefree is her look that the artist formally known as Alicia Keys blends in with her entourage. Her unassuming disposition is practically shocking for a woman who has sold over 35 million records to date and is sure to sell millions more. Her speech is peppered with de rigueur East Coast slang, ’90s hip-hop references and self-help quips. She’s your homegirl. She’s the chick from the block who’s done good, and that familiarity is grounding.
ESPN.com •

How Dolores Huerta changed the world

Or, as it translates in English: "Yes, it is possible" or, roughly, "Yes, one can." It has been a battle cry for the United Farm Workers labor union since it was founded in 1962. Chicana activist Dolores Huerta, 86, has been chanting it the loudest and proudest for the past 50 years.

As one of the co-founders of UFW, alongside the late César Chávez, the mother of 11 children and of the California labor movement has dedicated a good part of her life to ensuring fair working conditions for migran
EBONY •

Checking in With 'The Breakfast Club'

The World’s Most Dangerous Morning Show” is a brash yet telling promotional tagline for WWPR-FM Power 105’s The Breakfast Club (TBC), the New York City radiocast that has even the most established artists a bit anxious. A stark contrast to its innocent-sounding throwback-to-the-’80s name, the program is fortified by its hard-nosed hosts who, with the flicker of their purple “On Air” sign, can make or break a celebrity’s career. DJ Envy (Raashaun Casey), Angela Yee and Charlamagne Tha God (Lenard

Contact Me

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Email: ErickaGoodmanNYC@gmail.com

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