Three women, one shared vision. The Athlete Autonomy Project looks to advance amateur female athletes by providing direct financial assistance, mentorship, and educational programming that promote athlete development, leadership, and long-term sustainability in sport.

The AAP will reduce structural barriers in amateur female athletics and ensure that female athletes have access to the tools, education, and financial resources they need to flourish as leaders in self-directed careers, free from gatekeepers or conditional support.

Founders Statement - Elysia Hernandez

I am driven by my own journey as a professional karate athlete who retired early after facing the challenges that so many female athletes encounter. Throughout my career, I saw how funding, opportunities, and visibility were often controlled by men in positions of authority. It felt as though support was conditional, and I was expected to meet certain criteria to access the resources I needed. This lack of autonomy made me feel less like an athlete with agency and more like a chess piece in a larger system, valued only for results rather than respected as a person.

Stepping away from the sport I loved was a difficult decision, but it inspired me to create The Athlete Autonomy Project—a nonprofit dedicated to advancing amateur female athletics. Our mission is to provide direct financial assistance, mentorship, and educational programming that promote athlete development, leadership, and long-term sustainability in sport. We want to reduce structural barriers and ensure that female athletes have access to the tools, education, and financial resources necessary to flourish as leaders in self-directed careers, free from dependency on gatekeepers or conditional support.

The funds raised through this campaign will help us build the foundation for our organization by covering the costs of our website, legal registration, paperwork, program development, and outreach. By supporting this project, you are helping to create a system where female athletes are not chess pieces in someone else’s game, but directors of their own.

Please consider supporting our mission and sign up for our newsletter for updates. Together, we can create real momentum for change.

This organization is in the process of applying for 501(c)(3) status. Donations are NOT currently tax-deductible. Your donation will personally fund the founding members, and your donations will be used specifically to cover the costs mentioned above.