LaKisha Hoffman was born in Rosewood Community Hospital, grew up on the city's South Side and became a basketball standout at Seton Academy in suburban South Holland.
Now 31 and living in New York, Hoffman still calls Chicago home and has plenty of fond memories of the Windy City—other than the fact it is quite windy.
"I want to come back [to Chicago] so bad, but the weather … that wind, the snow, the winter," she said. "The things that I remember the most of Chicago are, holidays [and events] … things like the Taste of Chicago, the fireworks on the Fourth of July, BBQs over Memorial Day weekend.
"I also remember walking along Lake Shore Drive, field trips to the [Willis] Tower, and more. I definitely consider Chicago home.
Hoffman averaged 16.2 points and 12.1 rebounds per game as a high school senior, and has been honored for her basketball skills by the Chicago Tribune, among others. She was a three-time all-conference player and two-time team MVP. She led Seton Academy to the Class A Elite Eight in the annual state tournament.
"I loved my high school experience," Hoffman said. "My most memorable [high school] experience was going downstate during my senior year [for the state basketball playoffs]."
She then took her gym shoes to Western Illinois University and then to the University of Louisville.
"Louisville was a great experience," Hoffman said.
Hoffman, who is now a teacher and coach, also is a millionaire—or at least part of a million-dollar team.
Sisters LaKisha and Jennifer Hoffman were crowned champions of The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business on May 8, as the returning 14th-season Racers highlighted the special two-episode finale broadcast of the CBS reality competition's all-stars edition. The Hoffman sisters were the first team to cross the finish line in Miami in the 18th season of The Amazing Race.
They won the $1 million grand prize.
Fifteenth-season Harlem Globetrotters Nathaniel "Big Easy" Lofton and Herbert "Flight Time" Lang finished second. The 17th-season father-and-daughter team of Gary Ervin and Mallory Ervin finished third.
"I'm still taking everything in. I'm still in shock that we won," said LaKisha, a lesbian. "It hasn't hit me yet, not even close. And I don't know when it will, so I'm just going about my everyday life, with school, coaching, etc.
"When we finally got our checks, I didn't cash it for days, and everyone was wondering what I was waiting for.
"My sister and I definitely feel like we can accomplish anything that set out to do, but we knew that this would be a huge feat. Sure, we had the confidence that we could win, but actually winning is still amazing. It's still very, very surreal."
Hoffman, now working on her master's degree in social work, said she will use part of her winnings to pay off school bills. They also plan to buy a home for their mom, and LaKisha added that she will invest some, too.
"We have always been very, very close. We've accomplished a lot of things apart, but this is the first thing that we accomplished together, as sisters, so it's a great feeling," LaKisha said. "We got along this Race. The first time [on the show], we struggled in the beginning. This time, we had one blow up; that's it."
LaKisha, who is four years older than Jennifer, said the show looks a lot easier on TV than it is in reality. Plus, the show doesn't always capture their moments of physical and mental exhaustion—or the time when they had not showered in four days.
"The Race is draining," she said. "It's a great experience, but you definitely have to be mentally, physically and emotionally capable of handling the challenges that the Race gives you."
She said her favorite stop on the Race was Australia. "It's absolutely beautiful; the weather was perfect; the people were very nice. I definitely want to go back and visit," Hoffman said.
Her least favorite stop was China, if only because it's the hardest place to navigate in because of the language barrier, she said.
LaKisha's sexual orientation was never mentioned on the show.
"I feel like there are a lot of aspects to my personality, to who I am, not just that I am a lesbian. I am African-American. I'm a sister, a daughter, a coach. And also, a lesbian," she said. "I'm actually kind of excited about the community's interest in me.
I'm now really embracing the fact that I'm sort of a role model for this community, and I definitely am open to that thought."
The Hoffmans were tagged the "athletic sisters," not the "gay-straight combo."
A spokesperson for CBS said that LaKisha's sexual orientation "definitely" would have been mentioned on the show, if it had been deemed to be a "major story point" of her Race participation. As it was with the gay father-son team of Mel and Mike White. The show also has similarly not noted the orientation of openly gay 'Mother and Son' team member Luke Adams, the spokesperson added.
Hoffman came out nervously in 2003, first telling her sister.
Jennifer's reply: "I already know that. Is that all?" LaKisha's nerves were quickly calmed.
"That was an easy coming-out," LaKisha said.
Then she told a friend, who admitted she, too, was lesbian. Then there was her mom, which was a different story.
"She definitely is opposed to my sexuality," said Hoffman, who noted that their relationship has grown and improved since she told her mom.
"I think she recognizes that my sexuality is just a small part of who I am. She still loves and accepts me as her daughter, despite her religious views [on homosexuality.]"
The rest of her family is totally fine with her sexual orientation, she said.
So, are you single?
Hoffman laughed.
Yes, she is, but, Hoffman added, "Someone is close to my heart right now."
