The NBA and its players have made it clear that one of the primary off-court goals right now is to support the Black Lives Matter and fight against racial inequality in the United States.
However, the Association and its players have also put out an effort to help lift up Black communities around the country. That continued in a big way on Wednesday, as the league announced a foundation to support Black communities, via its official website:
“Over the next 10 years, the 30 NBA team owners will collectively contribute $30 million annually to establish a new, leaguewide charitable foundation. Through its mission to drive economic empowerment for Black communities through employment and career advancement, the NBA Foundation will seek to increase access and support for high school, college-aged and career-ready Black men and women, and assist national and local organizations that provide skills training, mentorship, coaching and pipeline development in NBA markets and communities across the United States and Canada. As a public charity, the Foundation will also aim to work strategically with marketing and media partners to develop additional programming and funding sources that deepen the NBA family’s commitment to racial equality and social justice.”
The foundation will primarily focus on employment within the African-American community with three initial points:
- Obtaining a first job while in school.
- Securing employment following high school and college.
- Career advancement once employed.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has made this a major aspect of his community involvement in the past. He opened I Promise School in Ohio back in 2018 through the LeBron James Family Foundation. That school just saw its first graduating class earlier this year.
As for the initiative between the NBA and its players, the goal will be to invest in youth employment and internship programs and STEM fields while providing alternatives to “traditional higher education.” NBPA president Chris Paul said:
“The creation of this foundation is an important step in developing more opportunities for the Black community. I am proud of our league and our players for their commitment to this long-term fight for equality and justice, and I know we will continue to find ways to keep pushing for meaningful institutional change.”
As you can see, it’s not about just helping to create more equality in the United States while forcing change on a local level. It’s about empowering the African American community.
