BEYOND THE SPORT

Overview: Sports players, organizations, and teams have used their platforms to enact change. In celebration of NBA All-Star Weekend, this week’s newsletter will explore how my nonprofit YesSheCanCampaign™ program DISSCHOLARED inspired the NBA to ensure that their scholars do not become victims of scholarship award displacement. 

In 2015, the National Basketball Players Association Foundation (NBPA Foundation) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) launched the More Than A Game initiative in partnership with the NBA and Basketball Without Borders.  I was selected as one of three student-athletes in the United States of America to travel with the NBPA Foundation, NBPA, and NBA to South Africa to volunteer on community service projects and experience the first NBA game on the continent of Africa. The trip inspired me to continue to give back to my community; about a year later, I started my nonprofit, the YesSheCanCampaign™, to provide youth with the opportunities and resources to achieve their dreams. Throughout the years, I stayed connected with the people I met; many of them have become my mentors. I learned throughout the process that building and sustaining relationships are essential. It is also important to bring value to any relationship, whether you are the mentor or mentee. 

Each year, the NBA awards scholarships to students and organizations. Just last year, the NBA Foundation made grants of $250,000 each to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to support student scholarships and other educational resources during NBA All-Star Weekend. Last week, the NBA G League announced a $10,000 HBCU Scholarship Challenge. 

As we have seen, practices such as scholarship award displacement prevent students from using their private scholarship funds to fund their gap after federal, state, and institutional aid, as intended by private scholarship donors, causing many students to borrow more or drop out of college. 

Through our work with the NBA, we have been able to educate and spread awareness about the brutal practice of scholarship award displacement. As well as assist them with navigating the practice. The work that we do at DISSCHOLARED®️ is bigger than us. I am glad that we were able to help protect students who will receive scholarships from the NBA. I know that NBA All-Star Weekend will be impactful. 

Basketball is more than a game…. 

Thank you to the 300+ people who have subscribed to my newsletter thus far. Feel free to reach out with any questions. To learn more about our DISSCHOLARED™ resources, database, events, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.disscholared.org. If you need assistance navigating the practice of scholarship award displacement, please visit www.disscholared.org/consulting.