Former NBA player and Clarke Atlanta basketball coach George Lynch and Marketing CEO Tracey Pennywell founded a nonprofit called HBCU Heroes where they are trying to raise the funding on HBCU campuses so they meet a level playing field as PWI by helping with scholarships and other resources to the HBCU’s to meet their athletic objectives.
They have a pretty clear vision which is to
“Empower youth and HBCU students from underserved communities with access and opportunities to pursue sustainable collegiate and career trajectories. and Increase visibility and awareness of the 105 HBCU institutions and their sports programs while creating a coalition of 50-100 athletes & entertainers to be brand ambassadors.”
One of the ways they are doing that is with their Esports Holiday Showdown starting December 16. eSports is a multi billion dollar industry and HBCU Heroes just wants HBCU students to get a piece of the pie. The Holiday showdown will have former NBA players like George Lynch and Etan Thomas who will be playing NBA 2K21 and competing to earn money for different HBCU’s as well as having pro gamers, celebs, and even NFL RB Tarik Cohen.
While the athletes and celebs will be competing to earn money for the HBCU of their choice, the students will be able to compete for $50,000, which was donated, in scholarships and cash prizes. Part of the $50,000 will also go to funding eSports labs on HBCU campuses.
Tracey Pennywell says
“The main reason we’re doing this, we want to bring visibility and awareness to make sure that HBCU students and gamers out there who play at home, who play in their basement, who play with friends, know that this is a $160 billion gaming industry and they need to get their share of the pie.”
Now, although that is their main goal, that is far from the end goal. Pennywell also says that the end goal is to launch their league in January so they can raise lots of money so they can build eSports labs on HBCU campuses.
Both Pennywell and Lynch are very passionate about the work they are doing with/for HBCU Heroes and it definitely shows. When you have people like those two running things the sky is the limit and whatever they do will always be successful.
You can catch the Holiday showdown starting December 16th at 2 p.m. ET. on their Twitch, Youtube, on their Facebook Live, and their website at hbcuheroes.org.
Flip the page to see the interview with George Lynch and Tracey Pennywell.
