{"id":6254,"date":"2024-09-05T20:31:59","date_gmt":"2024-09-05T20:31:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/?p=6254"},"modified":"2024-09-05T20:31:59","modified_gmt":"2024-09-05T20:31:59","slug":"in-d-c-visit-lebron-james-family-foundation-inspires-a-blueprint-for-community-empowerment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/?p=6254","title":{"rendered":"In D.C. Visit, LeBron James Family Foundation Inspires a Blueprint for Community Empowerment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>by Stacy M. Brown<\/p>\n<p>While in Washington, D.C., last week, family members of NBA superstar LeBron James highlighted the extraordinary impact of the LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF) and its ongoing mission to uplift and empower communities. The organization\u2019s efforts, which began in Akron, Ohio, where the foundation\u2019s namesake was raised, have become a national model for athletes, entertainers, and politicians alike.<\/p>\n<p>Gloria James, the celebrated athlete\u2019s mother, expressed immense pride in her son\u2019s accomplishments both on and off the court.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m very honored to be LeBron\u2019s mother. He has done so much for our community and for people across the world. He\u2019s so unselfish,\u201d Gloria James said, emphasizing that her son\u2019s greatness extends beyond his athletic achievements. \u201cHe\u2019s not only the GOAT (greatest of all time) on the court, but off the court. He\u2019s a humanitarian, a great father and husband, and a great advocate for his community, people of color, and the underdog.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-1    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-1 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-caf9af3267-0\">The proud mother and members of LJFF were in Washington, D.C. to appear on an episode of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/show\/chavis-chronicles\/\">PBS show \u201cThe Chavis Chronicles<\/a>,\u201d hosted by Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The LJFF, through its flagship \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lebronjamesfamilyfoundation.org\/i-promise-program\/\">I PROMISE<\/a>\u201d program, serves over 1,400 students in the Akron area, offering comprehensive support that extends far beyond academics. The foundation\u2019s work, as Gloria James described, is about more than just raising graduation rates; it\u2019s about redefining the concepts of family and community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat we learned was that you can\u2019t just help one person in the family and expect it to be of great significance,\u201d she explained. \u201cEven when it comes to housing or food, we address those issues as well. We know that a lot of our families can\u2019t provide meals for themselves for a full family throughout the entire month, so we have pantries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The holistic approach to community support has become the cornerstone of the LJFF\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnfortunately, some kids don\u2019t have that in their lives,\u201d Gloria James noted, referring to the love, compassion, and support she said true family offers. \u201cThey deserve that, and that way it\u2019ll also help them as they grow into adulthood. Family, we take that very seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-2    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-2 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-2bd992b9b0-0\">Curtis James, the NBA and Olympics champion\u2019s uncle and an assistant at the foundation, highlighted the foundation\u2019s recent projects, including a documentary.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWe just launched a documentary, and my job is to inspire people through my podcast. We want people to do the right thing. It\u2019s not just through our music. Family keeps me in the community, and Akron will always need inspiration, so I try to be a model for people to do better and be better,\u201d Curtis James shared.<\/p>\n<p>The LJFF\u2019s influence has extended to the University of Akron, where the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bulletin.uakron.edu\/undergraduate\/colleges-programs\/arts-sciences\/education\/\">LeBron James Family Foundation School of Education<\/a>\u00a0operates with selective admission criteria to nurture future educators who will continue the foundation\u2019s legacy of community upliftment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat I\u2019ve learned through our foundation is that helping your community is probably one of the most important jobs you can have,\u201d said Gloria James, who works as a third-grade teacher\u2019s aide at the I PROMISE school. \u201cEspecially if you\u2019re on a platform that allows you to help, not just talk about it, but be about it. Put your money up. Our city has been so responsive positively that it makes us want to do even more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The family\u2019s commitment to Akron and its residents is unwavering. As Gloria James noted, they are not just making a difference but setting a precedent for others to follow.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-3    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-3 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-dc2e0e383b-0\">\u201cWe also have blueprints for other athletes, actors, mayors of other cities, and we\u2019re willing to share the blueprint so others in other cities can build up their communities. We\u2019ve been able to change lives.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<h2 id=\"h-lebron-james-success-dedication-to-his-community-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>LeBron James\u2019 Success, Dedication to His Community\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Reflecting on LeBron James\u2019 journey to superstardom, his mother expressed pride not just in his athletic success, but in his dedication to his community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve always been very proud of him,\u201d Gloria James asserted. \u201cHe\u2019s such a giving and caring and compassionate person. What\u2019s most important to LeBron is the work that he does off the court. That\u2019s the changes that he makes in the lives of the people in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The mother and philanthropist also shared her emotions during one of her son\u2019s most iconic moments\u2014carrying the Olympic flag.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery time LeBron exceeds expectations, which is often, I feel he\u2019s given more than he\u2019s received. But seeing him carrying the Olympic flag made me feel even more special; that was almost surreal,\u201d she noted. \u201cThink back years ago when Blacks and people of color had such a hard time being chosen for something so honorable, so to see that made it even more special. To see them with medals around their necks, it just confirms that he\u2019s done all the right things and he\u2019s deserving.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-4    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-4 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-ca419f6974-0\">The excitement continues for the James family, as the Olympian\u2019s son, Bronny James, is expected to join him on the Los Angeles Lakers for the upcoming season.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cThat will be very special. I know LeBron is extremely excited about playing with his son,\u201d the mother and grandmother said, beaming with pride at the prospect of the father-son duo making history together on the court.<\/p>\n<p>Marshon Jones, a Cleveland native, and Curtis James\u2019 music partner accompanied the family to D.C. and reflected on his journey.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I released my first record, I was called the LeBron James of rap, but who would ever have thought I\u2019d be sitting here today with LeBron\u2019s mother, Gloria, and Curtis,\u201d he remarked, acknowledging the deep connections that the James family has fostered within their community.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the success, Gloria James said the family maintains a close circle.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-5    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-5 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-45854c9b0e-0\">\u201cWe\u2019ve been really blessed,\u201d she said. \u201cOur family has been respectful. No one has really felt like they want a place in the center circle that we have, so things have worked out really well.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>In reflecting on the foundation\u2019s broad impact, Gloria James summed up their mission with heartfelt pride.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s most important to LeBron is the work that he does off the court. That\u2019s the changes that he makes in the lives of the people in our community. Coming from this same community at a time when we also needed this same help\u2014he\u2019s only done what he promised to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Source: Published without changes from Washington Informer Newspaper<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Stacy M. Brown While in Washington, D.C., last week, family members of NBA superstar LeBron James highlighted<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6255,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-outreach"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6254"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6254\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6256,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6254\/revisions\/6256"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}