Michael B. Jordan is one of the high-profile public figures working to promote HBCUs and their student-athletes in 2021. The “Hoop Dreams Classic,” a basketball showcase featuring the nation’s top Division 1 HBCU men’s and women’s basketball teams, will be launched by the star.
Jordan’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey, will host the one-day event on December 18 at the Prudential Center. A portion of the earnings from the event will be donated to groups in the Newark region that support HBCUs.
According to HBCU Gameday, the event will include two games involving two of the most historic HBCU basketball rivalries: North Carolina A&T vs. Howard and North Carolina Central vs. Hampton.
When Jordan first announced the event in December 2020, he claimed that he was inspired to organize it due to increasing global attention to the Black Lives Matter movement following the police killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and others.
“This past year has been the tipping point for so many, including myself, in revving up to support for Black people,” Jordan said in a statement. “As a Newark native, I am committed to bringing change to the community and am honored to be able to present The Hoop Dreams Classic as a way to celebrate the value of community, education, and Black college experiences. Through our shared love of basketball, I look forward to bringing the communal spirit of HBCUs to the city that helped shape me into the man I am today.”
Additionally, the event will feature live musical performances, a Battle of the Bands competition, film festivals, and educational resources that will help students learn more about college and career options.
Through his #ChangeHollywood initiative, Jordan, 34, is also amplifying Black voices and stories. He holds Hollywood accountable for representing Black stories and hiring Black creators.
One of the Sponsors of the event, WME Sports co-head Jordan Bazant, told Forbes that he hoped that the basketball event would have an impact similar to #ChangeHollywood.
“Michael challenged us and encouraged us to make the same impact we are with #ChallengeHollywood, and it fits perfectly with what and who we are,” Bazant said. “What about sports? What about music? … Talking to other partners, they were doing their own things and challenging themselves, so we said, why don’t we come together as we have in the past to make a bigger impact? It’s the next step and next generation for #ChangeHollywood.”
