Streetball tournament league, Dyckman Basketball, has released a statement regarding the racial incident in the New York area against black people.
“I, along with the entire Dyckman Basketball organization, am committed to uplifting our community,” founder of the organization, Ken Stevens wrote in a statement. “Our programs provide our youth with a platform to ’build life skills through athletic experiences,’ these youths come from all communities and all backgrounds. … With that said, the Dyckman Basketball organization had no association with the rally that occurred last night.”
In the incident in question, Dominicans were trending on twitter after a group of men ran out a group of black boys for allegedly attempting to loot. As the video surfaced of the incident, many called out the Dominican men for racially profiling people that look just like them. However, one day after the incident, many chalked it up to a misunderstanding.
https://twitter.com/iamdyckman/status/1268016550788968449?s=21
Dyckman Basketball is a BLACK owned and operated organization.
— Dyckman Basketball (@IamDyckman) June 3, 2020
The organization, which is located in Uptown, New York, attempted to start a go fund me to raise funds to move to a different location, to avoid future incidents from occurring.
However, the organization has decided to find another way to raise funds and has since deleted the go fund me, which had begun to earn traction.
A note from our commissioner & Co- Founder 🏀 pic.twitter.com/WIuqpVrlpz
— Dyckman Basketball (@IamDyckman) June 3, 2020
“We are overwhelmed by the support and donations but have decided to suspend our Go-Fund me for now as to present y’all with a transparent plan moving forward,” the organization wrote on Twitter. “We are issuing refunds.”
We are overwhelmed by the support and donations but have decided to suspend our Go-Fund me for now as to present y’all with a transparent plan moving forward!
We are issuing refunds.
Thank you for supporting us.
— Dyckman Basketball (@IamDyckman) June 3, 2020
While addressing concerned fans, the organization let it be known it does not, nor has it ever, condoned violence.
“We will build the facility wherever our supporters will travel to see us,” the league wrote. “We’d also like you all to know that we are a black family who lives in this neighborhood- and do not condone violence here.”
We will build the facility wherever our supporters will travel to see us. We’d also like you all to know that we are a black family who lives in this neighborhood- and do not condone violence here.
— Dyckman Basketball (@IamDyckman) June 3, 2020
“This is disgusting and heartbreaking as so many Black people LIVE in the neighborhood as well as do business here. We are BLACK. The Dyckman community needs to do better,” the league wrote in another tweet. “Dyckman Basketball is a BLACK owned and operated organization.”
https://twitter.com/iamdyckman/status/1268016550788968449?s=21
