Retired NBA players participate in day-long summit about giving back and rebuilding communities
MIAMI, FL - On Saturday, March 9, 2013 at the Ritz Carlton Coconut Grove, Head and Heart Philanthropy convened their second cohort with the Miami chapter of the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA), the only organization comprised of NBA, ABA and Harlem Globetrotter alumni. The day long philanthropy summit led by Head and Heart founder Christal Jackson, featured Melissa Bradley, President and CEO of Tides, Jacques Philippe Pirverger, CEO of MPowered, and Shawn Dove, Campaign Manager for Black Male Achievement with Open Society Foundations. The focus of the summit was to support a group restoration project in collaboration with Haiti.
Arnie Fielkow, President and CEO of the National Basketball Retired Players Association joined by Walter Bond, president of the association’s Miami chapter, pledged their support to help rebuild basketball courts in Haiti. When asked why this gathering was so important, Christal Jackson said, “I wanted to convene this particular group because I want them to know that there is life after basketball. They still have so much to offer the world.”
During the luncheon keynote address by Prime Minister of Haiti Lamonte Laurent, attendees were enlightened to hear more about the many opportunities that are available to support its redevelopment. For so long the country has been plagued by suspicions of corruption, but Laurent noted, “Haiti has made some advancement in that area by improving their ranking under the new administration.”
Other notable attendees were Horace Madison, celebrity business manager, John Rosser, founder of Sustaintopia who presented on sustainability and Trabian Shorter, CEO of BMe from the Knight Foundation. Madison found the summit to be a unique experience stating, “Working with some of the biggest names in entertainment for almost 20 years, this was the first time I’ve ever experienced anything like this summit. It’s an amazing opportunity to combine policy, philanthropy, entertainment and sports in one setting. I’m happy to have been invited.” Shawn Dove also added, “Sharing ideas, innovations and integrating strategic visions fueled the Head and Heart Philanthropy Summit experience. It was particularly valuable for Open Society Foundations to elevate the work of its Campaign for Black Male Achievement and cultivate new strategic partners.”
Following the summit, a benefit dinner was held for the Clinton Foundation featuring President Bill Clinton as the keynote speaker. In the wake of the hurricane that nearly devastated Haiti, Clinton has been deeply committed to helping rebuild the country. His address was an impactful message that reminded the NBRPA and other attendees that we all have the power to make a huge contribution towards the redevelopment of Haiti and you don’t have to have a lot of money to make a difference. Clinton shared that through the advancement of technology and the power of social media, the average donation to aid work in the country is approximately $26. His message was a great reminder that individually we can help, but collectively we can make a world of difference.
President Bill Clinton and Christal Jackson, founder, Head and Heart Philanthropy
At the core of the mission of Head and Heart Philanthropy is the belief that collaboration is critical to lifting communities out of poverty to a better place today and for future generations. Melissa Bradley, President and CEO of Tides shared, “Head and Heart fills a necessary void in the philanthropy sector for communities of color.”
About Head and Heart Philanthropy: Founded in 2012, the organization convenes high net-worth individuals to teach best practices of philanthropy and domestic/global funding opportunities and initiatives. See highlights from the first cohort gathering here.
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