THE BROOKLYN NETS, NEW YORK LIBERTY, AND BARCLAYS CENTER WILL BE PLATFORMS FOR VOICE AND DIALOGUE
CHARITABLE FOUNDATION PLEDGES $50 MILLION TOWARDS PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES
BROOKLYN (August 25, 2020) – Clara Wu Tsai and Joe Tsai, owners of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, the WNBA’s New York Liberty, and Barclays Center have unveiled a five-point plan committed to inclusiveness, justice, and equal opportunity. As part of the couple’s commitment, they have pledged $50 million over 10 years to support social justice and economic mobility initiatives that will benefit Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), with a priority focus on Brooklyn. The full Social Justice Commitment Statement and five-point plan can be viewed HERE.
“Joe and I are proud to present our statement of core principles and action plan as a continuation of our efforts to address racial injustice and economic inequality in our society,” said Clara Wu Tsai. “We plan to focus first on our organizations and our community in Brooklyn. We believe Barclays Center, the Nets, and the Liberty can be symbols of how we move forward together as a country. It is our hope to lead by example through supporting our athletes, employees, and our community in anti-racist and anti-discrimination work and providing the resources needed to accelerate change.”
“Alongside the leadership of our companies, we have spoken up against all forms of racism and made a commitment to work in partnership with our community to raise awareness and push back on racial prejudice,” said Joe Tsai. “Brooklyn has long been a place where people of many different origins can engage in dialogue and find common ground, and we have seen the best example of that at the plaza in front of Barclays Center. Today, we present the framework for how we plan to accomplish the goals of justice and equality.”
The action plan is founded on the following core principles:
- Equal opportunity and respect for all people
- Diversity is a strength
- Our teams and arena serve a central purpose in uniting people
- Our entire organization has a responsibility in joining our players to influence and empower people around the issue of social justice
The following is a summary of the five-point plan:
- Establishing a Social Justice Fund: In addition to contributing to the NBA’s recently announced NBA Foundation in partnership with the NBPA to drive economic empowerment for Black communities, the Tsais’ charitable foundation will commit $50 million over the next 10 years to develop initiatives which address systemic imbalances and root causes that produce racial gaps in education, health, and wealth. They will initially focus on programs for BIPOC and women-owned small businesses; skills training to improve job mobility; mentorship of young women and men of color; and immediate needs of the Brooklyn community created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Supporting Athlete Voices: The Nets and Liberty will invest in the professional and personal growth of their athletes, support their leadership in speaking out against racism and advocating for social justice, and amplify their voices through team and venue platforms.
- Creating a More Inclusive Work Culture: Strengthen the commitment to diversity and an inclusive work culture at the Nets, Liberty and Barclays Center organizations in the areas of recruiting, training and career development; vendors selection; executive leadership and internship programs; and overall awareness through training, conversations, and events around social justice and racial equality.
- Leveraging League-Wide Influence: The Tsais will commit to working with NBA and WNBA league offices as well as Governors and team leadership in both leagues to create opportunities for dialogue and exchange ideas around implementation of diversity and anti-racism programs.
- Ongoing Community Engagement: Barclays Center, the Nets, and Liberty will support the Brooklyn community’s shared desire for justice by further engaging in community dialogue and, in partnership with law enforcement, making available the plaza at Barclays Center as a place for peaceful gatherings and for all constituents to listen to each other.