Tag: Politics

Live from The Hub: Empowering New England Businesses with VistaPrint and the Boston Celtics

The initiative is a part of the “Boston Celtics United for Social Justice” program, which focuses on addressing racial injustice and social inequities in the Greater Boston area.

The Boston Celtics’ Shamrock Foundation “Power Forward Small Business Grant” program in conjunction with Vista Print and the National Association of American Colored People (NAACP) has gained a very good reputation for making an impact with local Black-owned small businesses that have been granted with one of the $25,000 grants it has dispersed.

Recipients not only receive financial assistance but also have the opportunity to be featured on national co-branded platforms with customized design and marketing assistance to help their businesses grow and succeed.

The initiative is a part of the “Boston Celtics United for Social Justice” program, which focuses on addressing racial injustice and social inequities in the Greater Boston area.

The NAACP recently put out a video talking more in depth about the impact it has had in the local community — check out the clip embedded above to hear more.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Kristaps Porzingis met up with displaced Ukrainian youth basketball players at Auerbach Center

The meeting was part of a week carved out by Sparks and his team to “take the pressure off the Ukrainian players and allow them to be kids and genuinely enjoy themselves” after long absences from home.

Ukrainian girls’ basketball team Club MOBI has been displaced from their native country, having spent the entirety of the war in that country in nearby Latvia training. Now in Massachusetts to play a number of teams in the US, the team had a chance to meet new Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis, who happens to hail from their adopted home of Latvia.

“It was great to meet these young (Ukrainian) players,” said Porzingis via Boston.com’s Trevor Hass after he had a chance to get to know them at the Auerbach Center after his introductory press conference earlier this week.

“What an incredible timing of events, the fact that they were displaced there for the past year, then to be able to see someone from there,” shared Celtics Senior Director of Youth Development Chris Sparks.

“They were just blown away with how it worked out,” they continued. “He was super great with them.”

The meeting was part of a week carved out by Sparks and his team to “take the pressure off the Ukrainian players and allow them to be kids and genuinely enjoy themselves” after long absences from home.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Former Boston Celtics Evan Turner and Andre Iguodala explain the origins of Juneteenth

Evan Turner and Andre Igodala on the origins and significance of Juneteenth, a Federal holiday in the U.S. commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.

If you happen to be a fan of the Boston Celtics (or any team in the NBA) and are still not quite sure what Juneteenth is, what it celebrates, or how to commemorate it properly, former Celtics assistant coach Evan Turner and Golden State Warriors veteran Andre Iguodala put together a clip breaking it down for us on their “Point Forward” podcast.

The duo discusses the origins and significance of Juneteenth, a federal holiday in the U.S. commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. They highlight the historical background, initial celebrations in Texas, and the commercialization of Juneteenth in the 1920s and 1930s.

Iggy and ET also mention the importance of spreading awareness, celebrating, educating and agitating for change.

To learn more about Juneteenth for yourself, take a look at the clip embedded above.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Highlights from Grant Williams’ Playbook Initiative workshop

The Charlotte native was seen giving away Celtics tickets at a Playbook Initiative event put on by the Celtics and Project 351.

Reserve Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams may have a challenging process about to unfold for him in his restricted free agency, but that has not stopped him from keeping up with his favorite causes.

Most recently, the Charlotte native was seen giving away Celtics tickets at a Playbook Initiative event put on by the Celtics and Project 351 as he participated in a workshop with students, answering their questions at a community event earlier this spring at Boston’s practice facility. The students in attendance spoke about social issues that concerned them in the city of Boston and beyond, played a little rock, paper, scissors, and asked Williams questions on all sorts of topics.

To see the highlights of the event for yourself, be sure to check out the link embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Malcolm Brogdon on a hypothetical run for office, addressing the UN, and more

The duo chat about his real-life visit to address the United Nations this season, as well as a hypothetical run for office for the presidentially-voiced Boston floor general.

By now, fans of the Boston Celtics have seen the likes of Luke Kornet interview Boston President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens about how he got into coaching basketball at the college level and, later on, in the NBA on the team-produced “View From the Rafters” podcast Kornet guest hosted. They have also heard the Green Kornet (as the Vanderbilt alum is sometimes called for a nickname) wax poetic about his own path to the league.

Now, we get to hear Kornet interview teammate Malcolm Brogdon about his real-life visit to address the United Nations this season, as well as a hypothetical run for office for the presidentially-voiced Boston floor general.

This is a talk you do not want to miss, so be sure to tune in by checking out the clip we have embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics’ Malcolm Brogdon talks Raise The Age Legislation with Citizens For Juvenile Justice

The Georgia native has become an advocate for “Raise The Age” legislation to help with juvenile justice reform.

Fans of the Boston Celtics have been blessed to have had players like Jaylen Brown and Grant Williams on their favorite team with the duo putting in a lot of work off of the court to make their community and wider world a better place than when they found it.

This past offseason, however, the Celtics added another such player to the ball club in Malcolm Brogdon. Among his efforts to bring water to communities in need on the continent of Africa, Brogdon has also added another important cause closer to home that he hopes to leverage his platform to help.

The Georgia native has become an advocate for “Raise The Age” legislation to help with juvenile justice reform in partnership with Citizens for Juvenile Justice’s Leon Smith, Esq.

Check out the clip embedded above to learn more about his efforts.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics great Bill Russell investigated by FBI in 1960s for civil rights activism

The parallels with how the Bureau collects information on Black activists today is notable.

The history of the US civil rights movement cannot be told without the inclusion of Hall of Fame Boston Celtics big man Bill Russell, and it also can’t be told without bringing up the FBI. The Bureau was infamous for monitoring the activities of activists and organizers in that critical stretch of US history, a practice that has continued with the monitoring of Black Lives Matter and other organizations.

Now, the Boston Herald’s Joe Dwinell has revealed that Bill Russell was himself monitored by the FBI after a successful Freedom of Information Act request, a fact that should not surprise much given the history pointed to above.

But one jarring in the present nonetheless given Russell’s stature in the NBA community and as a fighter for social justice over the course of his life.

Malcolm Brogdon spoke to the United Nations on his off day this week

The Celtics veteran advocated for more access to clean water globally.

Most of us tend to kick back on our day off whether with a good book, a movie or even just a nap. Not reserve Boston Celtics point guard Malcolm Brogdon.

The man whose nickname is “the President” due to his Barack Obama-esque voice as much as his interest in fighting for the greater good off of the court spent his off day this week addressing the United Nations about the problem of growing water scarcity around the world. It is a rapidly worsening problem globally, and Brogdon helps fight for access to clean water through his charity work in East Africa.

NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin recently sat down with the Virginia alum to talk about that work with his Foundation and working with former New England Patriot Chris Long’s organization “The Waterboys” to similar ends, his address to the United Nations and more.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Joe Mazzulla offers prayer for family of Tyre Nichols, city of Memphis

Joe Mazzulla offered prayer and grief for the family of Tyre Nichols and the city of Memphis prior to Boston’s game Saturday night.

Every Boston Celtics home game head coach Joe Mazzulla addresses the media 100 minutes before tip-off. On Saturday night ahead of a tilt against the team’s biggest rival the Los Angeles Lakers, Mazzulla’s thoughts were far from basketball.

“On behalf of the Celtics organization, and my family in particular, I want to pray for Tyre Nichols,” Mazzulla said to begin his press conference, unprovoked. The killing of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, has sent shockwaves around the country in recent weeks. Nichols was brutally beaten by five police officers according to recently released police video. Nichols died three days later.

Mazzulla offered condolences and prayers for the city of Memphis and Nichols’ mother Rowvaughn Wells and offered perspective on the entire affair.

The 10 funniest sports jokes about Kevin McCarthy’s struggle to become House Speaker

So many jokes here.

As of Friday morning, there is no Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Congress has been through 11 attempts to vote over the past few days on who will take the position as a group of Republicans continue to draw a line in the sand in an attempt to prevent Kevin McCarthy from becoming Speaker.

And that continued failure to vote McCarthy — or anyone else nominated — has produced a heaping amount of jokes on Twitter, including many that fold in the sports world.

We’ve collected those to share as we head into another day that could be filled with more rounds of voting: