Being a successful team goes beyond winning on the court. To be a true success, a group has to care for others, give back and make the community feel like home. It has to be one with the community and make itself an active part of it. That is something the New York Liberty have made a big part of their mission, and within that mission came a great opportunity to show love to the community.
On Oct. 6, the Liberty and Brooklyn Nets held a special event in the Flatlands section of Brooklyn. At Fox Playground, the team unveiled a basketball court renovation, along with seven other Brooklyn courts. The hoops at the park were removed earlier in the summer for renovations. At the event, the new and improved hoops were unveiled.
The event brought out members of the Flatlands community as well as students from P.S. 251 Paerdegat. Amidst the raindrops, everyone got to enjoy each other’s company and take in a great scene.
Building Bridges
Liberty and Brooklyn Nets co-owner, Clara Wu Tsai spoke to the assembled crowd and discussed the importance of the project.
“As we all know, Brooklyn is a basketball borough,” Wu Tsai said. “And as the proud owner of the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty, as well as the founder of the Social Justice Fund, it’s very important to me to support the Brooklyn community by providing equitable resources, especially to the entrepreneurs of Brooklyn, but also really, to support communal well-being.
“This project is the perfect combination of my love for basketball, my affection for Brooklyn, and my commitment to equitable public safety health and wellness.”
After the event, media members were able to talk with City Council Member Farah Louis. We discussed her excitement about the partnership with the Liberty in the community.
“It’s a win for us to know that the Joe and Clara Wu Tsai Foundation was able to invest in our community, giving us a renovated basketball court allows the young people to continue to activate themselves and recreation,” Louis said. “It helps to decrease public safety issues in our area, and we’re just excited to even be considered for such a project.”
We also discussed public-private partnerships and how events like this can spur other initiatives and ways to better Brooklyn. Budget cuts in New York have made things more difficult for residents to get the public services they need. To combat that, partnerships like this can make up for where city government falls short. It is not a magic fix to everything ailing the city, but it is a great start and can inspire other teams and organizations to follow suit.
All In It Together
The Liberty make it a point of emphasis to engage in the community. Whether it is funding basketball clinics or supporting non-profits, they show up and show out. The Liberty have been winning on the court and in the box office. As the team continues to grow, it will continue to celebrate and give back to a Brooklyn community that loves and appreciates it as well.