On Monday, January 17, 2022, Up2Us Sports staff and coaches across the country participated in AmeriCorps’ MLK Day of Service. In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service in recognition of Dr. King’s incredible legacy of service to all. Fittingly, they charged AmeriCorps with leading this effort. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a “day on, not a day off.”

The Up2Us Coach and VISTA programs are funded by AmeriCorps, so it was only fitting that our terrific service members took this day of service and dedicated it to Dr. King’s honor.

NATIONALLY

Nationally, we hosted a special edition of our 1-on-1 With Up2Us Sports series episode by sitting down with Odessa Jenkins, Up2Us Sports Ambassador, CEO of the WNFC and President of Emtrain, to talk about race, service and black women in sports. The IG Live episode was watched live by nearly 100 people and, for those who missed it, click the image below to watch it on our Instagram page.

Up2Us Sports service members from our South, Northeast, Northwest and Southwest regions all tuned in and will have a virtual reflection session to talk about the conversation and to share their thoughts.

*Up2Us Sports’ Senior National Director, External Affairs & Organizational Learning, Dr. Ahada McCummings, in conversation with Up2Us Sports Ambassador and CEO of the WNFC, Odessa Jenkins.*

NEW ORLEANS

In New Orleans, our staff and coaches partnered with The Level Up Campaign and Save Our Youth NOLA and participated in a community garden restoration in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans.

PHILADELPHIA

In Philadelphia, the Up2Us Sports team joined host site partner Kensington Soccer Club (KSC) in a 2022 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day cleanup hosted by KSC’s Youth Leadership Council. With support from community partners, neighbors, and KSC players and families, they designed a block-by-block cleanup route from Norris Square to KSC’s home base on W. Dauphin St.