LeBron: Social change 'starts person by person'
SANDUSKY, Ohio — LeBron James elaborated Tuesday on the call for social change he delivered at last month’s ESPYS.
“Myself and my brothers Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony — you guys probably have heard of those guys,” James told the crowd at an event hosted by his LeBron James Family Foundation at Cedar Point amusement park. “We just talked about how we felt and the state that America is in, but more importantly, what I wanted to talk about is the state of community.
“I believe in order for us to ultimately be as great as we can be as a nation that all of us have to go back into our communities and lend our hand. It starts brick by brick. It starts person by person. Family by family. Kid by kid.”
James took the stage during the finishing notes of a live performance of “The Man” by pop musician Aloe Blacc. James’ introduction was preceded by a video showing other luminaries who have ventured to Northeast Ohio because of the Cleveland Cavaliers star, including Michelle Obama and Skylar Grey.
“Just using our resources, using our strength, using everything that we’ve been able to do to just build up these communities,” James continued. “That’s why I’m excited to be up here right now, because with the help of my foundation and with the help of everyone that gives us so much leeway to do what we want to do, we’re able to do that and give back to these young kids because we all know that they’re our future. We have to understand that.”
James’ foundation hosted more than 5,000 of its students and families at the event, an annual get-together it refers to as the “We Are Family Reunion.” All of the participants at the event wore bright orange T-shirts with “We Are Family” printed across the front in big white block letters.
His foundation, now in its sixth year, teamed with the University of Akron last summer to pledge 2,300 four-year college scholarships, at a cost of more than $80 million, to students who enroll in and complete an education program.
On Tuesday, James welcomed the newest members of his “I Promise” campaign.
“The biggest shoutout: I got our new third-graders coming into our program next year,” James said.
In addition to Blacc’s surprise appearance and James’ speech, the families were treated to a day full of rides at the park, including food and transportation. Selected members of the program were invited on stage to represent the foundation’s view of a proper support-system hierarchy, starting at child and building to parent, family, neighborhood, school, school system, university, Akron community, Northeast Ohio, state, country and the world.
“If you can change one child, one college degree and one future at a time, you can change the world,” said a narrator in the video accompanying the presentation.
James, who signed a three-year, $100 million extension with Cleveland last week, joked that he would try out some of the park’s rides because, “I signed my contract so I’m actually OK to do that now.”
He also used the occasion to remind the crowd of the Cavs’ epic comeback from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals over the Golden State Warriors in June.
“This is always the greatest night for myself,” James said of the annual event. “I mean, another great night was in Golden State. Game 7. Yeah, that night wasn’t too bad. That was a pretty good night too, but this night right here trumps it all.”
