Full Press Coverage is proud to feature this series in which columnist Matt Robinson will profile and celebrate athletes who go the extra mile for people in need.
NAME: TyRone “Hollywood” Brown
TEAM: Harlem Globetrotters Alumni
FOUNDATION: Ambassadors of Responsibility Foundation (www.aoresponsibility.org)
When TyRone Brown was nine years old, he wrote on a piece of paper that he wanted to be a Harlem Globetrotter. He looked at that paper every day and did all it took to make his dream come true. After 16 years of hard work, he realized his dream of becoming a Harlem Globetrotter.
Brown played with the legendary team from 1985-1996. He is already considered one of the all-time greats and has been inducted in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame under the Harlem Globetrotters team.
Brown now works to help other children achieve their goals as the founder of the Ambassadors of Responsibility Foundation. In this capacity, he travels to schools and other institutions across the country, often with his fellow former Globetrotter alums, bringing stories of hope and inspiration to children and leaving them with books to read, (including his own best-seller, A Piece of Paper), and a legacy to follow. With a new goal to help end illiteracy in the United States by 2035, Brown is well on his way to scoring again.
When did the foundation start?
July 20, 2017, was the start date. We are still in the early stages of building, but, between my teammates and me, we have close to a half-century of experience doing this important work.”
What are the goals?
To utilize Harlem Globetrotter Alumni to create awareness and inspire self-responsibility through educational and mentoring programs for children and young adults; to increase the literacy rate of children and young adults through educational materials, books, and programs provided through schools and other nonprofit youth-serving organizations; and to inspire others around the world to be a voice for responsibility and literacy.
What does it bring to the community?
Everything that is done under the Ambassadors of Responsibility has at its core the mission of bringing joy and putting smiles on the faces of the young and young at heart. The objective is always to inspire and to motivate others. From a tactical standpoint, the Foundation provides books for children, charity celebrity basketball game fundraisers for schools and other non-profits, school-wide enrichment assemblies, visits to children’s hospitals, military bases, motivational speaking engagements, and other appearances.
What are the most meaningful events?
Assemblies for elementary and middle school children are comprised of a Harlem Globetrotter alumnus encouraging and motivating children to set goals while entertaining and engaging them through a performance of basketball tricks. Where possible, at the end of these assemblies, each child is gifted a book. These school-wide assemblies are the most meaningful because they get to the heart of what the Foundation is all about – responsibility and literacy. They help not only the children but the schools by providing quality enrichment programs that they may not otherwise be able to afford.
How can people become involved?
People can become involved through advocacy and (especially) social media advocacy, making donations of money and/or children’s books. They can also help us with grant writing, corporate and small business sponsorships, and volunteering for celebrity basketball games and celebrity book drives. We are looking for people to underwrite and support the performances and events, in addition to schools and other institutions getting involved.
About 32 million people are considered to be illiterate here in the United States. Nearly 20% of high school graduates in the U.S. cannot read. That is why it is the objective of the Foundation to reach children while they are young and to impress upon them the importance of reading. Who better to tell children that reading is fun than Harlem Globetrotter alums? They bring fun to everything that they do!
If anyone is interested in being profiled for this column, please email matt@therobinsonreporter.com
–Matt Robinson is a Special Contributor to Full Press Coverage Sports Media. He is a freelance writer and editor with 20 years of experience. See his content at www.therobinsonreporter.com
