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Lakers Literacy League Basketball and Health & Fitness Clinic 2023-24

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Los Angeles Lakers Community

Los Angeles Lakers teamed up with A Place Called Home to host a Teen Empowerment event that provides youth from the Los Angeles community special attire for their upcoming celebratory events.

A Place Called Home is a community center in South Central Los Angeles that provides a safe and nurturing environment with educational programs for youth and their families. The organization also assists its members by helping them improve their economic conditions and develop healthy and purposeful lives.

The Teen Empowerment event provided young ladies and gentlemen an opportunity to secure formal wear through a welcoming and empowering experience. With the help of Lakers staff, Lakers Girls, and Lakers Coaching staff spouses Deneitra Ham and Grace Rimmer, more than 200 teens attended and received formal attire for their upcoming proms, graduations, and job interviews.

Teens “shopped” in the boutique for FREE formal wear while Lakers volunteers offered fashion tips to help perfect the teens’ top picks. Young ladies could take home multiple free gowns, shoes, accessories, and makeup, while the young men picked out multiple suits, shoes, and accessories.

Hundreds of students who couldn’t attend will also receive dresses, suits, jewelry, shoe wear, and more in the coming weeks for their senior year milestones!

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Los Angeles Lakers TEAM UP with A Place Called Home for a Teen Empowerment Event

Lakers NBA Math Hoops, presented by Comerica Bank, challenges youth in grades 3rd-8th from Los Angeles Lakers community partners to improve their math skills. The program, powered by Learn Fresh, leverages the game of basketball and the NBA/WNBA brands to build fundamental math and social-emotional skills through a physical and digital basketball-themed board game, curriculum, and community program experience. Youths learn and practice important math skills through innovative and impactful real-life scenarios.

The Lakers Math Hoops Tournament marks the culmination of the Math Hoops season and features Boys and Girls Clubs and afterschool programs from across the Los Angeles region competing for the 2024 Lakers Math Hoops Regional Championship.

Following a 10-week curriculum, participants from these programs had the opportunity to engage in the Lakers Regional Math Hoops Tournament, a thrilling event structured around an elimination-style competition. Adding to the excitement, Lakers Legend and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Michael Cooper, the Laker Girls, and members of the Lakers staff enthusiastically joined the festivities, offering encouragement and emphasizing the value of sportsmanship throughout the matches.

The winners of this tournament will move on to the National Math Hoops Tournament this summer, where they will compete with youth from other NBA Teams’ community partners.

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Los Angeles Lakers host their NBA Math Hoops Regional Tournament, presented by Comerica Bank, at the Boys and Girls Club of Wilmington

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Photos: Los Angeles Lakers TEAM UP with A Place Called Home

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Photos: Lakers NBA Math Hoops, presented by Comerica Bank

The Comerica Bank Woman of Diversity is Michelle Sugihara. As a fourth-generation Japanese American in Honolulu, Hawaii, Michelle didn’t learn of the challenges faced by historically marginalized communities on the US continent until she took her first Asian American Studies class in Los Angeles, California. To begin her journey to fight for her communities, Michelle attended UCLA law school and practiced for over a decade where she was fortunate to practice both litigation and transactional law. For many years, Michelle volunteered for the LA Homeless Court Program, served as president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles, and co-chair of the Multicultural Bar Alliance of Southern California. Now, Michelle currently runs CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment), a premier organization that creates opportunities for Asian and Pacific Islander success in Hollywood and beyond. Michelle continues to dream of a world where what we watch on our screens reflects the world in which we live, and projects a better one.

The Comerica Bank Woman of Business is Tunua Thrash-Ntuk. For over two decades, Tunua has led racial equity initiatives and billion-dollar governmental programs to build better communities for those in greatest need. As a community development professional, she has championed equitable economic inclusion and programs centered on uplifting businesses owned by women, immigrants, and people of color to ensure the survival of diverse communities in Los Angeles. As a President and CEO of The Center by Lendistry, Tunua centers diverse and ready to be served small businesses to ensure access to the resources, technical assistance, and economic opportunities needed for success. Tunua served as Executive Director of the Los Angeles Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC LA) and West Angeles Community Development Corporation – where she led the growth of a $150 million real estate portfolio.

The Comerica Bank Woman of Philanthropy is Ana Grande. Ana Grande is a first-generation Salvadoran American with an extensive background in community organizing, policy, and nonprofit management. Ana has worked in education access, higher education, and healthcare industries, with a keen focus on empowering children of color, women, and immigrants to achieve the American Dream. Most recently, Ana served as an Academic Dean and adjunct professor at Mount St. Mary's University and as the Associate Executive Director of the P.F. Bresee Foundation. Currently, serving as the Executive Director at Program for Torture Victims, Ana and her team assist the courageous survivors of state-sponsored torture and persecution who have stood up for freedom, equality, and human dignity.

The Comerica Bank Woman of Promise is Karina Augustus. Karina is a fearless advocate for Human Rights, Mental Health & Education. Karina’s career began in Long Beach as a behavioral therapist where she worked with high school students. Karina became the first in her family to earn a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s Degree, and soon a Doctoral Degree. Karina began an education and community non-profit organization called the Luna Project that focuses on Incarcerated Youth & Adults, Community Service, Enhancing the Arts, Leadership, and Service Learning. Karina now works with college students as a Career Specialist where she mentors hundreds of students that have went on to graduate and hold careers. Born in Mexico and labeled as a dreamer, Karina has now received her green card giving her a pathway to citizenship. Karina continues to dream big as she has inspired numerous other dreamers of all ages to not give up and finish their race.

The Comerica Bank Woman of Entrepreneurship is Smita Vasant. Smita is an award-winning entrepreneur, fashion vlogger, and international bestselling author of the book, “The Confidence of Yes.” She started her entrepreneurial journey over 2 decades ago by opening Saffron Spot in Little India where she sells her own brand of Indian style ice cream. As a former Mrs. Asia USA, she has used her expertise to curate LA India Fashion Week and has choreographed over 25 fashion shows in the past decade. She is also a founder of Kitchen Queens Facebook Group, where the proceeds support culinary students at the Cerritos College and homeless people in Skid Row. Smita was past President of SABAN (South Asian Business Alliance Network) and past Program Chair of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners). Smita is also the founding member of WIN (Women’s Initiative Network) a group of accomplished professional women.

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Comerica Bank Women’s Business Awards March 2024 Honorees

Together with Delta and Bob Hope USO, the Lakers brought out Marvin Dayrit, Sargent First Class United States Army and Lakers fan, for the ultimate experience meeting the team and seeing the facilities.

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Salute to Our Troops – Marvin Dayrit

The South Bay Lakers, Los Angeles Lakers, the Laker Girls and Lakers Gaming organized a reading stop for their Reading Across South Bay Team UP on March 12th at Carr Elementary School in Torrance.

The morning started with Lakers staff and players greeting students they came to the newly renovated playground to kick off the Reading Day with a ceremony. Students heard from the Los Angeles Lakers Director of Community Relations and General Manager of Lakers Gaming, Mathew Makovec, and South Bay Lakers player, Jack White, on the importance of reading and how the knowledge gained from it can be applied to multiple aspects of life.

Lakers staff and players visited different classrooms that participated in a month-long reading challenge to read. After introductions staff and players shared the value of reading inside and outside the classroom. At the end of the event, students were surprised a with South Bay Lakers swag bag. All students who completed the reading challenge also received a personalized South Bay Lakers reading certificate and a special edition South Bay Lakers comic book.

This event is part of South Bay Lakers' yearling programming with Carr Elementary that includes health and fitness clinic, beautification project, educational programming, and tickets to South Bay Lakers games during the 2023-2024 season.