Russell Westbrook is not only a beast on the court, but he uses his platform for the greater good any chance he can. With his monumental return to his home city this year, playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, the Long Beach native took his Why Not? Foundation and teamed up with the non-profit LeadersUp to bring jobs to South Los Angeles.
The Why Not? Foundation is founded on four major pillars: Education, Workforce, Mental Health and Wellness, and Community Engagement with a main goal of “creating pathways of empowerment for the underserved population.”
On Nov. 11, LeadersUp hosted a hiring career fair during Russell Westbrook’s Why Not? Foundation (WNF) Coming Home event, a single-day activation for the South LA community. REVOLT was present for the 8:30 a.m. kick-off breakfast for elected community leaders, and corporate partners.
Jeffrey Wallace told us: “I applaud Russell Westbrook’s leadership and strategic philanthropic investment into his community through coaching, careers, and the social capital needed to help BIPOC young adults win. He’s a true champion of the next generation of talent. Education and access to career opportunities are critical to advancing an antiracist economy that works for all. This activation demonstrates how LeadersUp can partner with industry leaders to impact young adults at scale. I hope individuals and corporations alike follow his lead in advancing racial justice as we work together to generate quality career opportunities offering competitive, livable wages for the residents of South LA who are in need of transformative pathways to wealth.”
During the ceremony, it was revealed that Westbrook invested over $100,000 to the Crenshaw YMCA. The baller told us at the event, “We’re here for one reason and that’s to impact our youth and our community; be able to inspire our kids and these young adults around the world to do some many great things. Hopefully I can get kids to come and be able to come in today, enjoy themselves and learn a few things. So thank you all once again for being a part of everything that we’re doing in this city of Los Angeles and hopefully we can continue our relationships and move forward. I appreciate you guys.”