HBCU Graduate, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity member and Civil Rights activist John Lewis has played an integral part in the history of African Americans. With the release of his new documentary Good Trouble, HBCU Heroes will host The Good Trouble Takeover.
The Good Trouble Takeover is a 4-hour, online NBA 2K20 tournament between six Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and premiere-a-thon to support the release of JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE, a documentary about the Georgia Congressman and Civil Rights Icon.
Celebrities, entertainers, professional athletes, HBCU leadership, political influencers, activists and the filmmakers are joining forces for a night of esports fun and an educational celebration of the film’s release and to underscore the importance of voting in this critical election year, especially amongst young African Americans.
One of the most anticipated highlights of the event is the first-of-its-kind virtual HBCU Esports tournament. This winner-take-all NBA 2K gaming competition, in part, tackles the education, sports, and technology divides that many HBCUs are struggling to overcome because of the pandemic. The tournament will serve as a gateway to excite and engage HBCUs and their students about this platform, thereby exposing them to existing and future opportunities for gaming to help with sustainability in enrollment, visibility and a pipeline to scholarships and resources from this billion-dollar sport.
In the spirit of making #GoodTrouble, HBCU gamers will finally have their spotlight on a global landscape with this livestream event and show the world why African-American gamers will be a major force in Esports. Moderators include Larry Ridley (NBC sportscaster/former voice of Madden) and Renee Montgomery (WNBA). Celebrities, entertainers, and professional athletes will pop in the stream during this monumental gaming experience to wish the HBCUers good luck, provide commentary, etc.
The gaming competition will be interspersed with clips from the film, frank conversations about the power and value of the young, African-American vote and celebrations of Congressman John Lewis, especially his tireless efforts on The Voting Rights Act of 1965.
According to a Tufts University study, student voting turnout from HBCUs fell nearly 11 percentage points between the 2012 and 2016 elections. This represents the largest drop amongst minority-serving and women higher education institutions (Thomas et al., 2017).
Follow HBCU Heroes on social media
@hbcuheroes
| WHEN | Sunday, July 5, 20206-10 pm EDT | |
| WHERE | twitch.tv/hbcuheroeshbcuheroes.or |
