TORONTO
(June 6, 2024) –
Toronto Raptors Community
Ambassador, NBA All-Star, Champion, and Scarborough Shooting Stars VP Jamaal
Magloire and his Foundation are launching a
powerful new initiative entitled ‘Step Forward, Move Forward’ with a free community walk on June
7, 2024, to commemorate National Day Against Gun Violence. The inaugural Step
Forward. Move Forward Walk
will kick off at Birkdale Community Centre in Scarborough (1299 Ellesmere Rd.).
“Gun
violence is getting out of control in our city, and unfortunately it’s been
happening for a very long time,” said Magloire. “This is something important to
me. I’ve been affected by gun violence in my own personal family. So, I
encourage everybody to come out and join us because we need your support to
step forward and not back.”
The
first annual Step Forward Move, Forward Walk
is free and open to the public. With a nod to Magloire’s Caribbean roots,
participants are invited to wear white and walk in solidarity for this
two-kilometre carnival-inspired procession ‘on the road’ from Birkdale
Community Centre to Thompson Memorial Park in Scarborough, where music, food
and entertainment will follow.
Hosted
in partnership with Toronto Police Services, Chief of Police, Myron Demkiw
will be in attendance, along with officers from 41 and 43 divisions who will
join more than 70 youth from the local neighborhoods, including some who have
been impacted by this issue.
Where:
Birkdale Community Centre (1299 Ellesmere Rd,
Scarborough)
The
community walk ends at Thompson Memorial Park (1005 Brimley Road)
When:
Friday, July 7, 2024 (5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.)
Media
opportunity (Welcome remarks 5:30 p.m.,
walk begins at 6:00 p.m.)
Special Guests:
Toronto Raptors Community Ambassador, Scarborough Shooting Stars
Vice-President, and Toronto Revellers
Band Leader
Services
City Councillor,
Ward 21, Scarborough Centre
Band including
The Revellers
Rhythm Section
Magloire
is proud of his hometown and is channeling his championship on-court mindset in
the community, to deliver a transformative approach to curbing this epidemic
that has stolen too many young futures across the Greater Toronto Area.
The
Step Forward, Move Forward initiative
is part of Magloire’s greater mission to uplift youth in the community through
his Jamaal Magloire Foundation. Founded in 2016, the Foundation is dedicated to
improving the lives of underserved youth by helping them obtain and nurture
academic and social skills through the arts, sports, and community.
The
first Friday in June is proclaimed as the National Day Against Gun Violence in
Canada to honour the victims of gun violence, bring awareness to the crisis,
and encourage citizens to come together to find solutions. Canadians are asked
to wear white as a symbol of peace and ceasefire.
Media
are kindly invited to RSVP in advance.
– 30 –
Media Contact: Tanya
Phillipps | Director, PR + Media Relations
tanphillipps@yahoo.com | 647-927-9329
About Jamaal Magloire –
@jamaal.Magloire: Jamaal Magloire is a former NBA
All-Star player, who is currently a Community Ambassador for the Toronto
Raptors. Born and raised in Scarborough, he graduated from Eastern Commerce,
and then went on to University of Kentucky on a basketball scholarship where he
won a National Championship in his sophomore year. Jamaal’s passion is
basketball, but he is equally passionate about giving back to his community
whether it be through the arts or helping kids thrive through the power of
sport with clinics and speaking engagements.
About Jamaal Magloire Foundation
– @jammagloirefdn: Magloire re-named his charitable
foundation the Jamaal Magloire Foundation and launched it in the fall of 2016.
This registered charity exists to improve the lives of youth in underserved
communities to help them obtain academic and valuable social skills through the
arts and sports. The vision is rooted in the belief that “youth deserve a
chance to dream.” For more information visit jamaalmagloirefoundation.com
About Step Forward, Move Forward:
This community-based program is not just
an initiative; it’s a movement, rallying against the tide of crime and
shootings that disproportionately impact our youth. With a core mission to
mobilize young individuals towards the noble goal of ending gun violence,
Jamaal Magloire Foundation’s strategy is uniquely empowering. We understand
that the path to lasting change lies in equipping these young minds with the
knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to make decisions leading to positive
outcomes. It is about channeling their energies and potential into community
leadership and advocacy, fostering an environment where every young person can
become an ambassador for peace and safety. By weaving these threads of
guidance, support, and empowerment, this initiative aims to not only halt the
cycle of violence but also to inspire a generation that champions proactive,
positive change.