The HEAT announced today they will partner with three organizations, which directly serve the Black community as the team’s next step in delivering on their social justice pledge to the Black Lives Matter movement, which was issued publicly on Juneteenth. The team has joined forces with Black Girls CODE, Health in the Hood and Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. These three organizations will be the beneficiaries of profits from the sale of a special Black Lives Matter Collection of Court Culture Apparel, which the HEAT has just launched exclusively on TheMiamiHEATStore.com. Additionally, in the coming weeks, months and years, the HEAT will work alongside these organizations to create initiatives and programming designed to help advance their distinctive causes—STEM education for African-American youth, health, wellness and nutritious food for underserved neighborhoods, and restoring voting rights for the disenfranchised.
“When issues of social justice arise, it’s an opportunity for everyone to reflect,” said Eric Woolworth, President of The HEAT Group’s Business Operations. “We’ve spent a lot of time recently talking with our staff, partners, season ticket members and the basketball community at large about these issues. It’s so discouraging to hear stories from our players and our employees about being harassed or racially profiled, or just treated as ‘less than’ in some respect. That’s just not ok. Supporting racial equality is not a political issue—it’s a basic human rights issue and one we are going to try to address by partnering with companies such as Black Girls CODE, Health in the Hood and the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, all of which are focused on providing a variety of opportunities for the Black community.”
Below is the information on the three organizations who will be the beneficiaries of profits from the sale of a special Black Lives Matter Collection of Court Culture Apparel, which the HEAT has just launched exclusively on TheMiamiHEATStore.com.
Black Girls CODE
Founded on the pillars of empowerment and education, Black Girls CODE is dedicated to leveling the playing field for girls of color in STEM. Through their tech education-focused programming and initiatives—designed for girls and young women between the ages of 7 to 17—they aim to inspire youth to become innovators in STEM fields, leaders in their communities, and builders of their own futures. Their goal is to train 1 million girls to code by 2040. For more information, please visit BlackGirlsCode.com.
Health in the Hood
Health in the Hood’s mission is to connect low-income families to healthy, free local food by transforming vacant land into vibrant vegetable gardens and teaching wellness groups. For more information, please visit HealthintheHood.org.
Florida Rights Restoration Coalition
Florida Rights Restoration Coalition is a grassroots, membership organization run by Returning Citizens (formerly convicted persons) who are dedicated to ending the disenfranchisement and discrimination against people with convictions, and creating a more comprehensive and humane reentry system that will enhance successful reentry, reduce recidivism, and increase public safety. For more information, please visit FloridaRRC.com.