By Josh Cohen Jan. 15, 2018
ORLANDO – Orlando Magic Community Ambassadors Nick Anderson and Bo Outlaw have seen first-hand what it takes to build a “beloved community.” For years now, they’ve participated in events designed to strengthen communities, empower families and children, and promote inspirational messages of love and unity.
While every community endeavor is important to them, the pair of Magic legends say it’s even more special giving back on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Helping spread Dr. King’s vision of peace and equality and showing youth what lending a helping hand can do for people warms their hearts.
Along with approximately 200 other volunteers from various local organizations, including Magic staff and the Orlando Mayor’s MLK Commission, Anderson and Outlaw spent MLK Day revamping Memorial Middle School. They helped paint some of the hallway walls and contributed to beautifying the outside landscape.
“Martin Luther King was about ‘I Have a Dream’ and his dream was for everyone to come together and live in peace and harmony and enjoy one another,” Anderson said. “This is great. I’m happy to be here and carry on a legacy. It truly is a special day.”
“It’s not about me, it’s about we,” Outlaw said. “We come together and do a lot of things. It’s just another way of us showing that we are in this together. It’s a very important message, and it’s good to see kids here volunteering as well.”
Ecstatic seeing so many volunteers donate their time and excited about the impact this assistance will have for this school and its students, Brandy Hand, chairman of Orlando Mayor’s MLK Commission, says this is exactly what Dr. King envisioned for this country.
“It’s a great day of service is what we call it because Dr. King also called us to serve our community and what better way to do that than with a day on, not a day off,” she said.
“It’s huge,” she added about having the Magic participate in this event.
Throughout the weekend, the Magic worked in concert with millions of other Americans across the country to honor Dr. King and promote his beliefs. They also will pay tribute to him during Tuesday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Amway Center, where there will be in-game presentations and videoboard messages.
“The Orlando Magic are honored to remember and reflect on the many great contributions of Dr. King,” said Magic CEO Alex Martins. “In celebration of his legacy, we will work towards his vision of building a ‘beloved community’ through service. We recognize and embrace those contributions and look at this day as a time where Americans of every age and background join together to strengthen their communities.”