It is not every day that a local CUNY student wins an ESPY, the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award, an accolade presented by ABC-TV on July 10 and hosted by Tracy Morgan.
Yasmine Sanchez of Queensborough Community College was one of only a select few people nationwide to receive the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award, presented by Billie Jean King herself, for her humanitarian efforts with New York City Football Club (NYCFC).
The Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award, presented by the Anthem Foundation, celebrates and honors youth who are using the power of sport as a catalyst for change and making a positive impact on society. In addition to Sanchez, the other honorees are: Harrison Barnes, Matthew Diaz, and Lisa Parks.
Sanchez, a rising sophomore at Queensborough Community College, strives to create positive pathways to engage youth, helping them grow physically and mentally into their early adulthood. She is leading the design, implementation and management of a free, five-week summer program, Soccer Bloc, through New York City Football Club’s Youth Leadership Council. Soccer Bloc uses soccer to connect over 500 young people from different communities across the five boroughs. The program employs 50 teenagers, and each week they implement curricula focused on different social topics, including diversity and inclusion, healthy lifestyles, safety awareness, self-identity and leadership – all through the lens of soccer. Additionally, through a partnership with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, Sanchez is working to expand Saturday Night Lights, a violence prevention and youth development program, to the same zones as Soccer Bloc.
The evening featured tennis legend Billie Jean King, who recognized four honorees of the inaugural Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award for their leadership and commitment to improve their communities through sport. Grammy Award winner, singer-songwriter Ciara hosted this year’s event, while acclaimed multi-platinum pop singer and songwriter Andy Grammer gave a special performance alongside the famed chorus PS-22 in New York City.
Athletes, leagues, teams and members of the sporting community gathered at L.A. LIVE’s The Novo, on Tuesday, July 9, to celebrate those who have used the power of sports to make a positive impact on society at the fifth annual Sports Humanitarian Awards presented by ESPN and sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
ESPN will showcase highlights from the Sports Humanitarian Awards on Thursday, July 18, during a special one-hour program at 7 pm ET.
ESPN granted more than $1 million to honoree and awardees’ selected charities. The evening benefited The Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at the V Foundation, where more than $1 million was raised through the net proceeds from the Sports Humanitarian Awards.
This year’s other winners include:
Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award Winner: Chris Long (Retired NFL Player)
League Humanitarian Leadership Award Winner: National Hockey League
Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year Winner: Chicago Fire Soccer Club
Corporate Community Impact Award Winner: Under Armour
Sports Sustainability Leadership Award Winner: Adidas
Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Presented by UFC Honoree: Lina Khalifeh
Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Presented by Bristol-Myers Squibb Honoree: Tyler Trent
For more information on all the awards, visit espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2019/07/chris-long-chicago-fire-soccer-club-nhl-and-under-armour-are-among-the-big-winners-at-the-2019-sports-humanitarian-awards/
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