TBF Is Taking Back The Future For Students 

TBF Is Taking Back The Future For Students 

 “I am very grateful because I was able to continue the educational needs for my children.”

– Angelica Parker

Memphis, TN —With the cancellation of summer programs due to COVID-19 concerns, Tarik Black Foundation (TBF) has decided to partner with Urban Strategies during this time to ensure students have home technology for continuing classwork.
TBF is purchasing and donating laptops for Shelby County School students. Urban Strategies is delivering them and ensuring students’ homes have Wifi. This project is part of the foundation’s Taking Back the Future initiative. “We want to help minimize the digital divide,” said Judith Moore, President of TBF, “It’s important now and even when the pandemic is over that students have technology at home if we expect them to succeed.”

 

 

TBF wants youth to leave the annual multicultural celebration with appreciation for cultural differences and increased global awareness

TBF wants youth to leave the annual multicultural celebration with appreciation for cultural differences and increased global awareness

Tarik Black’s annual multicultural celebration fosters an atmosphere of understanding and appreciation for diversity and different cultural traditions. An idea that started with plans to just show an international basketball game has morphed into an opportunity to teach so much more. “Preparing youth for the future includes teaching them to live, work and thrive in a global society,” says Tarik Black who hosts this event virtually for Tel Aviv each year. The free event for youth features a streamed Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball game in which Tarik is the starting center. “Offering youth the chance to see a professional Euroleague basketball game was the initial point of this party,” said Tarik. However, the concept grew as TBF organizers realized it would also be a good way to bring the youth of different backgrounds together to learn about a variety of cultural traditions. The event features a multi-ethnic menu, traditional games, and activities indicative of various cultures.

“Since it’s been such a success these first two years, we are coming up with ways to better embrace the communities represented in the planning of the event. Our idea is to launch a planning committee to help us assure we are honoring each tradition appropriately. We also want to continue adding traditions so that Memphis youth get to mingle with and make friends across neighborhoods and across zip codes,” said Judith Moore, The event targets youth but adults are welcomed. TBF expects adult celebration-goers to purchase items in the event pop up shop and participate in the silent auction to benefit TBF’s programs. Adults get to play the games, taste the unique dishes, and get involved with the overall festivities too.

Look for announcements about the 2020 multicultural event. Youth groups interested in attending may inquire at info@tarikblackfoundation.org. TBF invites businesses to partner with us in hosting this event by being a corporate sponsor. For details, please send inquiries to judith@tarikblackfoundation.org.

TBF’s 2nd annual multicultural celebration gives youth a taste of cultural traditions

TBF’s 2nd annual multicultural celebration gives youth a taste of cultural traditions

The TBF’s 2nd annual multicultural and game watch event was a kick-off to the holidays for 200 youth and their parents. Tarik Black’s From Tel Aviv to Memphis: A Multicultural Celebration and Viewing Party took place at Bridges Center in Memphis. It was a time to make new friends, try new foods and learn about Jewish, Kwanza, and Hispanic traditional celebrations. Youth from various churches, community centers, and other groups played dreidel, learned the principles of Kwanza and ended the evening by breaking piñatas. Attendees got to watch Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv Basketball team play Istanbul in a Euroleague game that streamed during the festivities. Via video from Tel Aviv, Tarik Black who is the starting center for the Maccabi team, welcomed celebration-goers and launched an evening of music, cultural games, food, and excitement.

A special thanks to 2019 sponsors: Bridges Center, Carter Malone Group, City Food Tours. Grandeur Cleaning, Park + Cherry, Massage On the Go and The Westin Hotel.

Tarik Black’s From Tel Aviv to Memphis: A Multicultural Celebration

Tarik Black’s From Tel Aviv to Memphis: A Multicultural Celebration

Tarik Black Foundation is hosting a FREE multicultural celebration. Tarik Black’s From Tel Aviv to Memphis: A Multicultural Celebration will include watching a Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv basketball game. During each quarter, party-goers will experience fun Hanukkah, Mexican, and Kwanzaa traditional foods and games. The event takes place on Sunday, December 15, 2019 at 3:30 pm at Bridges Center, 477 N. Fifth St. Memphis, TN.

“This is the second year TBF has hosted this event. Last year, we celebrated Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. We’ve added Mexican traditions and foods to the party for our 2019 celebration. We want a diverse crowd of young people to join us for this cultural exchange event,” said Judith Moore, TBF president.

Former NBA player, now Euroleague/Israeli League player, Black plays the starting center position for the team. Maccabi Fox, the 2018 -2019 season Israeli League Championship team includes several U. S. players in addition to Black who party-goers will get to watch during the viewing party. 

Providing unique opportunities to learn life skills is part of TBF’s mission. The foundation considers experiencing the traditions of cultures different from your own and seeing the world outside of your own community an important part of being well prepared, well informed, and well rounded.

“The young people in our community are real familiar with the NBA but not many are as familiar with overseas professional basketball. Much of the game is similar but there are a few differences. A big difference is listening to it being commentated in a language other than English and fans chanting more than cheering,” said Moore. 

Former TBF youth campers and interns are especially invited to attend. Other youth are welcome too. Admission is first come first served until we reach capacity. Please register to attend by clicking here.

The Tarik Black Foundation proudly congratulates Tim Green, Jr

The Tarik Black Foundation proudly congratulates Tim Green, Jr

The Tarik Black Foundation proudly congratulates Tim Green, Jr., our Director of Boys’ Programs on being named one of this year’s 40 Under 40. The honor acknowledges Tim as among the Forty Most Influential Urban Elite Professionals Under Forty in Memphis.

Top 40 Under 40 Urban Elite Professionals Awardee #7 is Tim Green, Jr. Tim is the Executive Director and Founder of The Dividend, Co-founder of Memphis Restorative Justice Coalition, Founder of Tim Green Presents: Brunch and Convos and he is the Memphis Impact Leader for Profound Gentlemen. Through all his jobs and endeavors, he works to mentor boys and male educators of color.

Tim is a native Memphian and considers it his life’s work to give back to the community that shaped his life. After graduating from Whitehaven High School in 2003, He received his BA in Political Science from The University of Tennessee-Knoxville and a M.Ed. from Bethel University. Tim has over 16 years of experience in youth development from being a classroom teacher to working for some of the mid-south’s most prestigious schools and nonprofits.

He is also the Vice Board Chair of Blues City Cultural Center, an Ignite Memphis Volume 10 speaker, founding cohort member of the national organization, Leaders of Color Initiative, Memphis Grizzlies Scholars mentor, Embark Fall 2015, and member of Leadership Memphis Executive Program 2017. #40UrbanElite

Timothy Green joins TBF as Director of Boys Programs

Timothy Green joins TBF as Director of Boys Programs

We are pleased to welcome Timothy Green, Jr. as TBF’s Director of Boys Programs. Tim will be responsible for developing partnerships that support the foundation’s programs for adolescent and teen- age boys. He will oversee the foundation’s SPORTS CAREERS Internship program and TRANSFORMATION50 Basketball and Life Skills Camp. In addition, he will develop and present activities throughout the year that provide lessons in character, cultural enlightenment, and leadership. 

Tim is the founder of The Dividend program, Co-founder of Memphis Restorative Justice Coalition, founder of Tim Green Presents: Brunch and Convos and he is the Memphis Impact Leader for Profound Gentlemen. Tim is passionate about seeing youth develop into successful, grounded adults. With this focus, all of his endeavors have centered around mentoring young men, in particular, young men and male educators of color. He is a native Memphian where he graduated from Whitehaven High School. He considers it his life’s calling to give back to the community that shaped his life.

 He has a BA in Political Science from The University of Tennessee-Knoxville and a M.Ed. from Bethel University. Tim has over 16 years of experience in youth development from classroom teaching to working for some of the Mid-south’s most prestigious schools and nonprofits. 

Tim is the Vice Board Chair of Blues City Cultural Center, an Ignite Memphis Volume 10 speaker, a Memphis Grizzlies Scholars and Embark Fall 2015 mentor, and member of Leadership Memphis Executive Program 2017. 

“Tim brings the innovative ideas and leadership we want to have in developing engaging life skills, character growth, cultural enlightenment, and leadership training activities,” said Judith Moore, TBF President. “We are excited to bring Tim’s level of expertise, energy, and passion to TBF.”

TBF named 2019 Best Community Partner by MPLOY

TBF named 2019 Best Community Partner by MPLOY

The City of Memphis MPLOY Program named the Tarik Black Foundation Best Community Partner for 2019. The award was presented during MPLOY’s closing summer event at the Cannon Center.  

This summer, the Tarik Black Foundation provided summer employment for 50 interns who were hired by MPLOY and assigned to the foundation. This was the largest number of interns assigned to any MPLOY business partner. There were 25 young men and 27 young ladies hired to participate as interns (two former Summer GLAM interns returned as junior counselors).

This was the second year for the Tarik Black Foundation and MPLOY business partnership. “We are honored to have been selected for the Best Community Partner Award. More importantly, we are pleased to have had 50 young people attend either SPORTS CAREERS or Summer GLAM,” said Judith Moore, TBF President. “We had a wonderful group of interns coming from MPLOY. We look forward to continuing this partnership. “

MPLOY provides summer employment for thousands of youth each year. The program is managed by the City of Memphis Office of Youth Services. 

Mentor Awardees

Mentor Awardees

Officer Clayton Turner, Coach William “Woody” Woodruff, Fred Jones, Leonard Draper Sr.

Congratulations to our 2019 Citizen Mentor Honorees. Each year, the Tarik Black Foundation presents four awards to citizens who inspire, encourage, and support youth. This year’s recipients were honored during the closing luncheon for SPORTS CAREERS interns. The awards are named after the inaugural recipients. This year’s honorees are Officer Clayton Turner – Sgt. Byron Johnson Neighborhood Officer Role Model Award Coach William “Woody” Woodruff – Wesley Henning Northern Star Award Fred Jones – Willie Gregory Touchstone Award Leonard Draper Sr. – Leonard Draper Jr. Guiding Hand Award. 


The Citizen Mentor Awards were created to recognize and encourage individuals to take the time to mentor and support youth. The four men for which the awards are named were men that mentored Tarik as he was growing up. “Sgt. Johnson, Coach Henning, Mr. Draper, and Mr. Gregory offered me guidance and wisdom. I owe a lot to these men for helping to shape my values, encouraging me to grow in character, and pushing me to work hard – never give up,” said Tarik. “This year’s honorees share the same qualities and we are pleased to acknowledge how much they have contributed to the community and the hundreds — if not thousands — of young lives they’ve positively touched and continue to touch.”

TRANSFORMATION50 Basketball and Life Skills Camp moving to North Frayser Community Center

TRANSFORMATION50 Basketball and Life Skills Camp moving to North Frayser Community Center

TRANSFORMATION50 Basketball and Life Skills Camp will be held at the North Frayser Community Center 2555 St. Elmo Ave. Campers registering for this year should be aware of this change from the previous location, Gaisman Community Center. New activities added to this year’s program will be better accommodated at the North Frayser location. “We’ve decided to conclude this year’s camp with a combination basketball and life skills tournament,” says Susan Black TRANSFORMATION50 Basketball and Life Skills Camp Director. Black says the North Frayser Community Center’s facility will allow campers more space for TRANSFORMATION50 Life Sessions as well as more bleachers for seating family and friends at the closing day tournament. In the past, the tournament has been only for basketball and was held during the camp day. This year, to better highlight life skills lessons learned, the camp staff have decided to hold an evening tournament featuring more activities and fanfare. “This will be a lot more fun since family and friends will be able to watch the young men play basketball and then watch them demonstrate the life skills they learned while at camp.”

The foundation also saw the opportunity to move to Frayser as a way of hosting an uplifting event in a community that is still struggling to come to terms with tragedy and loss.”We thought about the positive attention we could offer the Frayser community, especially now by relocating the camp to North Frayser Community Center,” said President of the Tarik Black Foundation Judith Moore. “We plan to offer the center first opportunity to fill the remaining spots with campers from the Frayser Community and hope that youth will sign-up.”

Campers who were notified to register for this year’s  TRANSFORMATION50 Basketball and Life Skills Camps are required to register on July 6, 10 am-noon. Registration will be held at the North Frayser Community Center.

For more information about TRANSFORMATION50 registration or camp program please send inquiry to info@tarikblackfoundation.org.

Summer GLAM prepares teens for adulthood

Summer GLAM prepares teens for adulthood

Summer GLAM (Girls’ Life Academy Memphis) is a camp for 25 girls that’s actually a summer job made possible through our  business partnership with the City of Memphis.

The City of Memphis’ Summer Youth MPloy program employs the girls selected for Summer GLAM. The TBF then sponsors and provides the camp site and curriculum which is made up of GLAM Sessions where organizations and professionals share information that prepare campers for making smart life decisions. GLAM Sessions have included interactive workshops on obtaining utility services, preparing a healthy meal, buying a car, understanding an apartment lease, building a professional wardrobe, public speaking, and budget planning. These are just some of the activities provided during the Summer GLAM camp. The camp is six weeks and runs in conjunction with the Mploy program summer employment schedule. To be considered for Summer GLAM, girls 16- 19 must apply for the City of Memphis’ Summer Youth Mploy program (Contact City of Memphis to apply for the Summer Youth Mploy program). During the Summer Youth Mploy job fair in the spring, interested girls can apply specifically for Summer GLAM. Only applicants selected by the City of Memphis’ Mploy program for Summer GLAM can participate.