San Francisco Youth Basketball Nonprofit Empower ME Academy Hosts Annual Empower Fest

Empower ME Academy (EMA), a San Francisco-based youth basketball social enterprise that facilitates leadership and skills development for Bay Area youth from all backgrounds and communities, will host its 2023 Empower Fest on August 26 and 27 at the Palace of Fine Arts.

With the culture of bringing fun back to youth sports and combating toxic competition, EMA celebrates basketball with the Bay Area community with food and music combined with an array of on-court activities and off-court experiences for everyone.

"Empower Fest represents the culmination of a decade's worth of our organization's efforts to change the narrative for youth sports," says Coach Jerome Gumbs, founder and CEO of EMA. "Over the years, we've been dedicated to transforming the youth sports landscape, shifting it from toxic competition to a nurturing environment where children and teenagers can have fun, be mentally healthy and feel safe. This requires substantial time, hard work, strong networks, and the unwavering support of our entire community. Empower Fest celebrates our values and our culture."

Fun on and off the court

Formerly known as Basketball-A-Thon, Empower Fest is open to students grades 3-12 of all basketball skill levels. In this infusion of March Madness and NBA's All-Star Weekend, players will participate in 3-on-3 tournaments, dunk contests, 3-point shootouts, and skill challenges. The women's and men's teams from The Hilltop Club, in San Francisco, will volunteer in the event and join the fun to empower students on the court, take pictures and enjoy Empower Fest with the community.

Participants may register until August 18th for $100. The price includes the event's official jersey and Sunday lunch, with financial assistance available for those unable to afford registration. Families and the whole community are welcome to attend the event as spectators for free.

EMA will also honor their students during the Empower Fest with an Awards ceremony featuring categories based on EMA's values like empathy, accountability, resilience and selflessness.

To support fundraising efforts that benefit community-wide youth sports programming that currently serves over 300 children from all walks of life to help them become successful and well-rounded adults, EMA will also host a silent auction during Empower Fest. The auction opens on August 25 and ends on 27. Among the items that will be auctioned are luxury seats at a Warriors basketball home game in the upcoming '23-'24 season and kid yoga classes.

Warming up for Empower Fest

Students preparing for the 2023 Empower Fest or the upcoming season have the opportunity to join EMA's last series of basketball clinics before the festival, starting August 14 until August 25. The classes are open for players from kindergarten to 12th grade willing to learn new sports and leadership skills or develop the ones they've already acquired.

The program includes athletic training, scrimmages, yoga, and mental and physical empowerment experiences in a healthy and fun competition environment led by EMA's coaches.

To register for Empower Fest and the upcoming clinics, please visit www.EmpowerMeAcademy.net.

About Empower ME Academy

Empower ME Academy (EMA), a 501c3 nonprofit youth basketball organization, provides enrichment programs for athletic excellence to students from kindergarten through high school and all socioeconomic backgrounds. Founded in San Francisco, California, in 2013 by former professional basketball player Jerome Gumbs, EMA is a social business enterprise that serves children while instilling transformative change on the basketball court, in the community and society. With courses, clinics (camps), and private coaching, EMA teaches fundamental basketball skills and concepts combined with leadership development training. Using sports as the magnet to attract and mentor children, EMA has impacted over 1,700 students and offered over a half million dollars in tuition assistance to community members in need. www.empowermeacademy.net.