The NBA this week sent a letter to all teams "outlining the new initiatives and various ways" the league, teams and players will be "engaged in communities around the country," according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. The letter had the subject line "Building Stronger, Safer Communities." It "shared six ongoing initiatives in the communities while encouraging leadership from each team to provide any further ideas on how the NBA can be a presence in communities and assist with issues in society." The NBA "informed teams that there are community conversations with youth, parents, community leaders and law enforcement to engage in dialogue and build trust." The league will have "various experts," such as former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Marty Dempsey and former Philadelphia Police Chief Charles Ramsey, "join discussions with players and teams about diversity and inclusion." Starting in October, the NBA and teams will "coordinate with the U.S. Conference of Mayors to host a series of talks with NBA teams to engage youth, law enforcement and local leaders." There also will be "mentorship programs and new partnerships with The Vera Institute of Justice and Facing History -- an education nonprofit" (ESPN.com, 9/27).
