PORTLAND, Ore. (Feb. 22, 2024) – The Portland Path Blazers are teaming up with Alaska Airways to remodel this yr’s HBCU (Traditionally Black Faculties and Universities) to the Professionals Night time into a complete weekend celebration of the HBCU expertise. Members of the well-known Prairie View A&M (Prairie View, Texas) Marching Storm Band, led by Director of Bands Dr. Timmey Zachery, will fly to Portland, courtesy of Alaska Airways, for a weekend of group interplay, celebration, and training. The weekend will conclude with the annual HBCU to the Professionals recreation on February 25 when the Path Blazers tackle the Charlotte Hornets.
In alignment with the NBA, the Path Blazers prioritize highlighting the traditions and affect of HBCUs and the contributions of Black leaders who belong to traditionally Black fraternities and sororities and alumni of Traditionally Black Faculties and Universities. HBCUs have served as cultural and mental hubs, fostering a way of id, satisfaction, and management improvement. They’ve contributed considerably to Black tradition, literature, arts, and sciences and we’re excited to showcase these contributions to Rip Metropolis all through the weekend.
“We’re ecstatic to journey North by Northwest to deliver the one storm followers are trying ahead to; The PVAMU Marching Storm!” stated Dr. Tim Zachery, Prairie View A&M Director of Bands.
“We need to proceed to function a catalyst for younger brown and Black youth to see themselves mirrored in aggressive and valued universities nationally by bringing HBCU illustration to Portland,” stated Michelle Jalali, Portland Path Blazers Director of DEI. “This manner, we’re contributing to the pipeline of younger individuals attending and graduating from HBCUs and ultimately filtering into the workforce. As a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., HBCU to the Professionals Night time feels additional particular as a result of it brings Black historical past and Black voices to the forefront of our recreation by bringing conventional HBCU and D9 tradition to the Pacific Northwest to each educate and entertain.”
“Alaska Airways has a protracted historical past of connecting Black youth within the Pacific Northwest to instructional alternatives at HBCUs and past,” stated James Thomas, Alaska Airways’ Director of Range, Fairness and Inclusion. “We’re proud to fly within the Prairie View A&M band so Portland can expertise the distinctive power of HBCUs, and the youngsters in our group can join with faculty college students who will encourage their instructional targets.”
On Saturday, February 24 the Marching Storm will carry out at Junction Ave – a Black enterprise occasion hosted by Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI) which is able to function representatives from Alaska Airways, the Path Blazers, HBCUs and native Black-owned companies. On Sunday, February 25, each organizations will placed on a non-public pregame mixer for native youth that includes a profession mixer made up of present professionals who’re HBCU alumni and members of fraternities and sororities of the Divine 9. As a closing celebration of the weekend and HBCU tradition, the Marching Storm will present Rip Metropolis an unbelievable halftime efficiency through the recreation versus Charlotte.
The HBCU expertise might be felt all through Moda Middle on February 25, as each attendee will obtain a booklet upon coming into the world highlighting the night time’s activations and leisure. DJ Drae Slapz, an area DJ and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., can have music bumping pregame as followers enterprise by way of the concourse and absorb Black Historical past posters highlighting HBCU and D9 alumni who’ve made important cultural affect. All through the night time, particular movies will play all through the world that includes the Native Portland NPHC Chapter and HBCU Alumni. The night time’s Nationwide Anthem Singer might be Tiffany Dempsey – member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a proud graduate of PVAMU, and the Director of Neighborhood Relations for KairosPDX.
Followers focused on a souvenir for the weekend can swing by the HBCU-themed 360-videobooth to snap a pic, or swing by Rip Metropolis Clothes Co. and buy the specialty retail merchandise of the night time – an HBCU Assertion hoodie –with proceeds instantly supporting SEI. Followers can help the group accomplice of the night time, KairosPDX, by way of the 5050 Raffle.
