Mavs Take ACTION!

Mavs Take
Action!Listen. Learn. Unite.

A

Engaging in efforts to ensure every voice is heard and action is taken

A

Advocacy

C

Being active listeners and creating safe spaces for dialogue and understanding

C

Communication

T

Provide resources and education to know, grow and act

T

Training

I

Committing financial and in-kind resources to support income and education disparities and meet critical needs for underserved communities

I

Investment

O

Connecting communities, building relationships, and fostering unity through basketball

O

Outreach

N

Boldly promoting change and encouraging others to do the same through leadership and the arts

N

Noise

Advocacy

Engaging in efforts to ensure every voice is heard and action is taken

Communication

Being active listeners and creating safe spaces for dialogue and understanding

Training

Provide resources and education to know, grow and act

Investment

Committing financial and in-kind resources to support income and education disparities and meet critical needs for underserved communities

Outreach

Connecting communities, building relationships, and fostering unity through basketball

Noise

Boldly promoting change and encouraging others to do the same through leadership and the arts

Voter Registration & Civic Participation

Be an active voice in amplifying justice, opportunity and equality in public policy and community efforts

Count It Coalition

The Dallas Mavericks (NBA), Dallas Wings (WNBA), Texas Legends (G League) and Mavs Gaming (NBA 2K) come together to encourage and promote civic engagement in voter registration, education and participation.  The mission aims to amplify DFW citizens’ voices in the local and national elections – for the 2020 Presidential Election and beyond.

Juneteenth

The Dallas Mavericks join teams across the country in honoring and celebrating the Juneteenth holiday as the oldest national holiday commemorating emancipation from slavery in the United States. With support of local events, Mavs employees are encouraged to join courageous conversations, reflect and further educate ourselves in the history of Black culture and heritage in America.

Every Voice Matters Day: Election Day

Supporting National Election Day as a paid day off for staff to serve and vote, along with American Airlines Center serving as a polling location and support of Dallas County Elections and other community organizations.

Texas Team Up

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), League of Women Voters of Texas, MOVE Texas, the Texas NAACP, and the Urban League have joined with 10 professional sports teams to encourage voter registration and civic participation: the Austin Spurs, Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Wings, Houston Dash, Houston Dynamo, San Antonio FC, San Antonio Spurs, Texas Legends, and Texas Rangers.

MLK Day

The Dallas Mavericks and teams across the NBA honor the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by engaging in the national dialogue on race and equality and encouraging collective action in communities nationwide.

Paid Employee Holidays

Provide time off for Mavs employees to serve the community on MLK day, Juneteenth and National Election Day. Commit funding for social justice grants related to each community service paid holiday.

2020 Census Project

A social and digital campaign with current players and coaches that called on every citizen to be counted

The HUDDLE

A series of conversations with current/former Dallas Mavericks players, team representatives and community figures with the goal of eliminating racial divides, uplifting communities and empowering future generations.

Experiences of Understanding

Speakers are invited for small group discussions with Mavs employees, educating and encouraging a healthy dialogue for staff to listen, learn & unite.

Courageous Conversations

The inaugural Mavs Take ACTION! event provided a safe space for in-person dialogue and understanding between the Mavs, Law Enforcement, Community Leaders and the Greater DFW Community, allowing everyone to truly listen, learn and unite.

Break the Silence

Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, daily functioning and ability to relate to others. Mental illness doesn’t develop because of a person’s character or intelligence.

Mavs Major

Teaming up with the Dallas’s only HBCU, Paul Quinn College, the Mavericks are helping to develop an innovative new Bachelor of Arts major in Leadership, Innovation, Sports Management, Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Networking (LISTEN).

Youth Education

Commit financial support and Mavs Academy training for STEAM summer camps and youth development programs to build strong children.

Mentorship

Mentoring provides meaningful connections to help today’s youth dream big and find success at home, at work, and in their communities. Be the light in someone’s life and become a mentor!

Black to Esports

Mavs Gaming hosts the “Black to Esports” Panel for Paul Quinn College students and fans streaming online to address the lack of representation of men and women of color and highlight career path opportunities for students interested in Esports.

SACP

The Dallas Mavericks are teaming up with the Sports Analytics Club Program and DISD’s Madison P-Tech to advance data science education and promote professional careers in the data science and related fields for underrepresented youth.

Marcus Graham Project

The Dallas Mavericks launched a multi-year deal with the Marcus Graham Project that works to identify, expose, mentor and train ethnically diverse men and women in all aspects of the marketing and media industry.

HBCU Fellowships

The Dallas Mavericks joined with the NBA and the NBA Foundation announced a new HBCU Fellowship Program designed to create greater opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students from Historically Black College and Universities (HCBU).

Mavs Learning Assist

A compilation of community programs and online resources, lessons, and much more that you can do from the comfort of your own home.

Black History Education

The Dallas Mavericks honor the legacy and contributions of Black leaders from history, host employee engagement activities and invest in Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas’s Black History Month patch designed to help Girl Scouts of all backgrounds learn about Black History Month and appreciate the contributions of Black Americans.

Racial Education Resource Guide

A comprehensive resource guide with videos, books and conversation starters including how parents can talk to kids about racism.

Adopt-A-School

A multi-year commitment to provide financial support and technological resources while walking alongside Adelle Turner elementary school students, families and teachers as tutors and mentors.

Business Development

Provide financial and other resources to the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, Dallas Regional Chamber’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives and other programs to support Black-owned businesses.

David Herr Operation Connectivity

In memory of the late Chief Technology Officer, David Herr, Mavs Take ACTION! is investing in programming to bridge the digital divide in Southern Dallas.

College Scholarships

Provide scholarships, mentorship and support for five DFW area students throughout their respective college careers.

Vaccine Support

Together with Dallas County and UT Southwestern Medical Center, the Dallas Mavericks encouraged fans to get the COVID-19 vaccination and help protect our community. 

Project Unity

Commit financial support and employee volunteer hours to Project Unity’s Community building initiatives – Together We Can, Together We Learn, Together We Dine and Together We Ball, Together We Vaccinate.

PPE to Underserved Communities

Placed a $1 million order of PPE for every students (170,000), teacher (11,000), and staff members (12,000) in Dallas ISD including reusable masks, face shields and sanitizers.

Help Dallas Rebound

To help the Dallas community and businesses rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mavericks donated PPE and made investments with minority business chambers, the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Tomorrow Fund and the Revive Dallas Small Business Fund with The DEC Network.

TD Jakes Foundation

Provided financial support to TD Jakes Foundation’s STEAM Academy.

Foster Care Youth

Align with strategic community partners to assist youth in navigating and overcoming challenges in facing child welfare and justice systems.

Mother’s Against Police Brutality

Provide financial support to Mother’s Against Police Brutality’s Fellowship Program to support moms and families of victims.

Reentry From Prison

Partner with reentry programs and organizations (Oasis Center, Lone Star Alliance, Way Back House, and Texas Offenders Reentry Initiative) to support men and women returning to society after incarceration.

DFW Bigger Than Basketball Coalition

A collaboration of North Texas professional basketball teams working together to address racial inequities and disparities and issues facing our communities across the North Texas region.

Building Bridges Through Basketball

Sponsor basketball camps, clinics and dialogue with Mavs players, youth and police officers to foster unity between communities and law enforcement.

Team Up For Change

Join with other NBA/WNBA teams to address social injustice and explore the intersection of sports, race and the pursuit of more equitable communities.

Shop Talk

Support Shop Talk program that establishes open lines of communication and creates mutual trust between first responders and the owners and customers of community barber shops and salons.

Policing Policies

The Mavs team up with police reform organizations and the Dallas Police Department (DPD) to impact change, including Breaking Bread and Building Bridges, where Dallas police officers, Café Momentum interns, representatives from the Mavs and community faith leaders were joined over dinner by selected civic, governmental and philanthropic catalysts to interact in facilitated conversations that explored the tensions that exist between people of color and the officers of the DPD.

Too Fly Foundation

The TOO FLY Foundation is a creative nonprofit that fundraises and provides travel grants and passports for youth. Since August 2016, TOO Fly has been able to successfully provide over 170 passports for youth to travel and study abroad.

Beyond The Ball

Beyond the Ball was created by Erica Molett, an African-American mother and CEO in Dallas. From biomechanics and business management, to tech advancements and entertainment law – sports is the perfect backdrop for STEM academics and college/career readiness.  We expose student athletes to exciting careers and educate them on the science, math, and innovation intertwined within the sports they love.

The Black Academy of Arts and Letters

This three-week summer enrichment program is designed to give students intensive training classes in theatre with an emphasis on musical theatre which culminates in a full-scale musical theatre production before a live audience. Students were able to take a tour of the AAC and participate in a Q&A with the Dallas Mavericks broadcast Manager and get a first-hand look at what it means to work behind the scenes with the Dallas Mavericks.

Raise Your Voice

Students had an opportunity to explore photography, music, art, and spoken word. Each day they were led by near-peer instructors, community volunteers, and industry professionals to engage in hands-on, multimedia activities that helped them develop observation and technical skills in drawing, painting, printmaking, and various other art mediums.

Bishop Arts Theatre Center

This Summer Theatre and Cultural Enrichment Discovering STEAM Camp was an eight-week exploratory program designed for youth ages 6 – 12 who live in the Oak Cliff and southern communities of Dallas. This allowed students to learn about art through the expression of dance and movement where they had the opportunity to train with our D-Town dance crew.

CAMP Frazier

CAMP Frazier is an eight-week program for kids ages 5 to 14. Students were able to participate in enrichment offerings which included stem-based projects, swim lessons, dance instruction, music instruction, sports and recreation, Community service projects, and fun field trips on Thursdays. One student from their DJ class was selected by their instructor to visit the AAC during the season to shadow DJ Poizon Ivy.

Truth to Power

A joint venture with Mavs broadcaster Jeff “Skin” Wade and Eastwood Music Group to lift voices, shift perspectives and advance change while benefiting DFW’s Black-owned businesses and artists.

D.W. Carter Cheer Team Goes to Nationals

As the #5 team in the nation, the cheer squad from D.W. Carter High School went to Nationals for the first time ever on February 9, 2022 thanks to the support of the Dallas Mavericks.

Watch how we listen, learn and unite

How we came to be

Born out of a need to create sustainable, lasting change, in June 2020, the Dallas Mavericks launched Mavs Take ACTION!, a plan to address racial inequalities, promote social justice and drive change within Dallas/Fort Worth.

Standing strong in the belief that every voice matters and everybody belongs, Mavs Take ACTION! focuses on six systems inclusive of Public Policy, Education, Criminal Justice, Employment, Child Welfare and Healthcare, with initiatives across six key pillars of Advocacy, Communication, Training, Investment, Outreach and Noise, or ACTION!

Our Pledge

The Dallas Mavericks pledge to listen, learn and unite our DFW communities to address racial inequities and disparities, promote social justice, and drive sustainable change. We pledge a minimum $5M investment and 10,000 employee volunteer hours over the next 3 years in Mavs Take ACTION!

Connect with us

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