Mavs Celebrate Black History Month, Focus On Inclusive Future

DALLAS – The Dallas Mavericks are gearing up for a busy month of February full of events and programs to celebrate Black History Month. The Mavs will honor contributions of Black leaders and help focus on building a more inclusive future.

The list of events include: art contests, art exhibits, a speaker series, highlighting Black History Month patch for the Girl Scouts, teaming up with a local boys leadership program, an Esports panel, African American Museum of Dallas Visit and reading to a local elementary school. 

The Mavs play only five games at home in February as star Luka Doncic looks to lead the team upwards in the Western Conference standings: Dallas is currently sixth. Doncic, who currently has the third-best odds (+550) to win the NBA MVP award, is fresh off a game-high 53 points in a 111-105 win over the Detroit Pistons. To tip off the month, Dallas will host the New Orleans Pelicans. 

From the Mavs Organization ... Black History Month activities include:

• Black History Month Art Contest - To honor Black History and inspire future change-makers, the Dallas Mavericks and American Airlines present the 2023 Black History Month Art Contest, open through Feb. 16. Texas students, grades 8 – 12, are encouraged to create and digitally submit a visual medium that interprets the beliefs of past and present black leaders and how they inspired others to unite and join hands for justice. Finalists will enjoy an all-expenses paid trip, courtesy of American Airlines, to Memphis, TN. They will also be special guests at the Feb. 28 Mavs vs. Indiana home game, where their art will be displayed on the concourse.
  
  
• Black Art Exhibits at Mavericks Home Games - The Dallas Mavericks will invite Black artists and art curators to each home game in February to display a pop-up art exhibit on the concourse. Exhibits include the Black Girl Magic Museum and the Daisha Board Art Gallery.
  

• Upstander Speaker Series – On Feb. 7, Dallas Mavericks Employees will join the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum as they host a discussion with Opal Lee, known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, as a part of the Upstander Speaker Series.
  
  
• Girl Scouts Black History Month Patch powered by the Dallas Mavericks - The Dallas Mavericks have pledged $150,000 over three years to the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas to support their diversity, equity and inclusion programming for women and girls in North Texas. Throughout the month of February, the Mavs will highlight the Black History Month patch powered by the Dallas Mavericks designed to help Girl Scouts of all backgrounds learn about Black History Month and appreciate the contributions of Black Americans. On Feb. 13, the Dallas Mavericks will host the Girl Scouts for a pre-game Black History Month event.

• Adelle Turner Boys Leadership Program- The Dallas Mavericks team up with the Turn Around Agenda to bring a boys leadership program to Adelle Turner Elementary School, meeting weekly until the conclusion of the school year. This leadership program will lay building blocks to help develop confident young men who will become leaders to their peers and the community.

• Mavs Gaming Black History Month Panel: Black to Esports – On Feb. 16, Mavs Gaming will host Paul Quinn Students at Esposure for a Black to Esports panel, addressing the lack of diversity and inclusion for BIPOC in the esports industry. These panelists will share their professional journeys, current socioeconomic challenges in the industry, and inspire the next generation to explore all possibilities in esports.
  
  
• African American Museum of Dallas Visit – On Feb. 24, the Dallas Mavericks will join James Madison High School students and Dallas Mavericks Black Employee Network ERG members at the African American Museum of Dallas to view current exhibits.

• Mavs Reading Time Out: BHM edition – On Feb. 27, the Dallas Mavericks will host a Reading Time Out at Adelle Turner Elementary School. The event will feature a player reading a book to the students, as well as a book donation from Melanin Origin for every student.

For more information, please visit mavs.com/blackhistory.

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