PAM OLIVER TO HOST THE 10TH ANNUAL LA84 FOUNDATION PLAY EQUITY SUMMIT
First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom & NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott Among Speakers
LOS ANGELES – The LA84 Foundation announced today that its annual youth sports summit will be hosted by a renowned trailblazer in the sports media landscape, FOX sportscaster Pam Oliver. The LA84 Foundation Play Equity Summit is Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at the JW Marriot LA LIVE. The summit is centered on the theme, “Elevate Play in a Post-Covid World.”
The summit will focus on how sports, play and healthy movement can transform the educational experience for kids. The path to a rewarding education demands students be engaged and supported. To increase the social, emotional and physical well-being of youth who are currently facing unprecedented challenges, the summit will explore new strategies to elevate the value of organized sports and structured play in the learning environment.
The LA84 Foundation Play Equity Summit brings together researchers, athletes, coaches, and organizations working in youth development, sports, education, policy and philanthropy. The summit will engage with a wide range of leaders to improve the lives of our most vulnerable youth by prioritizing sport and play as essential for a healthy body, mind and spirit – as well as to inspire success in the classroom. As stakeholders and informed advocates, together we are building a play equity movement to support the well-being of kids and remove barriers to access.
“The LA84 Foundation Play Equity Summit is the national connecting moment for a diverse range of leaders and experts to address the urgent challenges youth are facing,” said Renata Simril, President & CEO of the LA84 Foundation. “It is more important than ever before to harness the power of sport and play to support the physical and mental health of kids. We look forward to engaging with our community and collaborating to center the healthy benefits of sport and play in young lives.”
Before the COVID-19 lockdowns in March 2020, young people were already experiencing significant mental, emotional and social health challenges. The pandemic has only amplified these concerns since. Social isolation, increased screen time and economic disruption have left youth stressed and anxious, overweight and many behind in school. Children of color in low-income communities have been particularly impacted.
As we emerge from the pandemic, the imprint of these times will be long lasting. The summit is a deliberate effort to bring the power sport and play into the lives of students for their future success. Through collaboration and thought leadership, we will share a diversity of viewpoints on how to reimagine, expand and fund sport and play opportunities to serve kids, families and communities.
As Senior Correspondent and FOX NFL Reporter, Oliver is established as one of the premier sports reporters on network television. She contributed to the coverage of eight Super Bowls and was the lead feature reporter on FOX NFL Sunday. In 2014, she served as moderator for President Barack Obama’s Healthy Kids and Safe Sports Concussion Summit at the White House. Oliver was inducted into the Florida A&M Sports Hall of Fame for both individual and team accomplishments in track and field. She will be master of ceremonies for the summit on June 28.
Among the featured speakers will be California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee Ronnie Lott, and Simril. The First Partner and Lott lead Governor Gavin Newsom’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being, which is exploring strategies to promote health and wellness among Californians of all ages – and includes Simril among its 16 members.
Additional speakers and panels for the summit will be announced in the coming weeks. For tickets, including a reduced rate for educators with this year’s increased emphasis on sport and play in the learning environment, visit: la84.org/summit-2022/
The title sponsor of the 10th annual LA84 Foundation Play Equity Summit is FOX Sports. Additional sponsors include the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, The Foundation for Global Sports Development, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling and Verizon.
The LA84 Foundation is grateful for the commitment of these organizations to improving access to quality sports opportunities and play equity for youth – and contributing to the development of their health and resiliency.