This Summer, We Ball - Thank You Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation

We are now in the month of July, and with that, summer programming has officially kicked off! One Bold Summer, our premier summer day camp, is currently underway and lets youth from various Los Angeles neighborhoods explore STEM, Arts, Leadership, and Sports without the pressure to become skilled at these activities or to mask who they are in the process. 

Access to such a low-pressure environment is crucial to ensuring our youth can explore these interests, particularly sports, as traditional athletic environments can feel intimidating to queer youth. According to the Trevor Project, 68% of LGBTQ+ youth have never participated in sports, often citing fears of harassment and discrimination from peers and coaches. 

This is why Rainbow Labs prioritizes access to LGBTQ+ coaches who get it and are happy to meet our youth where they are. The result is youth who feel empowered to get on the court and be their truest selves whilst doing so, as Hamida can attest:

“I check in with teammates and try to set a good example. I also love the coaches; they make everything feel positive and motivating. They listen to us and push us in a good way. This change is very important to me because it makes me feel like I am part of something bigger.” 

We’d be amiss not to mention our partner, the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation, as these results could not have been achieved without them. Thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation, we’ve been able to provide hundreds of youth throughout the county with opportunities to participate in sports through One Bold Summer, Sports Labs, and even an official softball team registered with the City of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation. 

To everyone at the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation, thank you. Your contributions have allowed our youth to discover the joy of sports alongside peers just like them.