MISSIONS BEING ACCOMPLISHED
Curry’s social awareness and actions appreciated by many worldwide
If not for the Warriors’ outspokenness and Donald Trump’s impulses on Twitter, the White House would simply represent the president’s official residence and workplace.
Instead, the White House symbolized something else. The Warriors voiced doubts about
visiting there to celebrate their 2017 NBA championship because of Trump’s divisive rhetoric. At the center of that controversy is Warriors guard Stephen Curry. On the morning of the first day of training camp, Trump singled out Curry in a tweet before withdrawing an invitation the Warriors never would have accepted. Five months since that incident, Curry likened addressing the situation as “kind of beating a dead horse at this point.”
“It’s distracting from what I’m doing on a daily basis,” Curry said. “I can’t really let that stuff creep in.”
The Warriors will be here for today’s game against the Washington Wizards. Instead of visiting the White House, as they did with President Barack Obama to celebrate their 2015 NBA championship, the Warriors spent Tuesday visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture with local children. Meanwhile, Curry places a higher priority on ensuring his philanthropic and social causes speak louder than his criticisms of Trump.
“All the noise around our country, the different problems and issues that have arisen and the people that are trying to divide our country puts everything into perspective,” Curry said. “We’re all so small in this world. But we all have an opportunity to do something good and find our unique way to make an impact.”
Well before Curry was one of several Warriors players to express their reservations about Trump, he exerted his influence elsewhere.
Since partnering with the United Nations’ Nothing but Nets campaign in 2012, Curry has used various methods to distribute mosquito nets to protect families across Africa from malaria.
Curry has done so in person, visiting Tanzania in 2013 to distribute nets to parents, children and refugees. Curry has done so with his outside shooting, buying three nets (each worth $10) for every one of the 1,545 3-pointers he has made from 201217. Curry has done so with his shoe sales, donating a net for each of the 15,000 pairs of his new Under Armour shoe sold in the United States and China over a three-day period.
“When he sees that nothing is not right, such as a child dying from a mosquito bite, he does something,” said Margaret Reilly, the executive director of the Nothing but Nets campaign. “He chooses to utilize his platform and position to stand up for what’s right with a lot of composure and a lot of integrity. I really admire that about him.”
Curry made the same impression on ThanksUSA representatives after partnering with the organization to help military families pay for college. Since 2010, Curry has raised about $200,000 for 60 college scholarships for military families. He hosted golf tournaments from 2011 through 2014 that raised about $150,000. Curry asked friends to donate to ThanksUSA in lieu of gifts when he and Ayesha married in 2011, and he provided $25,000 when he won the NBA’s Community Assist award in 2014. He also had his sponsor, Degree, give $10,000 after winning his first regular-season MVP award in 2015 as well as another $5,000 in 2016.
“The military holds him in high esteem,” said Gen. Peet Proctor, a ThanksUSA board member. “We certainly believe we need more individuals, such as himself, that can give of themselves to this nation.”
That service traced to when Curry attended Davidson (2006-09). Then, Curry tutored and read to students at the Ada Jenkins Center, an educational center for local youth. For three years (2012-14), Curry hosted a celebrity golf tournament that raised $210,000 for the educational center. And though Curry has not hosted the tournament recently because of a busy schedule filled with basketball and family obligations, Curry plans to restructure his golf tournaments so it benefits all of his causes.
“I’m proud of him for using the platform to speak up on issues that he sees as important,” said Georgia Krueger, the executive directory of Ada Jenkins Center. “We’re a non-profit so we are apolitical. However, we are also focused on systematic change. The only ways ultimately to reduce racial and cultural disparities are going to be through systematic changes. That’s hard. But until people use their collaborative voices, systematic changes won’t happen. That’s not necessarily a political issue.”
Therefore, Curry has abstained from criticizing Trump publicly on his policies. Instead, Curry is one of many Warriors who have criticized Trump for his rhetoric about minorities, women, the disabled and Muslims. The Warriors condemned Trump for initially refusing to condemn white supremacists for their role in riots in Charlottesville, Virginia, last summer. And the Warriors questioned Trump for referring to NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality as “sons of bitches.”
Curry’s worldview has shaped his involvement with other initiatives.
Curry donated $10,000 toward Colin Kaepernick’s “million-dollar pledge,” while the former NFL quarterback matched Curry’s $10,000 donation to United Playaz, a violence prevention and youth development organization that has worked in San Francisco for 20 years. Curry had partnered earlier with United Playaz to refurbish a court in October at Bushrod Community Center.
Curry has worked with “My Brothers Keeper,” a program Obama spearheaded that focuses on helping black youth with mentorship and financial support. Obama, Chance the Rapper and Curry also filmed a public service announcement for the organization. After serving as a captain for Team Stephen in this year’s NBA All-Star game, Curry donated $150,000 to Brotherhood Crusade, which serves more than 3,000 at-risk youth in South Los Angeles with mentoring and literacy. And after calling the Bay Area “my adopted home” amid his ninth season with the Warriors, Curry said he and Ayesha plan to help more local causes.
“All of those things can add to doing some good and spreading positivity,” Curry said. “That’s all I really want to do and have control of in my own little way. I think there’s a message in that.”
Curry first framed his message when he volunteered for his father, Dell, during his 16-NBA career, most notably with the Charlotte Hornets (1988-98). Then, Curry, his brother (Seth) and sister (Sydel) volunteered at local computer education centers in Charlotte. They also attended community events Dell Curry organized through his foundation.
“I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing and staying true to who I am,” Curry said. “And I’m being respectful and being aware of both sides of the conversation of the discussion going on, and coming at it by being positive. That’s all I can do.”
A picture still hangs on a wall at the Ada Jenkins Center that captures Curry’s impact there. The photo shows a collegeaged Curry sitting and reading with children. Krueger said Curry has remained as engaging with children and staff workers whenever he visits.
“Steph’s just a real person,” Krueger said. “He’s authentic and he says who he says he is.”
Therefore, the various organizations stayed nonpartisan while still offering support toward Curry after becoming the center of attention of the White House controversy.
“It doesn’t really have an impact on us,” said Bob Okun, the ThanksUSA chairman and CEO. “I think he really shows how much he cares about the country, veterans, active duty men and women and their families with continued support through programs like ours.”
Even with those efforts, Curry said he still has encountered backlash on social media about the Warriors’ views on Trump and their lack of interest in a White House visit. He said he has accepted that his philanthropic efforts might not become fully appreciated.
“When people are hating and coming at me from a certain angle, they’re going to hate regardless of what you do. That’s part of the territory,” Curry said. “That’s something I don’t really want to spend my breath on.”