The 5th Annual Shadow League Awards presented by AT&T Humanity of Connection held on Tuesday, October 30th at The Edison Ballroom (New York City), was an overwhelming success. Over 200 friends and supporters of The Shadow League were in attendance to honor four trailblazers in sports; Basketball Hall of Fame Player and University of South Carolina Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dawn Staley, legendary American Boxer, promoter and social advocate, Bernard Hopkins (aka “The Executioner” and “The Alien”), 3 Time World Boxing Champion & International MMA star Ana Julaton and Fox Sports Broadcaster Gus Johnson.
DJ D-Nice rounded out the evening creating an uplifting spirited vibe with music from several genres that kept the audience on their feet.
Sport journalist and broadcaster from Bleacher Report, Taylor Rooks, served as the Master of Ceremonies introducing attendees to the honorees.
One by one, the honorees shared heartfelt remarks that left the audience both inspired and in awe with legendary American boxer Bernard Hopkins rounding out the awards portion of the night with advice to individuals and entrepreneurs who are still climbing to achieve their dreams. “I am proof that you can achieve success–don’t let no one else discourage you from your dream…they are just “dream-killers”. When you are dreaming you are sleeping…however, in order for your dream to come true, you have to work hard and be on your game to make to your dream manifest and become a success.” said Hopkins.
“Every year we are excited to honor individuals who are making significant contributions in the sports industry and in their communities.” said Yussuf Khan, GM and SVP of The Shadow League. “This awards dinner not only celebrates our honorees; it expresses our gratitude to our “Unsung Heroes” for their remarkable achievements and highlights the work they are doing across the world. Thanks to our sponsors AT&T and Ciroc, we were able to accomplish that goal.”
Before closing the program, Yussuf Khan announced a partnership with the Bronx Borough President’s office and their #NOT62 campaign to combat health issues affecting the borough’s residents. “We are excited to partner with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and his staff on the #NOT62 initiative. The Bronx ranks 62nd out of 62 counties in New York when it comes to health. We will use the power of sports to be a formidable resource for the office to help the borough become healthier, ensuring that it will no longer rank last in New York in the category.”
As the evening came to a close, guests were treated to swag bags with parting gifts from AT&T, Revlon Realistic, Built Bar, Bump Patrol and Enlightened.
Since 2014, The Shadow League has honored and celebrated individuals in sports who excel and remove barriers outside of the mainstream. In an industry that inspires us all to utilize our determination and strengths in a positive way, there are unsung heroes who impact sports in ways that may not be covered on the nightly news, yet their impact resonates on the various courts, fields, arenas and in boardrooms across America.”
Previous TSL honorees have included Claressa Shields, Two time Olympic Gold Medalist and current unified world champion boxer; Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions; David Rone, former President of Time Warner Cable Networks and Time Warner Cable Sports; Richard Cho, former General Manager of the Charlotte Hornets and the first Asian American general manager in NBA History; Andrea Williams, COO of the College Football Playoff and the first African American woman to head a NCAA Division I conference (the Big Sky); Christine Simmons, President & COO, LA Sparks and Terence Crawford, WBO Welterweight Champion.
