Basketball event to help prevent youth violence in Montreal

A basketball event focused on preventing youth violence took place in Montreal on Thursday night.

The event features civil rights icon Charles A. Black from Atlanta and Trevor C. Williams, former NBA player and founder of Trevor Williams Kids Foundation.

It’s being held at the Centre sportif Côte-des-Neiges, located near the school where 16-year-old Jannai Dopwell-Bailey was killed in 2021.

“Within the concept of coaching, I teach life, you know? I teach life and make sure these young ladies that I coach right now elevate themselves and graduate and do positive things in society. We’re having a discussion to see how we can piece things together and make these young ladies’ dreams come to reality and how we can collaborate and work together,” said Trevor C. Williams, who also coaches basketball at Dawson College.

“I’ve been doing basketball for 30 years right and it’s a shame, it’s a shame because every summer I’m looking to get a facilities to run basketball camps, run tournaments and invite teams down to play and we can’t find them. Either the gym is on renovation, either the jack of the gym 50 to 60 per cent that we can’t afford. There’s so many empty buildings for the homeless situation that’s going on and I don’t understand in the summertime the school buildings are closed and they wouldn’t let us use the building.”

Charles Black, a key leader in the Atlanta Student Movement, played a crucial role in negotiating with city leaders from 1960 to 1962 to desegregate Atlanta. His efforts led to the desegregation of public education, transportation, movie theaters, department stores, and City Hall.

Black was one of only eight students to enroll in a seminar on modern social philosophy taught by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

He was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor for Lifetime Community Service by President Barack Obama.

“Women are on the rise on the basketball court. We’re beginning to recognize that there’s a whole lot of talent among the women. And [Trevor C. Williams] is the past commissioner of the WNBA. And I hope to talk to her tonight or tomorrow about some connectivity between the WNBA and Montreal, between Atlanta and Montreal, because you talk about needing basketball space,” added Black.

For young basketball player Regan Cornford, listening to those two legends was a powerful inspiration to chase her dreams.

“It was a really good experience. They’re very inspiring people with what they’ve done for the community. It’s really admirable to see what I can do in the future as well. Yeah, they’re just doing a lot of great things for the future and the youth,” said Cornford.