Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has already achieved plenty in her life, serving as a high-ranking leader for various organizations and a political force in one of America’s most iconic cities.
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Is Former Mayor Of Baltimore
Rawlings-Blake was the mayor of Baltimore, Maryland, from February 2010 to December 2016. After leaving that office she turned to a different form of service, devoting herself to making the world a better place beyond the confines of her city.
After starting a consulting firm called SRB & Associates, appearing on cable TV networks as a political analyst and representing rapper Travis Scott as his spokeswoman in 2021 after a stampede incident at his annual festival caused 10 deaths. Rawlings-Blake became the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Foundation in November 2022.
She says the inspiration for ending her semi-retirement came from attending the premiere of the “Game Change Game” documentary at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival.
“I still get goosebumps when I think about sitting in the theater and looking up at these players and hearing basically my voice being reflected back on me,” she told The U.S. Sun.
She hit the ground running, with her eyes set on guiding NBA players with their philanthropic efforts and making sure these energies are also directed towards improving the community, and in some cases, social and economic activism.
“It was a jump in industry, but not in work,” she told The Baltimore Sun. “I’m dealing with their philanthropy, and as mayor, I worked with players from our team and players from Baltimore who wanted to have an impact on the city. And I know that in order for that work to happen effectively and efficiently, you need to have coordination, and I felt I could bring my experience to help with that — not just in Baltimore, but across the country.”
What Is Team Rubicon?
Not only has she influenced the charity and philanthropy of players, but she played an integral part in helping the NBPA partner with Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian organization built to serve global communities before, during, and after disasters and crises, according to their website.
Through a rapid-response matching grant fund, players can request up to $25,000 go to a disaster relief fund with Team Rubicon.
Art delaCruz, CEO of Team Rubicon was very outspoken about Rawlings-Blake and her efforts with the partnership between the NBPA and his organization.
“There are people who selflessly connect and who are continuing to try to find ways and ensure that these coalitions happen and opportunities aren’t left on the table, and she’s one of them,” he said. “She played a huge role in Team Rubicon being able to elevate our work, our brand, our volunteers and our impact, because she championed this idea that [the foundation’s] members could be part of a community broader than themselves and this idea that as citizens, we can each contribute to the needs of the greater good.”
Rawlings-Blake joined the organization’s eight-member board of advisers in July to help Team Rubicon maximize their reach and impact.
She’s also been influential in the WNBA.
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Is Executive Director Of National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Foundation
As far as her impact with the NBPA, Rawlings-Blake has plenty more in store. She already has a strong rapport with many of the league’s past and present players, and is doing her part to make philanthropy, giving and social awareness a permanent part of the NBA conscience.
Rawlings-Blake finds that dealing with players and facilitating ways for them to provide positive impact in the world is similar to what she did in her previous job as Mayor of Baltimore.
“There are a lot of similarities,” she said. “In my work, I’m trying to help them find their philanthropic voice. So I talk to the players about the things that they care about, and it’s very similar to the work that I did as mayor — talking to your constituents about the things that matter and helping them make that a reality.”
Her transition from mayor to the head of the philanthropic arm of the NBPA has been seamless, and the league has benefited from her wisdom and enthusiasm.
