MLBs list of All-Star festivities for fans and the Washington D.C. community is plentiful and all encompassing. Theres something for everyone in D.C. this week, from diversity driven fans to the casual fan to the baseball junkies. Child-friendly and interactive activities, informative, educational and historical exhibits help create an electric atmosphere leading up to the MLB All-Star game.
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DC is the #SportsCapital + business, sports, culture, arts, diversity – hear all about it @MLB Culture + Code event @BlindWhino Saturday from 10AM – 7PM #CultureandCode @DMPEDDC @TheEventsDC Future leaders and fans can register here: https://t.co/RwRpUYRl09 #AllStarGame2018
Valuing and increasing diversity has been a major theme for MLB ever since former Commissioner, Bud Selig made it his mission to ensure that the contributions of Hispanics and African-Americans throughout baseball history are preserved and celebrated and the cultural aspects of their existence are highlighted and shared with current generations.
Because MLB has this long-standing commitment to diversity, we continue to invest a lot of our time, efforts and money to make sure that we’re moving the needle in regards to this agenda, Rene Tirado, MLBs Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Head of Diversity & Inclusion told The Shadow League in an exclusive interview back in October of 2017 when she assumed the post.
Baseballs the first league to ever have a diversity and inclusion department. This is a priority for the commissioner. Hes encouraged us to think outside the box and be creative.”
The fruits of that freedom current MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has awarded his diversity executives is on display this week in the nation’s capital. CULTURE + CODE is an event that combines baseball, technology, fashion and artistic culture to create one big all-day extravaganza.
Major League Baseballs Diversity and Inclusion Department alongside Events DC, will provide a day of panel discussions, guest speakers and fireside chats on topics that highlight entrepreneurship, E-Sports, culture and the arts thriving within our nations capital.
CODE + CULTURE takes place on Saturday, July 14th, 2018 from 10 am – 7 pm at BLIND WHINO SW ARTS CLUB located at 700 Delaware Avenue SW Washington D.C. 20024. The intent of the multifaceted extravaganza is two-fold; highlight the diversity of DC and expose a new generation to the MLB. The event will provide a platform of discussion topics most relevant to future leaders and fans of our game ahead of the 2018 All-Star Game. Sneaker culture, art and theatre, and entrepreneurship in tech are among the hot topics.
Special guests include Sway, performer Chris Jackson from Hamilton, the world famous DJ Clark Kent, Kickstradamus and Duk Ki Yo. Fans will be able to capitalize on the FortNite craze with a FortNite Derby in the gaming lounge, where they can compete against Major League Baseball Futures Players like Hunter Greene, 2017 No. 2 overall pick of the Cincinnati Reds.
Featured artist Napkin Killah will be on site killing baseballs with his custom drawings.
And when the lights go out in the city, that’s when the party truly starts as the MLB Culture + Code After Party at The Park featuring DJ Clark Kent will rock on all night like a 22-inning game.
RSVP for Code + Culture event here
If you are planning on hitting up DC for the All-Star Game festivities, dont miss this warm up event. It will be the most lit event of the weekend and it’s the perfect way to get the community involved in celebrating MLBs All-Star week.
The schedule of events for CULTURE + CODE listed below
10:00 – 11:00 | REGISTRATION – BRUNCH – REFRESHMENTS (LOUNGE)
WELCOME BY JAMES ANDREWS – OPENNEST
MUSIC BY DJ ALIZAY
11:00 – 12:00 | FIRESIDE CHAT – THE LOVE OF THE GAME (ART ANNEX)
CONVERSATIONS WITH BOB KENDRICK – PRESIDENT OF THE NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL MUSEUM
INTERVIEWER: SWAY CALLOWAY – SHADE 45 SIRIUS XM RADIO
12:10-1:10 PM | ENTREPRENEURSHIP AFTER THE GAME (LOUNGE)
A DISCUSSION ON POST CAREER INVESTMENT AND MOTIVATION AS WELL AS STORIES/EXPERIENCE ON BUILDING A BUSINESS AND BRAND BEYOND THE GAME.
MODERATOR: MALCOLM LEMMONS – FOUNDER OF PLAYERS POINT AGENCY
PANELISTS:
QUE GASKINS – CHIEF BRAND & GROWTH OFFICER, THINK450
ROGER MASON JR. – VAUNT
ASANI SWANN – FOUNDER, CHIEF STRATEGIST, BUSINESS BEYOND THE BALL
BRENDAN HARRIS – ATHLETE IN RESIDENCE @ SEVENTYSIX CAPITAL
1:20 – 2:20 PM | FIRST PITCH (LOUNGE)
THREE LOCAL D.C STARTUPS PITCH THEIR IDEAS FOR THE FIRST TIME – WHERE BASEBALL AND INNOVATION TEAM UP TO FIND FUTURE BUSINESSES AND THEIR FOUNDERS.
MODERATOR: KP REDDY
CONFIRMED JUDGES:
ASANI SWANN – FOUNDER, CHIEF STRATEGIST, BUSINESS BEYOND THE BALL
ANGEL RICH – CEO OF WEALTHY LIFE
MARLON STEPHEN – AUTHENTICATED, TORONTO TECH COMMUNITY
BRENDAN HARRIS – ATHLETE IN RESIDENCE @ SEVENTYSIX CAPITAL
2:30-3:30PM | KICKSTRADOMIS LIVE CUSTOMIZATION (ARCADE)
KICKSTRADOMIS IS COMING TO DC AND EAGER TO SHARE HIS PROCESS WITH ATTENDEES. HE WILL TAKE A PAIR OF BASEBALL CLEATS AND TURN THEM INTO A WORK OF ART USING JUST AN AIRBRUSH, TAPE, AND SOME PAINT. GATHER AROUND AND ENJOY THE SHOW!
SNEAKER CUSTOMIZER WHO HAS TAKEN THE NBA BY STORM. HE HAS CREATED CUSTOM SNEAKERS FOR KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS, JAMES HARDEN, DAMIAN LILLARD, HASSAN WHITESIDE, KRISTAPS PORZINGIS, DONOVAN MITCHELL, RUDY GOBERT, RICKY RUBIO, LAVAR BALL, AND MORE. HE HAS WORKED WITH BRANDS LIKE TROLLI, STOCK X, ADIDAS, NBPA, XBOX, AND FORTNITE.
2:30 – 3:30PM | FROM THE DISTRICT TO THE WORLD (LOUNGE)
HOW D.C. NATIVES AND RESIDENTS ARE MAKING THE WORLD BETTER AND D.C MORE INCLUSIVE; FEATURING CULTURAL INDUSTRIES THAT ARE DRIVING DC’S NEW INNOVATION ECONOMY INCLUDING CHEFS, SCENE OF CREATIVES, MUSICIANS & MORE HIGHLIGHTING THE MAYORS INITIATIVE TO MAKE D.C. THE MOST INNOVATIVE AND INCLUSIVE CREATIVE ECONOMY.
MODERATOR: CAROLINE PUGH (RESIDENT)
PANELISTS:
ANGEL RICH – CEO OF WEALTHY LIFE
IAN CALLENDER – BLIND WHINO
MODI OYEWOLE – CO-FOUNDER TRILLECTRO (MD)
VICTOR NGUYEN-LONG – CREATIVE STRATEGIST (VA)
KATALINA MAYORGA – EL CAMINO PART OF EMERGING CREATIVE ECONOMY IN THE CITY
AISHA BOWE – CO-FOUNDER & CEO OF STEMBOARD // NASA SCIENTIST, DEVELOPER
BRENDAN MCEACHERN – FOUNDER OF BROCCOLI FEST
3:00 – 5:00PM | CARICATURES AND DRAWINGS WITH NAPKIN KILLA (COURTYARD)
3:40-4:20PM | FIRESIDE CHAT – ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY (LOUNGE)
ROUNDABOUT WILL DEBUT THE PLAY, TONI STONE, CHRONICLING THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE FIRST WOMAN TO PLAY IN THE NEGRO LEAGUE. BASED ON THE BOOK CURVEBALL, THE REMARKABLE STORY OF TONI STONE BY MARTHA ACKMANN, JOIN US TO HEAR A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE WOMAN BEHIND THIS FORTHCOMING ADDITION TO THE STAGE.
TONI STONE IS AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BASEBALL STATS. SHES GOT A GREAT ARM. AND SHE DOESNT UNDERSTAND WHY SHE CAN’T PLAY WITH THE BOYS.
UZO ADUBA (“ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK,” GODSPELL, THE WIZ) KNOCKS IT OUT OF THE PARK AS THE FIRST WOMAN TO GO PRO IN THE NEGRO LEAGUE.
FEATURING A BULLPEN OF PLAYERS CROSSING AGE, RACE AND GENDER TO PORTRAY ALL SUPPORTING ROLES, TONI STONE IS A VIBRANT NEW PLAY ABOUT STAYING IN THE GAME, PLAYING HARD, PLAYING SMART AND PLAYING YOUR OWN WAY.
MODERATOR: CHRIS JACKSON – ACTOR, HAMILTON
PANELISTS:
PLAYWRIGHT – LYDIA DIAMOND
PRODUCER – SAMANTHA BARRIE
AUTHOR – MARTHA ACKMANN
4:30 – 5:30PM | GAMING PANEL (LOUNGE)
ESPORTS INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND FORMER ATHLETES JOIN A DISCUSSION ABOUT THEIR LOVE OF GAMING AND HOW ITS CHANGING THE FACE AND FUTURE OF SPORTS.
- THERE ARE 8 MILLION KIDS TODAY THAT DONT PARTICIPATE IN ANY SPORTS, AND THERES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GET ENGAGED, DEVELOP AN AFFINITY FOR THEIR SCHOOL, TO JUST BE A PART OF SOMETHING THATS BIGGER THAN THEMSELVES.
MODERATOR: LAZ ALBERTO – VP OF BUS DEV, PLAYVS
PANELISTS:
CHRISTIAN FRIEDRICH – FORMER PADRES PITCHER
BEN NICHOL – NY METS OVERWATCH LEAGUE
COLLETTE GANGEMI – NY METS OVERWATCH LEAGUE
JOSH HAFKIN – THE GAME GYM
5:40- 6:40PM | SNKR INC. – THE KICKBACK (LOUNGE)
SNKR INC. WILL COME IN AND RUN THEIR SHOW “THE KICKBACK” AS A PART OF THE SNEAKER PANEL HIGHLIGHTING THE EXPLOSION OF SNEAKER CULTURE, CUSTOMIZATION, AND COLLECTING.
MODERATOR: STEEZUS
PANELISTS:
KICKSTRADOMIS – SNEAKER DESIGNER
DJ CLARK KENT – 30+ YEAR MUSIC VETERAN. SNEAKER KING
DUK KI YU – FOUNDER / OWNER, MAJOR
JOHN GEIGER – FOUNDER, JOHN GEIGER CO
COLLETTE GANGEMI – FORMER VP GLOBAL FOOTWEAR MERCHANDISING, DC SHOES
