With an uptick in gun violence plaguing the New York City area, LIFE CAMP Inc.’s co-founder and hip-hop community activist Erica Ford hopes to remedy the ongoing issues by holding the first annual Gaming 4 Peace NBA 2K Tournament on April 6 and 7 at York College. The tournament will feature appearances by Lola Brooke, NBA star Mikal Bridges, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse star Shameik Moore.
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“Life Camp, in its 20-plus years of impact on the ground, in the communities working to make peace a lifestyle, and fighting the systematic disinvestments that support the longevity of gun violence, whether it be environmental, mental health, mass incarceration, non-economic investment, lack of creative opportunities and extended bureaucracy have always looked to create nontraditional pathways for young people especially of color to be able to exercise within a structure they are familiar and comfortable with. So, gaming was a natural course we had to expand upon,” says Ford.
LIFE CAMP is partnering with Play One Up to bring the NBA 2K tournament to life. “We’re using gaming to confront violence and to educate parents, social workers, teachers and engaging young people and young adults who may be forgotten or seen as disposable,” says founder and CEO Brandon Pitts. “We look forward to this event and the ongoing efforts to eradicate gun violence and create safe and healthy communities using creative methods.”
The Gaming 4 Peace NBA2K Invitational will culminate in an in-person championship round, and the winner will receive $25,000 during the LIFE CAMP Game Changers Weekend. To enter the tournament, you must be 18 and older, follow LIFE CAMP on Instagram and register here.
