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Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty

Today is Blog Action Day 2008.  Last year’s mission was to help the environment, and SportsAgentBlog.com did its small part to notice those in the sports world who have been going green and encourage others to follow suit.  This year’s goal is to make a difference by having over 7,500 bloggers post about poverty.  Those 7,500+ sites have a total readership of over nine million.  I have once again signed up this blog to take part in this effort to promote a good cause.  What can sports agents do to raise awareness about poverty and potentially reduce its footprint?

We can follow the lead of Glenn Toby.  Glenn, himself, had to deal with poverty as a child.  He went from not knowing if he would have a comfortable place to sleep at night to becoming a sports and entertainment executive worth many millions.  He has represented LL Cool J, 50 Cent, and Asante Samuel among many other big name clients.  Still, with all of his success, he gives back to those who need money a lot more than he does.  Toby is doing his part to ensure that young disadvantaged children have more opportunities than he did growing up.

Glenn Toby has gone from homeless to hero.  With all of his great achievements, he takes the most pride in the creation of the Book Bank Foundation.  It was formed in 1997 with the goal of boosting literacy among the nation’s youth.  Its mission is to make a positive impact on the communities in which we live by providing homeless children and their families resources for combating illiteracy.  The emphasis is placed on helping inner-city children who are often poverty stricken.

Dr. Cornel West, a popular professor at Princeton University, has noted, “Poverty is what has created & shaped Glenn Toby.”  Dr. West’s words are very inspiring, but trumped by this quote by Mr. Toby: “Homeless does not mean helpless.”  Do your part and either help Mr. Toby advance his Book Bank Foundation, find another worthy cause that raises awareness and helps out those who are poverty stricken, or start your own initiative.  Blog Action Day is all about doing something.  Even if it means donating a piece of memorabilia from one of your clients so that the money made from its sale goes to help out those who need the money, you would be doing a part in helping out our world.

For information on the Book Bank Foundation:

The Book Bank Foundation Inc.

Phone: (718) 989-2168

Fax: (718) 989-2168

Email: info@thebookbankfoundation.org
Web: http://www.thebookbankfoundation.org

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

4 replies on “Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty”

sounds like a cool foundation.

for my part, i turn to sites like freerice, kiva, and goodsearch, as ways to help alleviate poverty online.

saw this post via the front page of blog action day. it’s great that you’re participating. 🙂

I was one of the 11,000 who wrote poverty blogs yesterday. However, my blog was something I’ve been writing for three years to connect volunteers and donors with non-shcool tutor/mentor programs in Chicago and other cities. In the past year I’ve added one former Northwestern University football player to my staff (http://cabriniblog.blogspot.com) and one former University of Illinois and former NFL quarterback to my leadership.

We’re trying to show how athletes can be exceptional mentors in these programs, and how high profile athletes can draw volunteers and donors to one or many programs in the city where they grew up, where they went to college, or where they play pro ball. Here’s a pdf showing how an athlete might extend what he/she is already doing, to something that becomes strategic. http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/Partner/CC/Presentations/Leaders/Make%20the%20Connection1.pdf

I’d like to see thousands of versions of this, in many formats, on the blogs and web sites of pro athletes and sports teams. This would turn the athletes into coaches, who point resource providers to all of the places in a community where kids need help. If you or others take this role, please share your blog address with us so we can give you recognition in ways that others will follow your lead.

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