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On June 10, 2022, CNN Films held an exclusive private screening of their original documentary Citizen Ashe to students from four New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) Bronx after-school programs. The film documents the evolution of NYJTL’s visionary founder Arthur Ashe, and his rise from tennis legend to global human rights activist.  

“NYJTL is the culmination of our founder Arthur Ashe’s vision to combine tennis and education to change the lives of underserved youth,” says NYJTL President & CEO, Udai Tambar. “We are proud to screen this original film to instill in our children Ashe’s principles of justice, advocacy, and resilience against life’s greatest challenges, teaching them through his example that tennis is much greater than solely what is played on court.”  

An additional thirty NYJTL ACES Afterschool Program (ACES) sites will enjoy exclusive virtual screenings of Citizen Ashe and post-screening reflections during program hours this month introducing thousands of children to this work.  

The ACES students, all coming from the local south Bronx community and poorest Congressional district in the nation, gathered in the state-of-the-art Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning to hear from the film’s creator Rex Miller. The afternoon included an on-court component to actualize Ashe’s vision of utilizing tennis and education as tools for social good. 

“This screening really represents why I love making documentaries,” says Citizen Ashe filmmaker Rex Miller. “Johnnie Ashe, Arthur’s brother, told me that the importance of this project is the educational component, and sharing Arthur’s story. A room of kids, mostly of color, all now know who Arthur Ashe is. I played high school tennis with many of those involved with the creation of the Cary Leeds Center, so it was extra special for me to return and bring this legacy here.” 

Following the film, the students engaged in a weighty discussion. Many students spoke about Ashe’s resilience, leadership, and compassion especially as he navigated his own struggles with AIDS while fighting for marginalized communities. They were struck by the different life skills that tennis taught Ashe, along with his passion for inclusivity. 

“This NYJTL event is so important because it uses film and storytelling as a catalyst to start conversation,” says Chief Operating Officer of Picture Motion Campaigns LLC Juliette Richey, “it introduces a generation to Arthur and his activism for racial injustice and inclusion. Arthur and tennis teach these young kids discipline and leadership. Whether they become athletes or not, these youth build a foundation into adulthood.” 

NYJTL hopes to continue to provide creative mediums to spark meaningful conversations with the youth that we serve, especially connecting them to the life and legacy of Arthur Ashe.

About NYJTL:

The mission of New York Junior Tennis & Learning is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court.  Since 1971, NYJTL has changed lives through tennis, education, healthy living, and character development programs.  Today, it is the largest youth tennis and education non-profit in the nation, reaching more than 85,000 K-12 New York City youth. 

NYJTL provides after school programming in approximately 30 schools and community tennis programming at approximately 40 sites throughout New York City in the summer months and at additional sites that operate during the school year.  In addition, NYJTL designed, funded (with NYC), built and operates the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, at which it provides free and commercial tennis programming year-round as well as life skills, character development and healthy living lessons.  All NYJTL community tennis and after school programs are offered at no cost to its participants. 

Contact: Joe Ceriello
Chief Marketing & Development Officer
jceriello@nyjtl.org
(917) 693-6672 

About Picture Motion Campaigns LLC:

Picture Motion is the leading social impact agency developing award-winning advocacy and marketing campaigns for films, books, art, and entertainment having produced 200+ social impact campaigns for every major social issue including gender rights, racial justice, climate change, criminal justice reform, and many others. Picture Motion’s mission is to leverage storytelling to inspire empathy, convene people, and ignite brave conversations and action. For a decade filmmakers, artists, studios, and brands have turned to Picture Motion’s expert team of impact strategists to amplify their content, mobilize key communities and change makers to drive impact beyond the credits. These campaigns have empowered, educated and provided action opportunities for all audiences. Stories can change the world, we make sure they do. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, and picturemotion.com 

Contact: Juliette Richey
Chief Operations Officer
juliette@picturemotion.com 

The Mayor Dinkins Cup is the largest free junior interscholastic tennis competition in the nation, with players from all over New York City representing public, parochial, and private schools. This year we had 540 entries from public, private, and parochial schools in elementary, middle, and high school divisions and more than 500 kids in individual competitions representing all five boroughs and a total of 283 schools. Click here to see photos of this year’s event!

Formerly the Mayor’s Cup, NYJTL renamed the tournament the Mayor Dinkins Cup to honor NYC’s first Black Mayor and NYJTL Board Member, who served 35 years, David N. Dinkins. Below are the winners of the fierce competition:

🏆 Mayor Dinkins Cup Final Awards Winners 🏆

The annual NYJTL Mayor Dinkins Cup will return to the Bronx from May 26 to June 5, 2022 at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. Eleven scholarships have been awarded that will provide a total of $70,000 to program participants to help them achieve their collegiate ambitions. The scholarships will be presented to the winners during the final day of the tournament at the awards ceremony on June 5, 2022 at 2 pm.  

The $70,000 of scholarship awards for the benefit of underserved students, a significant increase over last year’s total of $5,000, will be presented at NYJTL’s first in-person awards ceremony since the beginning of the pandemic. The ceremony, which is open to the public, will present the young champions from the teams, singles, and doubles categories in addition to the recipients of the 11 scholarship awards. The scholarship awards include the Gavrin Family Foundation Scholarship, established by Metropolitan Commercial Bank; the Louis Marx, Jr. Educational Scholarship; the Victor Kiam “Going For It” Scholarship; and the AYS Leadership and Innovation Scholarship. These are awarded to NYJTL participants with financial need who excel in tennis, academics, and character, and will be renewed annually based on good academic standing. 

“I am honored to support the success of NYJTL’s young people across New York City,” says former Metropolitan Commercial Bank Chairman of the Board of Directors David Gavrin. “Through these scholarships, I hope to help these students achieve their goal of attending college and realize their full potential.” 

The winners are: 

Gavrin Family Foundation Scholarship 

• Derwin Guzman, Bronx, Frederick Douglass Academy, Manhattanville College 
• Sylwia Filonik, Brooklyn, Christ the King Regional High School, St. John’s University 
• Jeremias Contreras, Brooklyn, Homeschool (SFKG School of Applied Wisdom), Kings College 
• Emmanuel Usman, Bronx, Aviation Career and Technical Highschool, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 
• Matthew Usman, Bronx, Aviation Career and Technical Highschool, SUNY Stony Brook University 

Louis Marx, Jr. Educational Scholarship 

• Sara Contreras, Brooklyn, Homeschool (SFKG School of Applied Wisdom), Liberty College 
• Allycia Santa Cruz, Queens, Bard High School Early College, Queens College 
• Dylan Augustin, Brooklyn, Nazareth High School, Brooklyn College 
• Aaron Wong, Queens, Francis Lewis High School, SUNY Binghamton University 

Victor Kiam “Going For It” Scholarship 

• Mary Maccarone, Queens, Bayside High School, Florida Atlantic University  

AYS Leadership & Innovation Scholarship 

• Evelin Perez, Bronx, High School of American Studies at Lehman College 

The awards ceremony will feature dance performances from students in NYJTL’s ACES Afterschool Program. This along with other activities will create a day of fun and festivities to celebrate the winners of the tournament and scholarships.  

“We are so proud to host the nation’s largest free junior interscholastic tennis competition in honor of late longtime NYJTL board member, tennis advocate, and former NYC Mayor, David Dinkins,” says NYJTL President & CEO Udai Tambar. “His dedication to bringing tennis and education to NYC children, like that of our visionary founder Arthur Ashe, has had a tremendous impact on our organization.” 

The NYJTL Mayor Dinkins Cup brings players from all over New York City representing public, parochial, and private schools. Formerly known as the NYJTL Mayors Cup, the tournament was renamed in honor of NYJTL’s late board member and the first Black mayor of New York City Mayor David Dinkins.  

The NYJTL Mayor Dinkins Cup kicks off today at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. The awards ceremony will be held on June 5, 2022 at 2 pm. Come join and cheer on our winners and scholarship recipients! 

For more information on the Mayor Dinkins Cup, please visit nyjtl.org/mayor-dinkins-cup/ or contact Tournament Director Michele Cope at mayordinkinscup@nyjtl.org. For more information on NYJTL scholarships, please visit https://www.nyjtl.org/scholarships/.  

The Mayor Dinkins Cup is the largest free junior interscholastic tennis competition in the nation, with players from all over New York City representing public, parochial, and private schools. Formerly the Mayor’s Cup, New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) renamed the tournament the Mayor Dinkins Cup to honor David N. Dinkins, NYC’s first Black Mayor and NYJTL Board Member for 35 years. This year’s Mayor Dinkins Cup will be held at The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning from May 26 to June 5.

“Renaming the NYJTL Mayor’s Cup in honor of Mayor David N. Dinkins is extra special for our organization as the late Mayor was actively involved in our grassroots efforts, whether it be this championship or at our annual National Essay Contest, throughout his long-standing tenure on our board,” says Udai Tambar, NYJTL CEO & President. “His devotion to the service of NYC children and tennis was evident to all that encountered him and I am happy that his life-long passions will continue to be championed through our work.  Now every NYC youth will have the opportunity to play in this tournament bearing his name.”

History of Mayor Dinkins Cup

Mayor Dinkins had a longstanding connection with tennis, and a cornerstone of his identity as a public servant was his dedication to diversifying the sport. As an NYJTL Board Member, he championed its work to develop the character of youth through tennis and education free of charge to New York City’s most vulnerable populations. He was a close friend of NYJTL founder Arthur Ashe, and in 1990 wrote in The New York Times:“These programs teach our young people more than just tennis. They reinforce values such as discipline, courteousness, good sportsmanship, team spirit and responsibility. And because many of these programs are held within our schools, they teach our children the importance of a good education and encourage them to stay in school.”  In his tenure as the first African-American mayor of the city, he negotiated the deal to create Arthur Ashe Stadium and helped ensure that NYC remained the host of the US Open, cementing the legacy of Ashe and ensuring that this global event stayed in the city. 

Working closely with the Public School Athletic League (PSAL), Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA), local private school coaches, and tennis supporters, NYJTL formed a tournament committee which created the unique format of team and individual events in both singles and doubles competitions. With the support of so many, the formerly named NYJTL Mayor’s Cup became a reality in 1988 and has continued to engage the community ever since.

The NYJTL Mayor Dinkins Cup has offered both individual and team competitions for more than 800 elementary, middle, and high school students. Similar to the NCAA Championships, students of all levels have the opportunity to represent their school as well as to compete in individual events.

NYJTL Scholarships

NYJTL’s vision is to enable youth to grow with the game and it is proud to recognize outstanding youth who excel in tennis, academics, and character. Through the newly established Louis Marx, Jr. Educational Scholarship, Victor Kiam “Going For It” Scholarship, and AYS Leadership & Innovation Scholarship, NYJTL is able to recognize exceptional achievement and award college scholarships to outstanding students. NYJTL scholarships will be awarded June 5 at 2 pm at the closing ceremony.

For more information. please visit nyjtl.org/mayor-dinkins-cup/ or contact Tournament Director Michele Cope at mayordinkinscup@nyjtl.org

On February 12, the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning kicked off Serve & Connect, a community engagement program designed to bring youth and uniformed police together in a fun, physical environment to promote informal mentoring, relationship building, and the delivery of a life skills curriculum. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the program brought together officers from the 42nd Precinct and youth from the community to participate in activities on and off the tennis court.  

Serve & Connect serves youth from communities in the Bronx, many of whom are from the Phipps and Murphy local housing development projects, and supports the initiation of positive relations with the police. The nine-week program takes place on Saturdays from 3-5 PM, which begins with time playing tennis on the court while the officers are in plain clothes, followed by life skills mentoring in the classroom with uniformed officers. Most of the young participants are shocked when they discover that the adults they were enjoying playing on the court with were police officers all along. One of NYJTL’s core values is commitment to community, which includes a dedication to service, diversity, and inclusion. Now more than ever, relations between police officers and community members, especially those of color, are often characterized by hostility and mistrust. The unique Serve & Connect program initiates relationships between young people and the NYPD through positive interactions, mentorship, and trust.  

NYJTL’s very own Recreational Coordinator of ACES, Victor Ayudant, embodies the organization’s commitment to community and character in his volunteerism to the program.  Victor has been a part of NYJTL for eight years, first starting out as a Group Leader at Icahn 2 Charter School. Since the launch of Serve & Connect five years ago, Victor has been volunteering to help lead the program. He was drawn to it because of how officers are able to help the community through tennis. As a longtime member of the NYJTL team, Victor has always been characterized by his passion to serve.Thank you to Victor, Coaches Marilyn and Michael from the Cary Leeds Center, and the youth coordinator officers from the 42nd Precinct for engaging with our young people and building skillsets that will serve them for a lifetime!

New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) is proud to announce a donation of $1 million from the Pershing Square Foundation. This gift will support the NYJTL Scholar Athlete Program, which will offer high quality tennis and educational support to provide a pathway for under-resourced NYC children to attend and graduate from college. After 50 years of successfully providing tennis and academic support for NYC youth, the Scholar Athlete Program will serve as its flagship program and beacon for the entire organization.

NYJTL is excited to continue its relationship with longtime donor and supporter Bill Ackman, who has previously contributed $1 million towards the capital campaign for what is now the Pershing Square Foundation Stadium at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning.

“Over the past 50 years, NYJTL has enabled countless children to develop their foundational tennis skills and provided critically important academic support,” says Pershing Square Foundation co-trustee Bill Ackman. “We are delighted to continue our partnership with NYJTL as it expands its programs to empower under-resourced children in New York to attend and graduate from college.”

“We are so grateful for the support of Bill Ackman and the Pershing Square Foundation,” says NYJTL President & CEO Udai Tambar. “This foundational contribution is pivotal in providing pathways to college for under-resourced youth and gives them the resources needed to excel in their personal and academic ambitions.”

Historically, NYJTL has provided a broad range of programming to under-resourced youth in all five NYC boroughs to get them enrolled in meaningful after-school, weekend and summer activities.

The Scholar Athlete Program will serve as the flagship NYJTL program that highlights the substantial benefits of providing in-depth services to underserved youth. It will launch during the NYJTL 50^th Anniversary Gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on May 4, 2022. The gala will be the culmination of 50 years of service, celebrating the legacy and future of the institution.

About NYJTL:

The mission of New York Junior Tennis & Learning is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court.  Since 1971, NYJTL has changed lives through tennis, education, healthy living, and character development programs.  Today, it is the largest youth tennis and education non-profit in the nation, reaching more than 85,000 K-12 New York City youth.

NYJTL provides after school programming in approximately 30 schools and community tennis programming at approximately 40 sites throughout New York City in the summer months and at additional sites that operate during the school year.  In addition, NYJTL designed, funded (with NYC), built and operates the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, at which it provides free and commercial tennis programming year-round as well as life skills, character development and healthy living lessons.  All NYJTL community tennis and after school programs are offered at no cost to its participants.

NYJTL is looking forward to celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022!

Contact: Joe Ceriello
Chief Marketing & Development Officer
jceriello@nyjtl.org
(917) 693-6672