This year, Black Child Legacy Campaign launches its eighth season of Kings and Queens Rise (KQR) Co-ed Youth Sports and Mentoring League—an initiative to prevent and interrupt violence by engaging Sacramento’s young people through inter-community sports activities. Focused on basketball, cheer and mentorship, this eight-week league will run from June 21 through August 23 and feature 24 teams composed of nearly 400 youth from 4th through 11th grades.
“The start of our eighth season shows just how deeply rooted Kings and Queens Rise has become in Sacramento’s neighborhoods,” said The Center at Sierra Health Foundation Founder and CEO Chet P. Hewitt. “This league is more than basketball and cheer—it’s a proven violence prevention strategy that creates safe spaces for youth to grow, lead and connect across neighborhoods. With trusted partnership from the Sacramento Kings, Black Child Legacy Campaign community partners and hundreds of local families, we’re building a culture of safety, belonging and opportunity that lasts far beyond the summer.”
KQR was created in response to the tragic killing of Stephon Clark in 2018, to commemorate his life while creating safe spaces for youth. The league brings together youth from eight neighborhoods in Sacramento—Arden Arcade, Del Paso Heights-North Sacramento, Foothill Farms-North Highlands, Fruitridge-Stockton, Marina Vista, Meadowview, Oak Park and Valley Hi—to foster friendships and unity. Black Child Legacy Campaign community partners in each neighborhood provide safe spaces for practices, cheer and season games, and coaches are trained, trusted adults from these partner organizations. Last year, KQR saw 24 teams with nearly 400 players throughout these Sacramento neighborhoods.
Over 100 games, players will develop invaluable skills of teamwork, conflict resolution and communication. In past seasons, youth participants shared that KQR helped them feel safe and valued, build new friendships, minimize stress, learn new life skills, receive mentorship from their coaches and have fun.
Kings and Queens Rise is hosted in partnership with the Sacramento Kings, Sierra Health Foundation and My Brother’s Keeper. Watch this video on Instagram to learn more.
