Two days before he laced up his shoes for the 2025 NBA All-Star game, Steph Curry arrived at East Oakland Pride Elementary School in Oakland, California, with his wife, Ayesha, and 300 other volunteers. They’d come to spruce up the grounds by planting trees, building benches, and painting murals.
The event was one of many taking place on the sidelines of the NBA’s biggest weekend. NBA players took time to give back to the San Francisco Bay Area, the host of this year’s NBA All-Star Game, through a series of events hosted by NBA Cares and the NBA Foundation. Stand Together supported these events by providing over 20 volunteers, including Stand Together partners Sal Khan and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-DMC.
The day of service at the school followed the All-Star Pitch Competition, in which Bay Area social entrepreneurs pitched their ideas to a panel of judges for a $75,000 grant.
The events were aimed at supporting an education environment that works for all and uplifting entrepreneurs committed to providing more people with opportunities. But the weekend demonstrated a much bigger idea: If you empower others — be it in the classroom or in business — it moves people to contribute in bigger ways, positively impacting even more people.
Let’s go behind the scenes at this inspirational weekend:
Seven early-stage startups from the Bay Area took the stage at the pitch competition at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. They presented their innovative business ideas to a panel of judges, all competing for cash prizes and invaluable feedback from some of the NBA Family’s most influential leaders.
The NBA Foundation, in collaboration with the Golden State Warriors and the Kapor Center, hosted the event with support from Stand Together.
Judges included:
- Chiney Ogwumike, WNBA All-Star and ESPN host
- Spenser Skates, CEO and co-founder of Amplitude Analytics
- Angela Yee, host of the syndicated radio show “Way Up”
- Chase Koch, executive vice president at Koch, Inc. and founder of Koch Disruptive Technologies and Stand Together Music
- Rebecca Quick, co-anchor of CNBC’s “Squawk Box”
Their expertise and insights challenged the entrepreneurs and provided them with actionable feedback to refine and grow their ventures.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the finalists were selected from thousands of applicants. The NBA Foundation, started in 2020, supports organizations focused on economic opportunity for Black youth.
Excitement filled the room as the finalists stepped onto the stage, welcomed by enthusiastic cheers from the crowd. Each entrepreneur presented a unique vision focused on empowering communities — ranging from tech-driven solutions to impactful social initiatives.
In the end, Rézme, a Palo Alto-based startup founded by Jodi Anderson, emerged as the competition’s big winner, securing the top prize: a $75,000 grant from the NBA Foundation.
Rézme is tackling a critical issue — helping formerly incarcerated individuals re-enter the workforce. By ensuring background checks align with the hiring process and connecting employers with relevant hiring incentives, the startup is breaking barriers to employment and creating second chances for many.
“This is about more than just a business,” Anderson said. “It’s about transforming lives. The support from the NBA Foundation will allow us to reach even more people who deserve a fresh start.”
Sign up for the Stand Together newsletter and get stories, ideas, and advice from changemakers to help you tackle America’s biggest problems.
Hosted by Steph and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, the NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service at East Oakland Pride Elementary School mobilized over 300 volunteers — including NBA stars and local leaders. They worked together to transform the school’s outdoor space by planting trees and shrubs, creating a nature exploration area, building benches, and painting murals to create a more enriching learning environment for students.
The Currys emphasized that every child should have the chance to flourish in an environment that supports both their well-being and academic growth. They expressed their admiration for the incredible effort put forth by their dedicated community of volunteers, which made this their largest schoolyard transformation yet.
Among the notable figures present was Martin Luther King III, son of civil rights icons Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Alongside other members of the King Family Foundation, he met with volunteers, students, and teachers, emphasizing the power of service and unity.
Colette Weintraub, head of Stand Together, Music, Sports & Entertainment, joined the volunteers.
Stand Together partner and hip-hop legend Darryl “DMC” McDaniels from Run-DMC also joined in, working side by side with volunteers.
He pointed out that while some neighborhoods face challenges like violence and hardship, they are also home to children learning, playing, and growing. He stressed the importance of acknowledging and sharing all aspects of these communities.
Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, and his eldest son, Imran, added their own contribution —building planters for the school’s garden.
Khan emphasized that success is rarely a straight path, even if it may seem like others are moving ahead quickly. He said everyone is navigating their own journey and figuring things out along the way. He encouraged people to step outside their comfort zone, develop skills, seek mentorship, and make room for personal passions.
Through mentorship and hands-on action, Stand Together and its partners created a weekend that was about more than just basketball — it was about unlocking human potential and building a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
The Stand Together community partners with changemakers who are tackling the root causes of America’s biggest problems.
Learn more about Stand Together’s top issue areas and explore ways you can partner with us.
These organizations are challenging the status quo and unleashing innovation.
Philanthropist and business leader honored for transformative contributions to individual freedom and societal progress
You don’t have to be a pro athlete to put their lessons to work in your own community.
AI can be used to prevent wrongful incarceration, offer mental health access to millions, and gamify daily wellness.