NCCU Coach LeVelle Moton Stresses Careers, Financial Literacy at the HBCU Legacy Classic Basketball Showcase and Career Summit
Coach Moton will lead the NCCU Eagles into the Prudential Center to take on the Hampton University Pirates in the Invesco QQQ HBCU Legacy Classic Basketball Showcase. Howard University and North Carolina A&T University will also battle on the hardwood before the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic Career Summit presented by Amazon on Friday, Dec. 17.
I had an opportunity to connect with "Coach Mo" before the tournament, where his squad would play in front of the televised doubleheader on TNT. The Raleigh native and former NCCU standout basketball player shared a few parts of his life's story and principles in a candid interview with me.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY
Coach Moton's career in basketball translates past a gymnasium and locker room, but it extends into the Raleigh-Durham community for career opportunities. His Haitian roots and time on the streets as a young man had him reflect on the importance of his recent mural unveiling in the city.
"I grew up in a housing project in Raleigh, maybe a couple of blocks from the governor's mansion. It was almost like a tale of two cities." Moton was speaking about the cultural and economic divide in the Raleigh area. "Statistics show that there's a 98% chance that three generations of a family in poverty will remain in poverty. I established programs through my foundation to help serve and assist families and children that often misunderstand the impact of debt."
JOB CREATION IN RALEIGH
He remarked on how gentrification has taken hold within a few blocks where he was raised. Community leaders approached him about the mural. Moton worked with a graphic designer to be respectful and "not have it mirror with pictures of just me, make it community-oriented."
Moton sees Raleigh as a "Silicon Valley of the South." His goal is to have the Fortune 500 companies in the area create job opportunities and internships through his foundation and input. "So I partnered with Google to create a job certification program for black, brown, and people in these marginalized communities." He views the opportunities to be trained in web design, computer programming, and many could become certified data analysts. "So now, you can make $75,000 to $85,000 with these corporations once you complete the courses," said Moton.
"I paid for my homeboys' funerals in the last two years. Why? Because they didn't have benefits and insurance packages. Jobs have group benefits packages. So instead of families needing to set up a GoFund Me page to pay for a funeral, through a job's benefits, this can safeguard people in the community."
LeVelle Moton's vision on the job market aligns with the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic Career Summit at the Legacy Classic Basketball Showcase. On Friday, December 17th, the event will be at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, from 10 AM to 6 PM ET.
THE EVENT
HBCU Heroes, a non-profit founded by CEO Tracey Pennywell and NBA veteran, George Lynch, have partnered with the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic Basketball Showcase to host the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic Career Summit presented by Amazon on Friday, December 17th at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ from 10 AM - 6 PM EST. A hybrid event, onsite and virtual attendees can attend fireside chats with professional athletes and entertainers on the keys to professional success themed around building a legacy.
Moton noted, "I wanted to create programs and opportunities for people. Let's teach people how to fish, and not just give away something, give them something that will last more than a day."
Sponsors with recruitment booths will be available onsite and virtually via the Hopin digital platform, including Invesco, Amazon, Audible, Amazon Web Services, Morgan Stanley, Cigna, Capital One, NASDAQ, Intel, Marsh McLennan, Fox Soul, Harris Teeter, Pandora, Procter & Gamble, RingCentral, TEKsystems, Wasserman, Wieden+Kennedy, Yahoo, SEQL, NASCAR, Turner Sports, and Harry Blitzer Sports & Entertainment.
Registration for the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic Career Summit presented by Amazon is free and open to the public: HERE
The next day, Saturday, December 18th, actor and producer Michael B. Jordan, WME Sports, the sports division of WME, an Endeavor Company, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) and Scout Sports and Entertainment, a division of Horizon Media, have partnered to present the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic, a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) men's college basketball showcase that will feature: Hampton University versus North Carolina Central University (1:15pm ET) and Howard University versus North Carolina A&T University (4pm ET) competing in a doubleheader airing exclusively on TNT.
The Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic will also feature an immersive cultural experience highlighting elements of HBCU life and culture, including a band showcase, a live musical performance, college and career opportunities and more. Winners from the Legacy Classic's esports tournament with Cxmmunity and Legacy Classic's partnership with Serena Ventures and MaC Venture Capital's startup pitch competition will also be highlighted during the basketball doubleheader.
Tickets to the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic basketball showcase are on sale now: HERE
WHEN:
- Friday, December 17th – 10 AM – 6 PM ET
- Saturday, December 18th – Game 1: 1:15 PM ET / Game 2: 4 PM ET
WHERE:
Prudential Center – Newark, NJ