36 min
From Philly to Israel, Basketball Camps for Social Change with Jared Armstrong Meant For It
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- Careers
Jared Armstrong, a professional basketball player, is using his love for sports as a tool for uniting, educating, and creating social change in our kids and communities.
Growing up in the vastly different environments of the Maryland suburbs and the inner city of Philadelphia, Jared learned to move between different cultures, ethnicities and religions. Jared’s love for basketball, led him to play professionally in Israel, and Jared’s desire to help others led to starting Jab Camp, a sports camp with a goal of connecting kids of different religions and backgrounds.
We love Jared’s passion and commitment to using sports as a tool for positive change. We discuss the importance of introducing kids to diversity early on. While it’s easier to send your kids to the same local camp where their friends are going, getting uncomfortable, and stretching yourself to be around people different than you is where the magic happens.
https://www.jaredarmstrong.net/about-jared
SIGN UP FOR OUR newsletter here
Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and reach out via email at contact@meantforit.com with your thoughts or suggestions for future episodes. Visit www.meantforit.com for more inspiring stories, and if you leave us a review on iTunes, we'll celebrate with a happy dance!
Favorite Quotes from the Podcast:
"I'm just looking to try to make a difference, make a change. I think, you know, where we're at in society, not just jab camp, but any type of sports camp that can help bridge the gap between communities."
"I think the biggest, I would say fault that I see in my experience so far is more so parents than kids. You know, so many parents are afraid or, they're just used to being in that comfort zone of sending their kids to the same camp with the same kids, same people."
"So it's kind of just of a bigger picture here, you know, to show kids, you know, that number one, basketball and or any sport can take you all around the globe, but also can introduce you to so many different people from so many different walks of life, you know, that you never thought you would meet and you may one day, you know, end up doing business with them or, you know, becoming close friends or marrying someone, you never know. So I'm just trying to use basketball as a tool."
Topics:
(09:57) How did you end up wanting to apply for Israeli citizenship
(14:23) Fell in love with Israel on birthright trip
(19:17) What does it feel like to be black and living in Israel
(21:16) You were there on October 7 - what happened?
(30:32) Sarted a nonprofit to bring kids from different backgrounds together
Jared Armstrong, a professional basketball player, is using his love for sports as a tool for uniting, educating, and creating social change in our kids and communities.
Growing up in the vastly different environments of the Maryland suburbs and the inner city of Philadelphia, Jared learned to move between different cultures, ethnicities and religions. Jared’s love for basketball, led him to play professionally in Israel, and Jared’s desire to help others led to starting Jab Camp, a sports camp with a goal of connecting kids of different religions and backgrounds.
We love Jared’s passion and commitment to using sports as a tool for positive change. We discuss the importance of introducing kids to diversity early on. While it’s easier to send your kids to the same local camp where their friends are going, getting uncomfortable, and stretching yourself to be around people different than you is where the magic happens.
https://www.jaredarmstrong.net/about-jared
SIGN UP FOR OUR newsletter here
Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and reach out via email at contact@meantforit.com with your thoughts or suggestions for future episodes. Visit www.meantforit.com for more inspiring stories, and if you leave us a review on iTunes, we'll celebrate with a happy dance!
Favorite Quotes from the Podcast:
"I'm just looking to try to make a difference, make a change. I think, you know, where we're at in society, not just jab camp, but any type of sports camp that can help bridge the gap between communities."
"I think the biggest, I would say fault that I see in my experience so far is more so parents than kids. You know, so many parents are afraid or, they're just used to being in that comfort zone of sending their kids to the same camp with the same kids, same people."
"So it's kind of just of a bigger picture here, you know, to show kids, you know, that number one, basketball and or any sport can take you all around the globe, but also can introduce you to so many different people from so many different walks of life, you know, that you never thought you would meet and you may one day, you know, end up doing business with them or, you know, becoming close friends or marrying someone, you never know. So I'm just trying to use basketball as a tool."
Topics:
(09:57) How did you end up wanting to apply for Israeli citizenship
(14:23) Fell in love with Israel on birthright trip
(19:17) What does it feel like to be black and living in Israel
(21:16) You were there on October 7 - what happened?
(30:32) Sarted a nonprofit to bring kids from different backgrounds together
36 min