The Uptown Basketball Academy (UBA) is a community initiative based in Washington Heights by Uplift NYC. Since 2014, UBA has hosted a summer adult & youth basketball tournament in the Raul Wallenberg Playground, behind the George Washington HS Campus, 189 & Amsterdam Avenue. It is an entirely community led initiative that has drawn intergenerational, multilingual crowd of nearly 200 persons per ga
me. In this time, UBA has also hosted free basketball clinics by pro athletes, a summer block party, back to school giveaway, and intermission performances by young community artists. Space has also been created during games for partners and community organizations to table, distribute, and promote free services and campaigns critical for residents to learn of. Public schools within our district and citywide have faced financial and personnel cuts effectively eliminating the availability of diverse, extracurricular activities. In addition, within the community, there are few spaces that are free and low cost that is developed, led, for youth and by youth. Young women also face larger barriers in accessing quality team sports activities. Within the larger community, Washington Heights continues to experience issues related to absenteeism, incarceration, and healthy living. Within the last two years, nearly 45% of attendees are youth within our target population who lack spaces for basketball skill development, mentorship and support, and year round spaces to play. It is our goal through the academy to strengthen the relationship, resources, and accessibility held by both schools and community.
