SAYA! to Unite Community through Basketball
South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!) will host its Second Annual Hoops for Hope Basketball Tournament

WHEN: Saturday, May 1, 2010
WHERE: SAYA! Center, 54-05 Seabury Street, Elmhurst, NY

The tournament will consist of 12 youth and volunteer three-player teams. Last year’s event drew nearly 100 local youth and community members.

The Hoops for Hope Basketball Tournament was created by both a Muslim and a Hindu SAYA! volunteer to demonstrate the solidarity of South Asian Americans in response to the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India.

The tournament is organized by SAYA!’s Young Professionals Action Council, a group of South Asian professionals who donate their time and organize other South Asian professionals to support SAYA!.

Donut Plant will donate food for the event, and Sae-a will print free t-shirts for all the players. The t-shirts will display a logo designed by a youth and selected from SAYA!’s logo design competition.

SAYA! was founded in 1996 with the mission to create social change and opportunities for South Asian youth to realize their fullest potential. It offers academic support, leadership development and athletic activities to low-income South Asian youth ages 5 to 19. Through its center and programs in five Queens public schools, SAYA! serves nearly 600 youth each academic year.