Indiana Fever and Anthem, Inc. Team Up for Multi-Year Partnership Focused on Sports, Leadership, and Social Justice
February 23 2021 - 10:00AM
Business Wire
Partnership launches “Athlete to Advocate”
executive certificate program with Indiana University Lilly Family
School of Philanthropy
The Indiana Fever and Anthem, Inc. today announced a multi-year
partnership aimed at addressing social injustice, promoting health
and well-being in under-resourced communities, and empowering
athletes to become advocates for change. The partnership with the
Fever is one of four WNBA franchise partnerships launched by
Anthem, with New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta rounding out the
list.
These commitments directly align with Anthem’s work to address
long-standing racial and health inequities facing communities
across the country, and invite each team to partner with Anthem to
make a measurable impact on health challenges in their respective
cities. In a unique partnership element, whenever the four teams
meet during the WNBA season, both teams will come together to host
joint community activities that are part of Anthem’s priority
areas, such as food insecurity and mental health.
The cornerstone of Anthem’s collaboration with the Indiana Fever
is an innovative “Athlete to Advocate” professional executive
certificate program, developed and led by the Indiana University
Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI, that is designed to
equip professional athletes to become effective advocates for
change. Focused on “Sports, Leadership & Social Justice,” this
partnership with the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy will
provide athletes with new, research-based knowledge and skills
related to their leadership roles on and off the basketball court.
The “Athlete to Advocate” program will prepare athletes to raise
social awareness of the causes they support, advance solutions, and
enhance their philanthropic activities and advocacy through their
platform as professional athletes.
“As part of Anthem’s commitment to being both a national and
local leader, we are working in solidarity with our communities to
challenge the status quo and address the factors driving
disparities and inequities in our healthcare system and in society
as a whole,” said Gail Boudreaux, President and CEO of Anthem, Inc.
“This partnership with the Indiana Fever and the Lilly Family
School of Philanthropy, focused on addressing social justice, is
just one more example of bringing our commitment to life.”
“The Fever will continue to use our platform and our resources
to find innovative and collaborative solutions that make life
better for Hoosiers most in need, and this partnership with Anthem
and the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy is a
terrific illustration of that. Chronic racial disparities and
issues of equity are challenges that require bold strategy, and the
Fever remain committed, alongside one of the nation’s most
important companies and the world’s first school of philanthropy,
to not only address these gaps today, but to prepare leaders to
advocate for justice into the future,” Fever President Dr. Allison
Barber said.
The “Athlete to Advocate” five-week curriculum created and
taught by the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy and The
Fund Raising School (both are parts of the Lilly Family School of
Philanthropy) begins the week of February 22. It will equip
athletes to be effective advocates, donors, volunteers, and
community leaders, with a particular focus on issues of racial
justice.
Indiana Fever players and staff will participate in the initial
cohort, including Vice President of Basketball Operations/General
Manager, Naismith Hall of Fame member, and Indiana Civil Rights
Commission (ICRC) 2021 Freedom Award recipient Tamika Catchings.
The program goal is to expand the “Athlete to Advocate”
certification opportunity to other WNBA teams and other
professional athletes in late 2021.
“Women professional athletes have long been leaders at the
intersection of philanthropy, sports and social justice. We are
excited to pilot this important work with Anthem and the Fever to
help athletes make a positive impact in the community, the nation
and the world,” said Dr. Amir Pasic, Dean, Indiana University Lilly
Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI. “The Athlete to Advocate
program is part of our school’s ongoing commitment to collaborating
with our partners in Central Indiana and around the world to
support those who are working to achieve lasting change and make
the world more just.”
Additionally, the Fever and Anthem will partner on year-round
community engagement efforts in neighborhoods throughout Indiana.
As part of the monthly ‘Anthem Assists’ Award, the Fever and Anthem
will recognize Hoosiers across the state who work to advance social
justice and unify communities.
About the Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever have inspired Hoosier girls and women since
taking the court for the first time in 2000. Supported by Pacers
Sports & Entertainment, the Indiana Fever are committed to
competing at the highest level on the court, while also
contributing to essential community engagements off the court. To
stay up to date with the Indiana Fever, download the official
Indiana Fever app on Apple and Android devices. Fans can also visit
feverbasketball.com or call (317) 917-2528 for more
information.
About Anthem, Inc.
Anthem is a leading health benefits company dedicated to
improving lives and communities, and making healthcare simpler.
Through its affiliated companies, Anthem serves more than 110
million people, including approximately 43 million within its
family of health plans. We aim to be the most innovative, valuable
and inclusive partner. For more information, please visit
www.antheminc.com or follow @AnthemInc on Twitter.
About the Indiana University Lilly Family School of
Philanthropy
The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI is dedicated to
improving philanthropy to improve the world by training and
empowering students and professionals to be innovators and leaders
who create positive and lasting change. The school offers a
comprehensive approach to philanthropy through its academic,
research and international programs and through The Fund Raising
School, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, the Mays Family
Institute on Diverse Philanthropy and the Women’s Philanthropy
Institute. For more information, visit philanthropy.iupui.edu,
follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram, and “Like” us on
Facebook.
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Ryan Stevens | Indiana Fever Director of Public Relations
for Fever Basketball | Rstevens@FeverBasketball.com |
309-846-4766
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