Basketball legend, businessman and philanthropist Shaquille O’neal was recently honored with a Bridge Builder Award by the Chief Gregory and Chief Mrs. Felicia Ofili Foundation (CGFO) for his work in the African-American community regarding technology and economic empowerment.
The organization’s annual awards dinner and fundraiser serves as a celebration of humanitarians and innovators whose work has brought lasting change around the globe. The dinner also included an auction, as CGFO raises money to support its programs.
“I appreciate CGFO’s commitment to the power of education and technology to lift people out of poverty,” O’neal said. “I am honored to join CGFO and Dr. (Elizabeth) Ofili in this important work. As a father and an advocate for underrepresented markets, accepting this award is a privilege.
“I’ve been friends with Dr. Ofili and her husband for over a year now. I love taking care of children,” he added. “My mother always told me to give back, help those in need, and be respectful.”
Other honorees included:
- Carolyn Young, the wife of Ambassador Andrew Young and Vice-Chair of the Andrew Young Foundation, who received the Empower Women Award;
- Marlene McLeish, a professor of Medical Education at the Morehouse School of Medicine, who received a S.T.E.A.M. Award; and,
- Dr. Felix Sogade, renowned cardiologist and CEO of Arrhythmia Consultants and Research Institute, who also received a S.T.E.A.M. Award.
“The organization was founded in 2012 as a 501c3 and in 2016 we started the inaugural awards led by Ambassador Young and prominent people who are doing work in the global field,” said Dr. Ofili, an Atlanta-based cardiologist and the executive director of CGFO. “Every year since then, we honor important people. This is another night for that.”
“The Bridge Builder Award goes to those who’ve made an impact here locally, nationally, and internationally and they have made that impact by focusing on women, children, and girls’ with education and giving that education to support community development,” she explained.
O’Neal, who identifies himself as a tech leader, has made investments in Google and with having the first verified Twitter account. The former NBA center serves on the board of Papa John’s and has opened several Papa John’s restaurants around metro Atlanta.
O’neal’s philanthropic efforts include his longterm support of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), an organization he credits with keeping him safe and helping to develop his skills while growing up in Newark, New Jersey. Since 1998, O’neal has worked with BGCA to build more than 2000 technology centers in Boys and Girls Clubs across America and developed an online safety program for children.
More recently, O’Neal has partnered with Arbor Pharmaceuticals on the “Shaquille Gets Real About Heart Failure,” a campaign to help raise awareness of heart failure among African Americans. About the campaign, O’neal said he is passionate about sharing knowledge on heart failure disparity to empower people who are affected to talk to their doctors.
CGFO, which is based in Atlanta and Ebu Delta State, Nigeria, has a mission to support girls interested in science, technology, engineering, and arts culture, mathematics (STEAM) careers through experimental learning, teacher training, and environmental health in underserved rural towns across sub-Saharan Africa.
In collaboration with local community leaders and educators, Ofili said that CGFO prioritizes the education of girls as a vehicle for social change and community economic development. According to CGFO, when girls have access to quality education, there is a ripple effect on family and community economic opportunities for generations to come.
“When we educate girls, we empower women. This work is very important to me because there are many many young girls and boys as well who do not have the opportunity,” Ofili said. “They are very bright and when we as an organization help them with resources, this allows them to be successful and in turn, they can go all over the world to help people that need to be helped.”
For more information about the Chief Gregory and Felicia Ofili Foundation, visit www.cgfo.org.
