The Kansas City MLB Urban Youth Academy will host its inaugural fundraising event, Queens of the Diamond, this Thursday, August 30. The event will feature 24 teams of women leaders from the Kansas City community competing in a softball tournament at the Academy, while enjoying a morning of networking and team-building. All proceeds from the event will directly fund girls' programming at the Academy. Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear from Royals Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Dayton Moore and Mayor Sly James during a morning program, as well as event honorary chairs Alex and Jamie Gordon during the lunch program.
With limited softball opportunities within the urban core of Kansas City, the Academy offers impactful athletic programs to girls while also helping them develop academically and socially into high-character leaders. The Academy's programs not only focus on growing the games of softball and baseball, but also educational supplementation, social opportunities and professional development. 
"We are honored that Kansas City's women leaders have chosen to come together to ensure lasting positive change for the girls in our community," said Darwin Pennye, Kansas City MLB Urban Youth Academy Executive Director. "We believe in the power of baseball and softball. Instilling a love for this sport and utilizing it to promote positive character development, academic enrichment, and improved health are the primary goals of the Academy. Without the tremendous support of the community through events like Queens of the Diamond, we could not achieve our mission." 
The event will feature teams sponsored by: C. Duryee Consulting, LLC; City of Kansas City, MO - Office of the Mayor; Commerce Bank; Hallmark Cards, Inc.; Husch Blackwell LLP; JE Dunn Construction; Kansas City Area Development Council; Kansas City Royals; Kansas City Southern; Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences; KCP&L; Metropolitan Community College; Midwest Sports Productions; Populous; Price Chopper; Research Medical Center; and Sprint/Samsung. Additional sponsors include: The Dayton Moore Family Foundation; Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; The University of Kansas Health System; Pepsi; CBIZ; Stinson Leonard Street; Aetna; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City; Burns & McDonnell Foundation; City of Kansas City, MO - Councilman Jermaine Reed; Mark One Electric Co., Inc.; Sunlighten; UMB Financial Corporation; UnitedHealthcare; Crestwood Equity Partners; Fusion Fitness; Jason Dalen and Kathleen Boyle Dalen; and Terracon Consultants, Inc.
The event, which will run from 7:30am to 1:30pm, will be closed to public, open only to ticketed attendees and the media.
About the Kansas City MLB Urban Youth Academy:
The Kansas City MLB Urban Youth Academy officially opened in 2018 to serve its mission of empowering Kansas City's underserved youth through baseball and softball, as well as academic and social opportunities, to be the leaders of tomorrow. Through our programs, we will build a strong foundation for Academy participants, based on work ethic, leadership, responsibility, accountability, and moral principles. This foundation will allow Academy participants to acquire that unwavering strength of purpose that is the keynote of all individual success. For more information, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/KCMLBUrbanYouthAcademy or www.twitter.com/kc_uya or visit www.mlb.com/kcuya.