KANSAS CITY -- Royals general manager Dayton Moore, Kansas City Mayor Sly James and Gold Glove outfielder Alex Gordon all will be on hand for the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy's inaugural fundraising event this Thursday.
The event, being called the Queens of the Diamond, will include a 24-team softball tournament with female leaders from all over the Kansas City community.
The event also will feature a morning of networking and team-building. Moore and James are expected to speak during the morning as well. Gordon and his wife, Jamie, will be present at the lunch program as honorary chairs.
One of the academy's many missions is to offer athletic programs to girls while also helping them develop academically and socially.
"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, which will run from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 1622 E 17th Terrace, will be open only to ticketed attendees.
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.For more information about the event, visit https://www.accelevents.com/events/kcuya.