As part of the Reds’ commitment to use their platform to bring positive change following a 2020 summer full of racial unrest, the Reds Community Fund (RCF) hosted a series of virtual conversations for high school students with its Strive Leadership Series.

Using athletes, civic leaders and subject experts, the Reds produced engaging content in a series from November through February geared toward high school students in the form of virtual 60-90-minute sessions. The interactive format included live polls and Q&As, while the topics were intended to enrich, encourage, enlighten and empower the next generation’s vision for what kind of leaders they can be.

National Baseball and Reds Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench used to challenge young players to develop their baseball IQ by saying, “Strive to be better than the situation.” This approach not only inspired the program’s title, it brought the perfect spirit to this high school series designed to yield a greater understanding of the opportunities to advance equality and inclusiveness in the world.

As part of the RCF’s high school seminar series, all student-athletes on 14U-18U teams are asked to participate in at least five seminars. The Strive Series was part of this offering.

“With the Reds’ involvement, and with the backdrop of the many challenges facing teens and young adults, there were greater expectations for our seminars than ever before,” RCF Executive Director Charley Frank said. “In the midst of a global pandemic and on the heels of the summer protests, we needed to provide as much meaningful context as possible for our student-athletes. Plus, with the lack of volunteer opportunities, participation in these discussions became one of our only methods to track engagement. I’m proud of our team for the forethought and execution that led to such an outstanding outcome.”

To help encourage participation, student-athletes who attended three of the Strive Series seminars were able to list the series completion on their professional resume. If they took part in at least four, they would receive an autographed item as a small bonus.

Reds Senior Vice President of Business Operations Karen Forgus, along with RCF Outreach Manager Colleen Cheek and Reds Community Fund Outreach Coordinator Gabby Pape, helped spearhead the initiative. Pape took the lead in getting the program off the ground and making sure it was included in the seminar series.

“As our country united for social justice last summer, I knew I wanted to use my platform to drive education and meaningful conversations surrounding social change for our student-athletes,” Pape said. “In response, the Strive Series was created. Developing this series was important to me because I saw firsthand the racial injustices against the Black community, and I wanted to bring attention to the inequalities. The Reds and Reds Community Fund supported this initiative and worked in collaboration to provide outstanding speakers and tremendous educators.”

A compelling and renowned group of speakers for the Strive Series was headlined by Freedom Rider and now poet and inspirational speaker, Betty Daniels Rosemond. As a member of the Congress of Racial Equality, Rosemond participated in the Freedom Rides in the spring of 1961 when the Civil Rights Movement was gaining momentum. She rode across the country with other young people from many different backgrounds, facing opposition, hostility and violence while nearly losing her life for the cause.

A few of the other guests included Cincinnati Police officer Louis Arnold Sr., who discussed police relations; Reds pitcher Amir Garrett and his fiancé Tausana Tausinga, who spoke about finding your voice; and Reds Hall of Famer Eric Davis, who touched on some of his personal experiences and leadership insights.

Another key ingredient was Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author and teacher Mark Curnutte. The Miami University Social Justice Studies instructor’s pedigree, empathy and passion provided the credibility and continuity that the Series required. His ability to play multiple roles -- moderator, subject and contributor -- was instrumental in making the Series work.

"I am deeply impressed by the Reds Community Fund and RBI program for staging the Strive Series,” Curnutte said. “Not only did the organization see the value in offering continuing education for its middle and high school student-athletes, it tackled some hard and relevant issues like police relations, race, civil rights history and the connection of that movement to today's climate of racial reckoning.

"The sessions were well-planned. The meticulous preparation led to efficient, focused learning experiences for the student-athletes, who stayed engaged remotely. These challenging conversations are important to have if we are to move forward as a society."

Based on the engagement and feedback from all participants and viewers, the Strive Series was a success. But what’s important now is that these conversations and a proactive push for change continue in the weeks, months and years ahead. For the program to hit its intended mark, the hope is that the Strive Leadership Series will prove to be the beginning of a call for constant dialogue, greater understanding and positive action throughout Reds Country and beyond.

To learn more about the Strive Leadership Series and to watch the discussions, visit the Reds Community website.