These three organizations are launching a joint campaign, #BeKindBeThere, to encourage kindness and share mental health resources

NEW YORK, NY, May 2, 2022 – The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), and Born This Way Foundation are pleased to announce they are coming together to honor Mental Health Awareness Month by creating a call to action to be kind and be there for others. Through this collaboration and with support from the NBPA Foundation, the three organizations will work together to share the message of #BeKindBeThere, promoting acts of kindness toward oneself and others as a way to positively impact mental health throughout the month of May.

The NBPA, WNBPA, and Born This Way Foundation are launching a campaign around this message via their social media channels, where they will share different ways to put kindness into action in support of mental health. The NBPA and WNBPA will also work together with their members and the NBPA Foundation to amplify this message of kindness and highlight the different players’ acts of kindness throughout the month.

To follow the campaign and learn more about ways to be kind, follow the NBPA (Twitter/Instagram) and WNBPA (Twitter/Instagram) on social media throughout the month of May. You can also visit Channel Kindness, a digital platform created by Born This Way Foundation, to find and share inspiring stories of kindness, curriculum to build kinder classrooms, and suggestions for actions you can take today in support of your own and your community’s wellness.

“Throughout my career, I’ve always tried to lead with kindness and create a culture where mental health and wellness are top priorities. Now with the NBPA, I am even more inspired by the work of our players who are leaders in this space, spreading kindness in their communities and advocating for mental health around the world. This partnership is a unique opportunity to use the collective power of our NBPA and WNBPA members in collaboration with Born This Way Foundation to highlight everyday moments where the people around us can do their part to be in service to others.”

Tamika Tremaglio

NBPA Executive Director

“As advocates for mental health and wellness, W players are proud to work alongside their brothers to center women and place a spotlight on how we all handle stress, attend to our emotional needs, and otherwise make healthy choices for ourselves and our families. This campaign reminds us to extend grace to ourselves and to others.”

Terri Jackson

WNBPA Executive Director

"We're proud to partner with organizations like the NBPA and WNBPA who know kindness is directly related to mental health. Young people have told us the acts of kindness that would have the biggest impact on their mental wellness are having someone who checks in on them, encourages them to do their best, or listens when they have a problem. We're honored to work together on the #BeKindBeThere initiative to promote the Be There Certificate, a free, online course created by Born This Way Foundation and Jack.org, to help us all learn how to support someone who may be struggling with their mental health and understand how even the smallest acts of kindness and being there for someone can help make someone's day or even save a life."

Maya Enista Smith
Executive Director, Born This Way Foundation

About the NBPA

The National Basketball Players Association is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA’s mission is to protect and support the rights and talents of our players, magnify the power of their collective will, and amplify their voices as leaders who will transcend sport and society globally.

The NBPA advocates on behalf of the best interests of all NBA players, including through the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, the filing of grievances on behalf of the players, and counseling players on benefits, educational and post-NBA career opportunities. Business opportunities are generated by THINK450, the subsidiary of the NBPA charged with managing the players’ group licensing rights.

Dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members, the NBPA Foundation provides support and assistance to persons, communities and organizations around the world that seek to improve the lives of those in need.

About the WNBPA

Established in 1998, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association is the first of its kind and longest-running union for women athletes. The purpose of the WNBPA is to protect the rights of players and assist them in achieving their full potential on and off the court. The members of the WNBPA are phenomenal and accomplished athletes. Our union members play in the WNBA; and many play for and represent this country in World Championships and the Olympic Games. They play around the world and are, without a doubt, the global ambassadors for the sport.

About Born This Way Foundation 

Born This Way Foundation, co-founded and led by Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, supports youth mental health and works with young people to build a kinder and braver world. Through high-impact programming, youth-led conversations, and strategic, cross-sectoral partnerships, the Foundation aims to make kindness cool, validate the emotions of young people, and eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health. Learn how Born This Way Foundation encourages people to practice kindness toward themselves and their communities through its website bornthisway.foundation and its storytelling platform Channel Kindness at channelkindness.org.

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