On August 17, 2024, we celebrated our 10th Annual Safe At Home Game at Georgia Tech’s Russ Chandler Stadium. Now, 90 days later, we’re excited to reflect on the progress inspired by this game and the core values we’re instilling in our youth across Atlanta.
The Safe At Home Game is more than just baseball—it’s a reminder of the resilience and potential of our youth and the importance of creating a safe and empowering environment. As we approach our 11th Annual game on August 26, 2025, we’re building momentum toward a safer, stronger community.
SAFE: Strive, Achieve, Fortify, Empower
Our SAFE framework represents the pillars of our mission:
• Strive: Encouraging youth to set and pursue ambitious goals.
• Achieve: Celebrating milestones and recognizing effort and success.
• Fortify: Building resilience to overcome life’s “curveballs.”
• Empower: Equipping our youth to be leaders and advocates in their communities.
Core Values in Action
Over the past 90 days, we’ve been hosting Core Value Training Sessions at our partner Atlanta Public Schools, working with elementary and middle school students to instill resilience and character. LEAD’s approach, grounded in evidence-based, trauma-informed sports development, uses baseball and tennis to prepare Black youth to overcome challenges related to crime, poverty, and racism. Through this, we’re empowering the next generation to become Major League Citizens, dedicated to transforming their communities and possibly pursuing careers in Atlanta’s law enforcement.
Our efforts align with a larger trend toward a safer Atlanta. On October 29, 2024, the AJC reported that Atlanta’s homicide rate had fallen more than 10%, continuing a downward trend that Mayor Andre Dickens attributes to community partnerships and proactive initiatives. This positive shift is something we’re proud to support through our work with young leaders.
For me, success is seeing our youth rise as leaders and advocates, transforming their neighborhoods with strength and purpose. As we look to 2025, we hope to see you at our next Safe At Home Game on August 26, 2025, marking another year of building leadership and hope.
Stay tuned for more updates, and mark your calendars!
