LADF CEO Nichol Whiteman (center) poses with the 2023 JRF Scholars (Carrie Giordano/Los Angeles Dodgers)
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) as well as the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation’s (LADF) 10 years Reimagined Anniversary. To celebrate the milestone, LADF honored 10 Dodgers Foundation JRF scholars at Dodgers Stadium during Jackie Robinson Day.
This is also a special year for LADF CEO Nichol Whiteman, she was a JRF scholar growing up. The opportunities she gained through JRF have allowed her to provide resources and access to youth and families in Southern California.
“I think about all the organizations that supported me like the Jackie Robinson foundation and opened those doors to make Nichol Whiteman possible,” she said. “I’m even more proud of the last 10 years, how we supported so many individuals who I feel were just like me, who ultimately now have so much more access and opportunity.”
Prior to the Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs game on Jackie Robinson Day, Whiteman addressed the players on both teams and introduced them to the JRF scholars.
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Whiteman addressed both the L.A. Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs prior to their game on Jackie Robinson Day (Jon Soohoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)
“[Robinson] was a trailblazer who said regardless of skin color everybody should just see everybody and everybody should have some opportunity,” Whiteman said. “It really is asking ourselves consistently what would Jackie do and I asked myself that consistently.”
Every year, the JRF Fund selects 10 scholars and helps them through their four years in college. Whiteman mentioned how it’s a mentoring and leadership program.
“One of the things that you have to love about the Jackie Robinson Foundation and the mission that we align with is that college access is important, but college success is important,” Whiteman said. “Seeing kids through college and truly getting an opportunity to provide them with the benefits and the opportunities and the networking circles that they need along the way is how you find success in graduation rates.”
Being a JRF scholar helped Whiteman attend Spelman, which led her to working for Essence Magazine and on Wall Street. The JRF Fund also allowed Whiteman to be mentored by the Robinson family. Whiteman noted how they were invested in the academic, social, and emotional success of the scholars.
The JRF Scholars were honored during Jackie Robinson Day (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)
“I took the scholarship not realizing that it would be a networking and leadership development weekend annually,” Whiteman said. “That it would mean I would literally be sitting in a room with Rachel and Sharon and David Robinson, essentially pouring into us as scholars, leading family sessions.”
Whiteman started her tenure with LADF in 2013 and has worked to amplify the voices in marginalized communities. A main focus was to make intentional programming that was accessible to marginalized families and to find ways for Dodgers fans to get involved with fundraising.
“It was about making sure that Los Angeles knows that there is an arm within our franchise that’s showing up for the community,” Whiteman said.
One of the programs that LADF spearheads is Dodgers Dreamteam, formerly known as Dodgers RBI. This year, the program provided 12,000 youth an opportunity to play baseball and softball as well as wraparound services, from education to health.
LADF will also be unveiling their 59th and 60th Dodger Dreamfields at Edward Vincent Park this month.
