The Riverside Hawks will proudly present The Power of the Game at their 65th Annual Gala, an inspiring evening celebrating how basketball serves as far more than a sport. The event will highlight the game’s ability to build character, create academic and career opportunities, and drive meaningful social impact.
Hosted by Michelle Miller, award-winning journalist and national correspondent for CBS News, the evening will take place at The Grill and The Pool (formerly the Four Seasons Restaurant) in the Seagram Building, 99 East 52nd Street, New York City.
The night’s featured panel, moderated by Erika Irish Brown, Head of Talent Management & Engagement at Citi and a Riverside Hawks Board Member, will bring together five dynamic leaders from the worlds of sports, finance, and community engagement:
- Rashad Bilal & Troy Millings – Founders of Earn Your Leisure, advancing financial literacy and economic empowerment in the Black community
- Jose Minaya – Former college athlete and Global Head of BNY Investments and Wealth
- Crystal McCrary McGuire – Award-winning writer, filmmaker, and co-founder of Game-Up, a youth sports technology platform
- Coach Keydren Clark – Two-time NCAA Division I scoring champion and current assistant coach at St. Peter’s University, dedicated to mentoring the next generation of athletes
The Riverside Hawks will also honor Coach Zach Kuba, Head Coach of Riverside Hawks Select and Coach of the Year, for his exceptional leadership and commitment to developing elite athletes and future leaders. Additional honorees include Erika Irish Brown, Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, and Jose Minaya, recognizing their lasting contributions to youth empowerment and community development.
Panelists will share their personal journeys while offering thought leadership on youth sports, career advancement, and intergenerational wealth-building. The discussion will emphasize the critical role that athletes, community leaders, and business professionals play in investing their time, resources, and mentorship to nurture the next generation.
“Basketball has the power to shape lives and communities far beyond the court,” said Erika Irish Brown. “The game is a force for positive change, instilling values, discipline, and leadership, while creating educational pathways that enable people from all backgrounds to achieve success.”
The Riverside Hawks continue to embody that mission; centering academics as strongly as athletics. In 2025 alone, the program supported over 600 student-athletes from Harlem, Washington Heights, and the Bronx. Over the past five years, Hawks participants have earned more than $16 million in college scholarships and grants, along with $1.2 million in prep school scholarships. Impressively, 100% of Hawks student-athletes have graduated high school and gone on to college or prep school.
These achievements reflect the unwavering commitment of the Riverside Hawks Board, coaches, Riverside Church leadership, and the broader community to ensuring that every young athlete succeeds not just in the game—but in life.