Social Entrepreneurship Merchants Are Merging Ecommerce with Philanthropy

Social Entrepreneurship Merchants Are Merging Ecommerce with Philanthropy

Social entrepreneurship is not a particularly new term, but its use and prestige have grown prodigiously in the last two decades. Combining aspects of standard business models with a backbone of charitable giving and social consciousness, this new form of doing business takes a self-sustaining approach to solving some of the world’s biggest problems.

These merchants are taking on aspects of social entrepreneurship by merging core aspects of their business model with nonprofit and not-for-profit charitable giving.

These merchants large and small are taking on aspects of social entrepreneurship by merging core aspects of their business model with nonprofit and not-for-profit charitable giving. This form of entrepreneurship loops in charitable preservation into its core key performance indicators. The bottom line isn’t just profits, but also the societal and sustainability impact of the project itself.

As if maintaining a pure return on investment month-over-month wasn’t difficult enough, imagine then turning up to 30% of your profits over to fund sustainability and public services. In the rest of this article we’re going to really open up how social entrepreneurship distinguishes itself from other types of charitable actions, ways in which these merchants are giving back to their communities and ways to get involved on the ground level.

Finding the balance between how their business can remain profitable — bringing in constant, sustainable revenue — with aiding a cause as much as possible is a challenging but rewarding practice.

Social entrepreneurship can be broadly defined as businesses that consider profit and societal impact (the net good accomplished) equally. This balance between how their business can remain profitable — bringing in constant, sustainable revenue — with aiding a cause as much as possible is a challenging but rewarding practice. This is how socially conscious businesses will separate themselves from standard nonprofit and not-for-profit operations.

While all of these phrases have more or less the same meaning — and ultimately have the same goals — they operate in their own unique and distinct ways. To silo these terms — for the sheer sake of drawing differences between them — nonprofits can operate with paid staff with a goal of raising surplus funds for their cause.

Surplus funds aren’t redistributed to shareholders, but serve as a happy bonus to move towards future goals. Not-for-profits are generally smaller scale, utilizing volunteer staff. Furthermore, due to their structure, not-for-profits don’t qualify for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in the same way. Social entrepreneurship is on the right of both of these items, where by developing and creating a sustaining business model, higher profits can be turned into larger expansion and the ability to do more good.

Power in a purchase

With a mission at the core of their business, each social entrepreneur enables the consumer to put buying power behind their purchase. Because the charitable cause is at the center of each transaction, customers have more “buying” power behind their actions. While ecommerce behemoths offer  a paltry 0.5%  (despite record profits), SMBs are leading the charge in socially conscious giving, at times reinvesting 100% of their sales profits to charitable organizations ranging from the  Wounded Warrior Project  to  author associations .

SMBs are leading the charge in socially conscious giving, at times reinvesting 100% of their sales profits to charitable organizations.

By tapping into socially-conscious buying, businesses can leverage the higher expectations consumers are placing onto business. CGS, a business application service provider, found in their 2018 study of retail shoppers that  40% of responders  had an interested in the ethics of a product being produced.

The buy local, shop local approach for groceries and other renewables is going to filter back to online items as well.

This expectation goes further, where roughly that number of users are willing to pay more for sustainable products. However, this should come as no surprise. The buy local, shop local approach for groceries and other renewables is going to filter back to online items as well. If you’re giving your proceeds to charitable causes, or reinvesting in your community, let your potential shoppers know. Include navigation links to your mission statement, or mention in your header that a portion of proceeds go to good causes. It’s a simple value-add to your website, and may ultimately aid in a conversion.

How You Can Get Involved

A clear way to show your involvement in a community is to offer a price-flexible donation product. The process is like  creating any other product , with a necessary product title, description and image, however there are two big differences. The first is that the items weight should be 0 lbs. This is simply so the item does not trigger any of your shipping methods; no customer wants to pay for FedEx Home Delivery for an item that isn’t going to be sent to them. The second aspect is the most important: under the Advanced Info > Misctab you’ll find the checkbox option to “Allow Price Edit”. This feature allows kindhearted customers to edit their item price on the checkout page. Leaving a price of $0.00 on the page keeps the product page blank, or setting a product price can leave a recommend amount.

Once created, you can begin to modify the product with options. Some stores, like the  Ruffed Grouse Society , that allow customers to earmark and dedicate their giving to specific causes within the organization. Other social entrepreneurs, like  Somethin Special , create options featuring  a variety of different charitable organizations  for customers to choose whom their giving benefits.

Building a donation is just one way in which you can put your toe into the veritable social entrepreneurship waters. Standalone products, outreach, social media influence and more, there are so many ways in which you can engage with online communities for a net positive. However, the true benefit of integrating social entrepreneurship tendencies into your business is found outside your brick and mortar. It’s found by following through and aiding the community that needs your helping hand.

Does your business give back to the community? Let us know about what you do in the Contact Us below!

Why Social Entrepreneurship is attracting growing amounts of talent, money, and attention!

What is Social Entrepreneurship?

Social entrepreneurship is attracting growing amounts of talent, money, and attention, but along with its increasing popularity has come less certainty about what exactly a social entrepreneur is and does.

Essentials of Social Innovation

A  starter kit  for leaders of social change.

•  Collective Impact 

•  Social Entrepreneurship: The Case for Definition 

•  The Dawn of System Leadership 

•  Design Thinking for Social Innovation 

•  The Nonprofit Starvation Cycle 

•  Ten Nonprofit Funding Models 

•  The Science of What Makes People Care 

•  Stop Raising Awareness Already 

•  Rediscovering Social Innovation 

•  Innovation Is Not the Holy Grail 

The nascent field of  social entrepreneurship  is growing rapidly and attracting increased attention from many sectors. The term itself shows up frequently in the  media , is referenced by public officials, has become common on university campuses, and informs the strategy of several prominent social sector organizations, including  Ashoka  and the  Schwab  and  Skoll Foundation foundations.

The reasons behind the popularity of social entrepreneurship are many. On the most basic level, there’s something inherently interesting and appealing about entrepreneurs and the stories of why and how they do what they do. People are attracted to social entrepreneurs like last year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus for many of the same reasons that they find  business entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs so compelling – these extraordinary people come up with brilliant ideas and against all the odds succeed at creating new products and services that dramatically improve people’s lives.

But interest in social entrepreneurship transcends the phenomenon of popularity and fascination with people. Social entrepreneurship signals the imperative to drive social change, and it is that potential payoff, with its lasting, transformational benefit to society, that sets the field and its practitioners apart.

Although the potential benefits offered by social entrepreneurship are clear to many of those promoting and funding these activities, the actual definition of what social entrepreneurs do to produce this order of magnitude return is less clear. In fact, we would argue that the definition of social entrepreneurship today is anything but clear. As a result, social entrepreneurship has become so inclusive that it now has an immense tent into which all manner of socially beneficial activities fit.

In some respects this inclusiveness could be a good thing. If plenty of resources are pouring into the social sector, and if many causes that otherwise would not get sufficient funding now get support because they are regarded as social entrepreneurship, then it may be fine to have a loose definition. We are inclined to argue, however, that this is a flawed assumption and a precarious stance.

Social entrepreneurship is an appealing construct precisely because it holds such high promise. If that promise is not fulfilled because too many “nonentrepreneurial” efforts are included in the definition, then social entrepreneurship will fall into disrepute, and the kernel of true social entrepreneurship will be lost. Because of this danger, we believe that we need a much sharper definition of social entrepreneurship, one that enables us to determine the extent to which an activity is and is not “in the tent.” Our goal is not to make an invidious comparison between the contributions made by traditional social service organizations and the results of social entrepreneurship, but simply to highlight what differentiates them.

If we can achieve a rigorous definition, then those who support social entrepreneurship can focus their resources on building and strengthening a concrete and identifiable field. Absent that discipline, proponents of social entrepreneurship run the risk of giving the skeptics an ever-expanding target to shoot at, and the cynics even more reason to discount social innovation and those who drive it.

Starting With Entrepreneurship

Any definition of the term “social entrepreneurship” must start with the word “entrepreneurship.” The word “social” simply modifies entrepreneurship. If entrepreneurship doesn’t have a clear meaning, then modifying it with social won’t accomplish much, either.

The word entrepreneurship is a mixed blessing. On the positive side, it connotes a special, innate ability to sense and act on opportunity, combining out-of-the-box thinking with a unique brand of determination to create or bring about something new to the world. On the negative side, entrepreneurship is an ex post term, because entrepreneurial activities require a passage of time before their true impact is evident.

Interestingly, we don’t call someone who exhibits all of the personal characteristics of an entrepreneur – opportunity sensing, out-of-the-box thinking, and determination – yet who failed miserably in his or her venture an entrepreneur; we call him or her a business failure. Even someone like Bob Young, of Red Hat Software fame, is called a “serial entrepreneur” only after his first success; i.e., all of his prior failures are dubbed the work of a serial entrepreneur only after the occurrence of his first success. The problem with ex post definitions is that they tend to be ill defined. It’s simply harder to get your arms around what’s unproven. An entrepreneur can certainly claim to be one, but without at least one notch on the belt, the self-proclaimed will have a tough time persuading investors to place bets. Those investors, in turn, must be willing to assume greater risk as they assess the credibility of would-be entrepreneurs and the potential impact of formative ventures.

Even with these considerations, we believe that appropriating entrepreneurship for the term social entrepreneurship requires wrestling with what we actually mean by entrepreneurship. Is it simply alertness to opportunity? Creativity? Determination? Although these and other behavioral characteristics are part of the story and certainly provide important clues for prospective investors, they are not the whole story. Such descriptors are also used to describe inventors, artists, corporate executives, and other societal actors.

Like most students of entrepreneurship, we begin with French economist Jean-Baptiste Say, who in the early 19th century described the entrepreneur as one who “shifts economic resources out of an area of lower and into an area of higher productivity and greater yield,” thereby expanding the literal translation from the French, “one who undertakes,” to encompass the concept of value creation.1

Writing a century later, Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter built upon this basic concept of value creation, contributing what is arguably the most influential idea about entrepreneurship. Schumpeter identified in the entrepreneur the force required to drive economic progress, absent which economies would become static, structurally immobilized, and subject to decay. Enter the Unternehmer, Schumpeter’s entrepreneurial spirit, who identifies a commercial opportunity – whether a material, product, service, or business – and organizes a venture to implement it. Successful entrepreneurship, he argues, sets off a chain reaction, encouraging other entrepreneurs to iterate upon and ultimately propagate the innovation to the point of “creative destruction,” a state at which the new venture and all its related ventures effectively render existing products, services, and business models obsolete.2

Despite casting the dramatis personae in heroic terms, Schumpeter’s analysis grounds entrepreneurship within a system, ascribing to the entrepreneur’s role a paradoxical impact, both disruptive and generative. Schumpeter sees the entrepreneur as an agent of change within the larger economy. Peter Drucker, on the other hand, does not see entrepreneurs as necessarily agents of change themselves, but rather as canny and committed exploiters of change. According to Drucker, “the entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity,”3 a premise picked up by Israel Kirzner, who identifies “alertness” as the entrepreneur’s most critical ability.4

Regardless of whether they cast the entrepreneur as a breakthrough innovator or an early exploiter, theorists universally associate entrepreneurship with opportunity. Entrepreneurs are believed to have an exceptional ability to see and seize upon new opportunities, the commitment and drive required to pursue them, and an unflinching willingness to bear the inherent risks.

Building from this theoretical base, we believe that entrepreneurship describes the combination of a context in which an opportunity is situated, a set of personal characteristics required to identify and pursue this opportunity, and the creation of a particular outcome.

To explore and illustrate our definition of entrepreneurship, we will take a close look at a few contemporary American entrepreneurs (or pairs thereof ): Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak of Apple Computer, Pierre Omidyar and Jeff Skoll of eBay, Ann and Mike Moore of Snugli, and Fred Smith of FedEx.

Entrepreneurial Context

The starting point for entrepreneurship is what we call an entrepreneurial context. For Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the entrepreneurial context was a computing system in which users were dependent on mainframe computers controlled by a central IT staff who guarded the mainframe like a shrine. Users got their computing tasks done, but only after waiting in line and using the software designed by the IT staff. If users wanted a software program to do something out of the ordinary, they were told to wait six months for the programming to be done.

From the users’ perspective, the experience was inefficient and unsatisfactory. But since the centralized computing model was the only one available, users put up with it and built the delays and inefficiencies into their workflow, resulting in an equilibrium, albeit an unsatisfactory one.

System dynamicists describe this kind of equilibrium as a “balanced feedback loop,” because there isn’t a strong force that has the likely effect of breaking the system out of its particular equilibrium. It is similar to a thermostat on an air conditioner: When the temperature rises, the air conditioner comes on and lowers the temperature, and the thermostat eventually turns the air conditioner off.

The centralized computing system that users had to endure was a particular kind of equilibrium: an unsatisfactory one. It is as if the thermostat were set five degrees too low so that everyone in the room was cold. Knowing they have a stable and predictable temperature, people simply wear extra sweaters, though of course they might wish that they didn’t have to.

Pierre Omidyar and Jeff Skoll identified an unsatisfactory equilibrium in the inability of geographically based markets to optimize the interests of both buyers and sellers. Sellers typically didn’t know who the best buyer was and buyers typically didn’t know who the best (or any) seller was. As a result, the market was not optimal for buyers or sellers. People selling used household goods, for example, held garage sales that attracted physically proximate buyers, but probably not the optimal number or types of buyers. People trying to buy obscure goods had no recourse but to search through Yellow Page directories, phoning and phoning to try to track down what they really wanted, often settling for something less than perfect. Because buyers and sellers couldn’t conceive of a better answer, the stable, yet suboptimal, equilibrium prevailed.

Ann and Mike Moore took note of a subpar equilibrium in parents’ limited options for toting their infants. Parents wishing to keep their babies close while carrying on basic tasks had two options: They could learn to juggle offspring in one arm while managing chores with the other, or they could plop the child in a stroller, buggy, or other container and keep the child nearby. Either option was less than ideal. Everyone knows that newborns benefit from the bonding that takes place because of close physical contact with their mothers and fathers, but even the most attentive and devoted parents can’t hold their babies continuously. With no other options, parents limped along, learning to shift their child from one hip to the other and becoming adept at “one-armed paper hanging,” or attempting to get their tasks accomplished during naptime.

In the case of Fred Smith, the suboptimal equilibrium he saw was the long-distance courier service. Before FedEx came along, sending a package across country was anything but simple. Local courier services picked up the package and transported it to a common carrier, who flew the package to the remote destination city, at which point it was handed over to a third party for final delivery (or perhaps back to the local courier’s operation in that city if it was a national company). This system was logistically complex, it involved a number of handoffs, and the scheduling was dictated by the needs of the common carriers. Often something would go wrong, but no one would take responsibility for solving the problem. Users learned to live with a slow, unreliable, and unsatisfactory service – an unpleasant but stable situation because no user could change it.

Entrepreneurial Characteristics

The entrepreneur is attracted to this suboptimal equilibrium, seeing embedded in it an opportunity to provide a new solution, product, service, or process. The reason that the entrepreneur sees this condition as an opportunity to create something new, while so many others see it as an inconvenience to be tolerated, stems from the unique set of personal characteristics he or she brings to the situation – inspiration, creativity, direct action, courage, and fortitude. These characteristics are fundamental to the process of innovation.

The entrepreneur is inspired to alter the unpleasant equilibrium. Entrepreneurs might be motivated to do this because they are frustrated users or because they empathize with frustrated users. Sometimes entrepreneurs are so gripped by the opportunity to change things that they possess a burning desire to demolish the status quo. In the case of eBay, the frustrated user was Omidyar’s girlfriend, who collected Pez dispensers.

The entrepreneur thinks creatively and develops a new solution that dramatically breaks with the existing one. The entrepreneur doesn’t try to optimize the current system with minor adjustments, but instead finds a wholly new way of approaching the problem. Omidyar and Skoll didn’t develop a better way to promote garage sales. Jobs and Wozniak didn’t develop algorithms to speed custom software development. And Smith didn’t invent a way to make the handoffs between courier companies and common carriers more efficient and error-free. Each found a completely new and utterly creative solution to the problem at hand.

Once inspired by the opportunity and in possession of a creative solution, the entrepreneur takes direct action. Rather than waiting for someone else to intervene or trying to convince somebody else to solve the problem, the entrepreneur takes direct action by creating a new product or service and the venture to advance it. Jobs and Wozniak didn’t campaign against mainframes or encourage users to rise up and overthrow the IT department; they invented a personal computer that allowed users to free themselves from the mainframe. Moore didn’t publish a book telling mothers how to get more done in less time; she developed the Snugli, a frameless front- or backpack that enables parents to carry their babies and still have both hands free. Of course, entrepreneurs do have to influence others: first investors, even if just friends and family; then teammates and employees, to come work with them; and finally customers, to buy into their ideas and their innovations. The point is to differentiate the entrepreneur’s engagement in direct action from other indirect and supportive actions.

Entrepreneurs demonstrate courage throughout the process of innovation, bearing the burden of risk and staring failure squarely if not repeatedly in the face. This often requires entrepreneurs to take big risks and do things that others think are unwise, or even undoable. For example, Smith had to convince himself and the world that it made sense to acquire a fleet of jets and build a gigantic airport and sorting center in Memphis, in order to provide next-day delivery without the package ever leaving FedEx’s possession. He did this at a time when all of his entrenched competitors had only fleets of trucks for local pickup and delivery – they certainly didn’t run airports and maintain huge numbers of aircraft.

Finally, entrepreneurs possess the fortitude to drive their creative solutions through to fruition and market adoption. No entrepreneurial venture proceeds without setbacks or unexpected turns, and the entrepreneur needs to be able to find creative ways around the barriers and challenges that arise. Smith had to figure out how to keep investors confident that FedEx would eventually achieve the requisite scale to pay for the huge fixed infrastructure of trucks, planes, airport, and IT systems required for the new model he was creating. FedEx had to survive hundreds of millions of dollars of losses before it reached a cash-flow positive state, and without a committed entrepreneur at the helm, the company would have been liquidated well before that point.

Entrepreneurial Outcome

What happens when an entrepreneur successfully brings his or her personal characteristics to bear on a suboptimal equilibrium? He or she creates a new stable equilibrium, one that provides a meaningfully higher level of satisfaction for the participants in the system. To elaborate on Say’s original insight, the entrepreneur engineers a permanent shift from a lower-quality equilibrium to a higher-quality one. The new equilibrium is permanent because it first survives and then stabilizes, even though some aspects of the original equilibrium may persist (e.g., expensive and less-efficient courier systems, garage sales, and the like). Its survival and success ultimately move beyond the entrepreneur and the original entrepreneurial venture. It is through mass-market adoption, significant levels of imitation, and the creation of an ecosystem around and within the new equilibrium that it first stabilizes and then securely persists.

When Jobs and Wozniak created the personal computer they didn’t simply attenuate the users’ dependence on the mainframe – they shattered it, shifting control from the “glass house” to the desktop. Once the users saw the new equilibrium appearing before their eyes, they embraced not only Apple but also the many competitors who leaped into the fray. In relatively short order, the founders had created an entire ecosystem with numerous hardware, software, and peripheral suppliers; distribution channels and value-added resellers; PC magazines; trade shows; and so on.

Because of this new ecosystem, Apple could have exited from the market within a few years without destabilizing it. The new equilibrium, in other words, did not depend on the creation of a single venture, in this case Apple, but on the appropriation and replication of the model and the spawning of a host of other related businesses. In Schumpeterian terms, the combined effect firmly established a new computing order and rendered the old mainframe-based system obsolete.

In the case of Omidyar and Skoll, the creation of eBay provided a superior way for buyers and sellers to connect, creating a higher equilibrium. Entire new ways of doing business and new businesses sprang up to create a powerful ecosystem that simply couldn’t be disassembled. Similarly, Smith created a new world of package delivery that raised standards, changed business practices, spawned new competitors, and even created a new verb: “to FedEx.”

In each case, the delta between the quality of the old equilibrium and the new one was huge. The new equilibrium quickly became self-sustaining, and the initial entrepreneurial venture spawned numerous imitators. Together these outcomes ensured that everyone who benefited secured the higher ground.

Shift to Social Entrepreneurship

If these are the key components of entrepreneurship, what distinguishes social entrepreneurship from its for-profit cousin? First, we believe that the most useful and informative way to define social entrepreneurship is to establish its congruence with entrepreneurship, seeing social entrepreneurship as grounded in these same three elements. Anything else is confusing and unhelpful.

To understand what differentiates the two sets of entrepreneurs from one another, it is important to dispel the notion that the difference can be ascribed simply to motivation – with entrepreneurs spurred on by money and social entrepreneurs driven by altruism. The truth is that entrepreneurs are rarely motivated by the prospect of financial gain, because the odds of making lots of money are clearly stacked against them. Instead, both the entrepreneur and the social entrepreneur are strongly motivated by the opportunity they identify, pursuing that vision relentlessly, and deriving considerable psychic reward from the process of realizing their ideas. Regardless of whether they operate within a market or a not-for-profit context, most entrepreneurs are never fully compensated for the time, risk, effort, and capital that they pour into their venture.

We believe that the critical distinction between entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship lies in the value proposition itself. For the entrepreneur, the value proposition anticipates and is organized to serve markets that can comfortably afford the new product or service, and is thus designed to create financial profit. From the outset, the expectation is that the entrepreneur and his or her investors will derive some personal financial gain. Profit is sine qua non, essential to any venture’s  sustainability and the means to its ultimate end in the form of large-scale market adoption and ultimately a new equilibrium.

The social entrepreneur, however, neither anticipates nor organizes to create substantial financial profit for his or her investors – philanthropic and  government organizations  for the most part – or for himself or herself. Instead, the social entrepreneur aims for value in the form of large-scale, transformational benefit that accrues either to a significant segment of society or to society at large. Unlike the entrepreneurial value proposition that assumes a market that can pay for the innovation, and may even provide substantial upside for investors, the social entrepreneur’s value proposition targets an underserved, neglected, or highly disadvantaged population that lacks the financial means or political clout to achieve the transformative benefit on its own. This does not mean that social entrepreneurs as a hard-and-fast rule shun profitmaking value propositions. Ventures created by social entrepreneurs can certainly generate income, and they can be organized as either not-for- profits or for-profits. What distinguishes social entrepreneurship is the primacy of social benefit, what Duke University professor Greg Dees in his seminal work on the field characterizes as the pursuit of “mission-related impact.”5

We define social entrepreneurship as having the following three components: (1) identifying a stable but inherently unjust equilibrium that causes the exclusion, marginalization, or suffering of a segment of humanity that lacks the financial means or political clout to achieve any transformative benefit on its own; (2) identifying an opportunity in this unjust equilibrium, developing a social value proposition, and bringing to bear inspiration, creativity, direct action, courage, and fortitude, thereby challenging the stable state’s hegemony; and (3) forging a new, stable equilibrium that releases trapped potential or alleviates the suffering of the targeted group, and through imitation and the creation of a stable ecosystem around the new equilibrium ensuring a better future for the targeted group and even society at large.

Muhammad Yunus, founder of the  Grameen Bank  and father of microcredit, provides a classic example of social entrepreneurship. The stable but unfortunate equilibrium he identified consisted of poor Bangladeshis’ limited options for securing even the tiniest amounts of credit. Unable to qualify for loans through the formal banking system, they could borrow only by accepting exorbitant interest rates from local moneylenders. More commonly, they simply succumbed to begging on the streets. Here was a stable equilibrium of the most unfortunate sort, one that perpetuated and even exacerbated Bangladesh’s endemic  poverty  and the misery arising from it.

Yunus confronted the system, proving that the poor were extremely good credit risks by lending the now famous sum of $27 from his own pocket to 42 women from the village of Jobra. The women repaid all of the loan. Yunus found that with even tiny amounts of capital, women invested in their own capacity for generating income. With a sewing machine, for example, women could tailor garments, earning enough to pay back the loan, buy food, educate their children, and lift themselves up from poverty. Grameen Bank sustained itself by charging interest on its loans and then recycling the capital to help other women. Yunus brought inspiration, creativity, direct action, courage, and fortitude to his venture, proved its viability, and over two decades spawned a global network of other organizations that replicated or adapted his model to other countries and cultures, firmly establishing microcredit as a worldwide industry.

The well-known actor, director, and producer Robert Redford offers a less familiar but also illustrative case of social entrepreneurship. In the early 1980s, Redford stepped back from his successful career to reclaim space in the film industry for artists. Redford was struck by a set of opposing forces in play. He identified an inherently oppressive but stable equilibrium in the way Hollywood worked, with its business model increasingly driven by financial interests, its productions gravitating to flashy, frequently violent blockbusters, and its studio-dominated system becoming more and more centralized in controlling the way films were financed, produced, and distributed. At the same time, he noted that new technology was emerging – less cumbersome and less expensive video and digital editing equipment – that gave filmmakers the tools they needed to exert more control over their work.

Seeing opportunity, Redford seized the chance to nurture this new breed of artist. First, he created the Sundance Institute to take “money out of the picture” and provide young filmmakers with space and support for developing their ideas. Next, he created the Sundance Film Festival to showcase independent filmmakers’ work. From the beginning, Redford’s value proposition focused on the emerging independent filmmaker whose talents were neither recognized nor served by the market stranglehold of the Hollywood studio system.

Redford structured Sundance Institute as a  nonprofit  corporation, tapping his network of directors, actors, writers, and others to contribute their experience as volunteer mentors to fledgling filmmakers. He priced the Sundance Film Festival so that it appealed and was accessible to a broad audience. Twenty-five years later, Sundance is credited with ushering in the independent film movement, which today ensures that “indie” filmmakers can get their work produced and distributed, and that filmgoers have access to a whole host of options – from thought-provoking documentaries to edgy international work and playful animations. A new equilibrium, which even a decade ago felt tenuous, is now firmly established.

Victoria Hale is an example of a social entrepreneur whose venture is still in its early stages and for whom our criteria apply ex ante. Hale is a pharmaceutical scientist who became increasingly frustrated by the market forces dominating her industry. Although big pharmaceutical companies held patents for drugs capable of curing any number of infectious diseases, the drugs went undeveloped for a simple reason: The populations most in need of the drugs were unable to afford them. Driven by the exigency of generating financial profits for its shareholders, the pharmaceutical industry was focusing on creating and  marketing  drugs for diseases afflicting the well-off, living mostly in developed world markets, who could pay for them.

Hale became determined to challenge this stable equilibrium, which she saw as unjust and intolerable. She created the Institute for  OneWorld Health , the first nonprofit pharmaceutical company whose mission is to ensure that drugs targeting infectious diseases in the developing world get to the people who need them, regardless of their ability to pay for the drugs. Hale’s venture has now moved beyond the proof-of-concept stage. It successfully developed, tested, and secured Indian government regulatory approval for its first drug, paromomycin, which provides a cost-effective cure for visceral leishmaniasis, a disease that kills more than 200,000 people each year.

Although it is too early to tell whether Hale will succeed in creating a new equilibrium that assures more equitable treatment of diseases afflicting the poor, she clearly meets the criteria of a social entrepreneur. First, Hale has identified a stable but unjust equilibrium in the pharmaceutical industry; second, she has seen and seized the opportunity to intervene, applying inspiration, creativity, direct action, and courage in launching a new venture to provide options for a disadvantaged population; and third, she is demonstrating fortitude in proving the potential of her model with an early success.

Time will tell whether Hale’s innovation inspires others to replicate her efforts, or whether the Institute for OneWorld Health itself achieves the scale necessary to bring about that permanent equilibrium shift. But the signs are promising. Looking ahead a decade or more, her investors – the Skoll Foundation is one – can imagine the day when Hale’s Institute for OneWorld Health will have created a new pharmaceutical paradigm, one with the same enduring social benefits apparent in the now firmly established microcredit and independent film industries.

Boundaries of Social Entrepreneurship

In defining social entrepreneurship, it is also important to establish boundaries and provide examples of activities that may be highly meritorious but do not fit our definition. Failing to identify boundaries would leave the term social entrepreneurship so wide open as to be essentially meaningless.

There are two primary forms of socially valuable activity that we believe need to be distinguished from social entrepreneurship. The first type of social venture is social service provision. In this case, a courageous and committed individual identifies an unfortunate stable equilibrium – AIDS orphans in Africa, for example – and sets up a program to address it – for example, a school for the children to ensure that they are cared for and educated. The new school would certainly help the children it serves and may very well enable some of them to break free from poverty and transform their lives. But unless it is designed to achieve large scale or is so compelling as to launch legions of imitators and replicators, it is not likely to lead to a new superior equilibrium.

These types of social service ventures never break out of their limited frame: Their impact remains constrained, their service area stays confined to a local population, and their scope is determined by whatever resources they are able to attract. These ventures are inherently vulnerable, which may mean disruption or loss of service to the populations they serve. Millions of such organizations exist around the world – well intended, noble in purpose, and frequently exemplary in execution – but they should not be confused with social entrepreneurship.

It would be possible to reformulate a school for AIDS orphans as social entrepreneurship. But that would require a plan by which the school itself would spawn an entire network of schools and secure the basis for its ongoing support. The outcome would be a stable new equilibrium whereby even if one school closed, there would be a robust system in place through which AIDS orphans would routinely receive an education.

The difference between the two types of ventures – one social entrepreneurship and the other social service – isn’t in the initial entrepreneurial contexts or in many of the personal characteristics of the founders, but rather in the outcomes. Imagine that Andrew Carnegie had built only one library rather than conceiving the public library system that today serves untold millions of American citizens. Carnegie’s single library would have clearly benefited the community it served. But it was his vision of an entire system of libraries creating a permanent new equilibrium – one ensuring access to information and knowledge for all the nation’s citizens – that anchors his reputation as a social entrepreneur.

A second class of social venture is social  activism . In this case, the motivator of the activity is the same – an unfortunate and stable equilibrium. And several aspects of the actor’s characteristics are the same – inspiration, creativity, courage, and fortitude. What is different is the nature of the actor’s action orientation. Instead of taking direct action, as the social entrepreneur would, the social activist attempts to create change through indirect action, by influencing others – governments, NGOs, consumers, workers, etc. – to take action. Social activists may or may not create ventures or organizations to advance the changes they seek. Successful activism can yield substantial improvements to existing systems and even result in a new equilibrium, but the strategic nature of the action is distinct in its emphasis on influence rather than on direct action.

Why not call these people social entrepreneurs? It wouldn’t be a tragedy. But such people have long had a name and an exalted tradition: the tradition of Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, and Vaclav Havel. They are social activists. Calling them something entirely new – i.e., social entrepreneurs – and thereby confusing the general public, who already know what a social activist is, would not be helpful to the cause of either social activists or social entrepreneurs.

Shades of Gray

Having created a definition of social entrepreneurship and distinguished it from social service provision and social activism, we should recognize that in practice, many social actors incorporate strategies associated with these pure forms or create  hybrid  models. The three definitions can be seen in their pure forms in the diagram to the right.

In the pure form, the successful social entrepreneur takes direct action and generates a new and sustained equilibrium; the social activist influences others to generate a new and sustained equilibrium; and the social service provider takes direct action to improve the outcomes of the current equilibrium.

It is important to distinguish between these types of social ventures in their pure forms, but in the real world there are probably more hybrid models than pure forms. It is arguable that Yunus, for example, used social activism to accelerate and amplify the impact of Grameen Bank, a classic example of social entrepreneurship. By using a sequential hybrid – social entrepreneurship followed by social activism – Yunus turned microcredit into a global force for change.

Other organizations are hybrids using both social entrepreneurship and social activism at the same time. Standards-setting or certification organizations are an example of this. Although the actions of the standards-setting organization itself do not create societal change – those who are encouraged or forced to abide by the standards take the actions that produce the actual societal change – the organization can demonstrate social entrepreneurship in creating a compelling approach to standards-setting and in marketing the standards to regulators and market participants. Fair-trade product certification and marketing is a familiar example of this, with organizations like Cafédirect in the United Kingdom and TransFair USA in the U.S. creating growing niche markets for coffee and other commodities sold at a premium price that guarantees more equitable remuneration for small-scale producers.

Kailash Satyarthi’s  RugMark  campaign provides a particularly striking example of a hybrid model. Recognizing the inherent limitations of his work to rescue children enslaved in India’s rug-weaving trade, Satyarthi set his sights on the carpet- weaving industry. By creating the RugMark certification program and a public relations campaign designed to educate consumers who unwittingly perpetuate an unjust equilibrium, Satyarthi leveraged his effectiveness as a service provider by embracing the indirect strategy of the activist. Purchasing a carpet that has the RugMark label assures buyers that their carpet has been created without child slavery and under fair labor conditions. Educate enough of those prospective buyers, he reasoned, and one has a shot at transforming the entire carpet-weaving industry.

Satyarthi’s action in creating RugMark lies at the crossroads of entrepreneurship and activism: In itself, the RugMark label represented a creative solution and required direct action, but it is a device meant to educate and influence others, with the ultimate goal of establishing and securing a new and far more satisfactory market-production equilibrium.

Social service provision combined with social activism at a more tactical level can also produce an outcome equivalent to that of social entrepreneurship. Take, for example, a social service provider running a single school for an underprivileged group that creates great outcomes for that small group of students. If the organization uses those outcomes to create a social activist movement that campaigns for broad government support for the wide adoption of similar programs, then the social service provider can produce an overall equilibrium change and have the same effect as a social entrepreneur.

 Bill Strickland’s Manchester Bidwell Corporation , a nationally renowned inner-city arts education and job-training program, has launched the National Center for Arts & Technology to advance systematically the replication of his Pittsburgh-based model in other cities. Strickland is spearheading an  advocacy  campaign designed to leverage federal support to scale up his model. So far, four new centers are operating across the U.S. and several more are in the pipeline. With a sustainable system of centers in cities across the country, Strickland will have succeeded in establishing a new equilibrium. It is because of that campaign that the Skoll Foundation and others are investing in Strickland’s efforts.

Why bother to tease out these distinctions between various pure and hybrid models? Because with such definitions in hand we are all better equipped to assess distinctive types of social activity. Understanding the means by which an endeavor produces its social benefit and the nature of the social benefit it is targeting enables supporters – among whom we count the Skoll Foundation – to predict the sustainability and extent of those benefits, to anticipate how an organization may need to adapt over time, and to make a more reasoned projection of the potential for an entrepreneurial outcome.

Why Should We Care?

Long shunned by economists, whose interests have gravitated toward market-based, price-driven models that submit more readily to data-driven interpretation, entrepreneurship has experienced something of a renaissance of interest in recent years. Building on the foundation laid by Schumpeter, William Baumol and a handful of other scholars have sought to restore the entrepreneur’s rightful place in “production and distribution” theory, demonstrating in that process the seminal role of entrepreneurship.6 According to Carl Schramm, CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, entrepreneurs, “despite being overlooked or explicitly written out of our economic drama,”7 are the free enterprise system’s essential ingredient and absolutely indispensable to market economies.

We are concerned that serious thinkers will also overlook social entrepreneurship, and we fear that the indiscriminate use of the term may undermine its significance and potential importance to those seeking to understand how societies change and progress. Social entrepreneurship, we believe, is as vital to the progress of societies as is entrepreneurship to the progress of economies, and it merits more rigorous, serious attention than it has attracted so far.

Clearly, there is much to be learned and understood about social entrepreneurship, including why its study may not be taken seriously. Our view is that a clearer definition of social entrepreneurship will aid the development of the field. The social entrepreneur should be understood as someone who targets an unfortunate but stable equilibrium that causes the neglect, marginalization, or suffering of a segment of humanity; who brings to bear on this situation his or her inspiration, direct action, creativity, courage, and fortitude; and who aims for and ultimately affects the establishment of a new stable equilibrium that secures permanent benefit for the targeted group and society at large.

This definition helps distinguish social entrepreneurship from social service provision and social activism. That social service providers, social activists, and social entrepreneurs will often adapt one another’s strategies and develop hybrid models is, to our minds, less inherently confusing and more respectful than indiscriminate use of these terms. It’s our hope that our categorization will help clarify the distinctive value each approach brings to society and lead ultimately to a better understanding and more informed decision making among those committed to advancing positive social change.

The authors would like to thank their Skoll Foundation colleagues Richard Fahey, chief operating officer, and Ruth Norris, senior program officer, who read prior drafts of this essay and contributed important ideas to its evolution.

 
 
Notes

1 Jean-Baptiste Say, quoted in J. Gregory Dees, “ The Meaning of ‘Social Entrepreneurship ,’” reformatted and revised, May 30, 2001.
2 Joseph A. Schumpeter, Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy (New York: Harper, 1975): 82-85.
3 Peter F. Drucker, Innovation & Entrepreneurship (New York: Harper Business, 1995): 28.
4 Israel Kirzner, quoted in William J. Baumol, “ Return of the Invisible Men: The Microeconomic Value Theory of Inventors and Entrepreneurs .”
5 Dees, 2.
6 Baumol, 1.
7 Carl J. Schramm, “ Entrepreneurial Capitalism and the End of Bureaucracy: Reforming the Mutual Dialog of Risk Aversion ,”  2.

What Muhammad Ali’s Funeral, Janaaza, Will Teach Us About Islam

What Muhammad Ali’s Funeral, Janaaza, Will Teach Us About Islam
When “The GREATEST of All Time, The Peoples Champ”, Allah Ali Hajjirahmemek me Muhammad Ali, is buried, millions of Americans will have their first glimpse of the Islamic funeral service, Janaaza—one that looks a lot like Jewish and Christian services. Thursday, the world saw the most widely covered Muslim funeral in our nation’s history.
No one would’ve been happier about this than Muhammad Ali. May Allah (SWT) grant him Jannat-ul-Firdous.
Ali wanted to be an ambassador for Islam in America, as he told us in his 2005 book The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life’s Journey, co-authored with his daughter Hana. In it, he shared an unfulfilled dream he had harbored, “I sometimes thought I would like to be a Muslim Billy Graham.” He continued: “But God had a different plan for me.”
SportsImage Ali CoverOn November 5, 1995, we brought Ali here to California to honor him with “The Sports Image Award”, as one in sports that had given the most dedicated effort, time and money to better their community, the nation and the world. Those who out matched their dignity with dollars and who use sports for it’s highest and most noble purpose, the uplifting of the human family!
That “plan,” of course, was Parkinson’s disease. It was only through his Muslim faith, Ali continued, that he “could deal with this challenge… it was my faith that restored my sense of purpose and self-confidence. My faith gave me back my joy and enthusiasm for life.”
It’s hard to reading that for a man whom was called simply “The Greatest” and had achieved so much knew that Parkinson’s made the beautiful dream he had for the next phase of his life impossible, or an unplanned reality.
And to cry tears of regret that if Ali could have fulfilled his dream of being a bridge between Muslims and our fellow Americans, perhaps our community wouldn’t be in the place we find ourselves in today.
That’s a dark, challenging and often lonely place. One where politicians like Donald Trump demonize us to score political points. A place where hate crimes against us have spiked over the past year. Where Muslim American students being bullied for their faith is no longer the exception, but the disturbing new norm.
On a personal note, I can’t help but think of the traditional white cloth the body was wrapped in after the ceremonial washing of his body—just as Ali was before his funeral Thursday, when many Americans will have a new experience and even learn a new word: Janaaza. That’s the Arabic word for funeral, and one Christian Arabs also use.
For Muslims, however, Janaaza signifies the Islamic funeral ritual. At Thursday’s Janaaza for Ali, Zaid Shakir will offer a traditional prayer that asks God for “mercy, forgiveness of Ali’s sins and acceptance of Ali into heaven.”
Islamic funeral prayer is very much like the ones offered at Christian and Jewish funerals of seeking mercy, forgiveness and acceptance into heaven. We may use different words or even languages but all three of these Abrahamic faiths share the same common humanity and God.
As for the burying of Ali, typically in Islam, like Judaism, the deceased should be buried as soon as possible. But it’s not an absolute mandate, rather “it’s more about appropriateness.” In Ali’s case, it was appropriate to wait so that the family could organize the funeral and memorial service so that the world could pay their respects to one of its icons—a man who was proudly Muslim, proudly Black and proudly American.
Ali’s prayer service, at the Freedom Hall in Louisville Kentucky, was open to people of all faiths. It will be followed Friday by an interfaith memorial service for the greatest. As the spokesperson for the Ali family explained earlier this week, “Ali spoke of inclusiveness his entire life and we want this to be inclusive of everyone.”
Honoring AliThis significance of Ali’s public funeral has certainly not been lost on Muslim Americans. As Ali’s “detailed wishes for his funeral prayer and memorial were that they be open to all people and all faiths, a powerful testimony to the inclusive principles he lived by” as a Muslim and an American.
In a political climate in which Islamophobia is front and center, his funeral will counterpunch the ridiculous notion that being a good Muslim and a good American are at odds.”
When a person dies, Muslims traditionally say, “To God we belong and to God we shall return.” Ali may have returned to God, but on Thursday and Friday Ali will bring together Muslims from across the nation to stand shoulder to shoulder with their fellow Americans of different religions and races. Even after his death, Ali is still fighting for the things he so dearly believed in.
R.I.P. dear Friend, role model, and client!,
Jalil

AMWF & Oakland Public Library Host FREE CLOTHING GIVEAWAY

AMWF & Oakland Public Library Host FREE CLOTHING GIVEAWAY
Swap Not Shop
Why shop when you can swap?
The AARON & MARGARET WALLACE FOUNDATION (AMWF), will be partnering with the Oakland Public Library to host a FREE CLOTHING GIVEAWAY on Friday, April 8, 2016, ALL DAY at the Eastmont Branch Library, Eastmont Mall- 7200 Bancroft St., Ste. 211, Oakland California. Everything is FREE OF CHARGE!! Just select a few items you need of the items donated.
Hand of Dignity” Program
AMWF provides a wide range of educational opportunities and employment preparation services for our clients including scholarship and admissions programs, referrals for job training, career development support, resume workshops, job search assistance, interview skills training and preparation.
AMWF, a volunteer-based organization, extends the “Hand of Dignity” to those less fortunate- men, women, and children, and provides them with the basic human necessity of quality, proper clothing, shoes, and accessories with an emphasis on low-income residents successfully obtaining an education or seeking employment to successfully transitioning into the workforce.
Our goal in the “Hand of Dignity” Program is to help low-income residents in Bay Area Counties improve their self-image and self-esteem by providing them with quality school or business apparel appropriate for attending school, job interviews and the professional workplace so they can obtain and education, secure employment and become economically self-sufficient. Many of the women in need of these services have nothing but the clothes on their back because they are escaping from abusive situations.
“Hand of Dignity” accepts new and gently used baby, children, teen youth, men’s and women’s clothing in excellent condition. We do not accept items in bad condition and they must not be noticeably worn, stained, torn, or imperfect. We are very selective as to what we will accept and ask/require that all donations to be in excellent condition, cleaned, pressed and on hangers.
We refresh the baby, children, teen youth clothing and give them new life with someone in need.
“Hand of Dignity” rescue, restore, and re-purpose the men’s and women’s business attire and accessories (suits, shirts, blouses, dresses, skirts, ties, scarfs, shoes, accessories, etc.) and provide them to individuals and programs which support people in transition or on welfare get jobs in the business world. Those “Qualified” clients in need can call to arrange a fitting of business attire and visit our ”showroom”, meet with a volunteer wardrobe adviser who helps select appropriate outfits for interviews and work for their new job.
Are there any clothes in your closet that you no longer wear? Put them to use by donating them to AMWF. The less fortunate are always in need of stylish, fresh, clean clothes. We would like to encourage you all to take the opportunity to do a little “closet purging” — and gather all those things that, quite honestly, will NEVER fit your body again.
Among the things that will find a new home with someone in need are some of your very nice, “classic” style, men’s and women’s suits, shirts, blouses, dresses, skirts, ties, scarfs, shoes, accessories, children and babies clothing, etc.
AMWF specializes in some new, but mostly gently used clothing and accessories in designer apparel sold in the nation’s leading upscale department stores and retailers and provide First Quality designer apparel, footwear, and accessories. We operate and maintain an inventory so we can offer our patrons diverse selection at all times. This is what separates us from the majority of non-profit distributors. We also handle electronics, sporting goods, toiletries, general merchandise, and more. We offer great styles in urban wear clothing, hip hop and designer apparel names like Armani, Ralph Lauren Corporation, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Calvin Klein, Gucci, Burberry, Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Diesel, J. Crew, American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, Puma, Lee,Dolce & Gabbana, Christian Dior, Versace, Banana Republic, Timberland, Vans, Gap, Reebok, New Balance, Zara, Levi Strauss, DKNY, Quicksilver, Kenneth Cole, Hollister, H&M, Izod, Clarks, Perry Ellis, Superdry, Champion, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Givenchy, Aeropostale, Under Armour, Lululemon, Chanel, Forever 21, Ralph Lauren,Van’s, Converse, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Jordan, Target, Lilly Pulitzer, Eileen Fisher, Tory Burch, Justice, Diesel, True Religion, Ed Hardy, Haggar, Apple, Urban Outfitters, Ray Ban, Old Navy, Wet Seal, Quiksilver, Hurley, Billabong, Penguin, BCBG, Ann Taylor, Arizona, Baby Phat, Bebe, Billabong, Buffalo, Express, Expressions, Girbaud, Guess, Gymboree, Healthtex, Heritage, Hurley, John Deere, Lands End, Le Tigre, League, Lucky Brand, Mossimo, Next Concept, NY & Co., Choppers, Penguin, Munsingwear, Private Label, Rampage, Redsand, Roxy, Sean John, Timberland, Tommy Bahama, True People, Turbulance, U.S. Expedition, US Polo Association, Victoria Secret, Von Dutch, William Rast, Ecko, Eddie Bauer, Akademiks, Energie, Fila, Fubu, Gap, North Face, Phat Farm, Rocawear, Avirex, Ocean Pacific, Hanes, Jerzees, Gildan, Sport-Tek, Dockers, Ecko, Eddie Bauer, Enyce, Esprit, Faded Glory, Harley Davidson, Nautica, Umbro, Varcity VeeTee, Vokal, Zoo York, Clarks, Alfani, Disney, Hello Kitty, Sesame Street, Gymboree, Jockey, Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, Bike, Bali, Chantelle, Glamorise, Olga, Playtex, Spanx, Wacoal, K-Swiss, Asics, Saucony, Brooks, Mizuno, New Socks, Altamont, American Needle, Beats by Dre, Been Trill, Black Scale, Brixton, Crooks & Castles, DGK, Dickies, Funderwear, Hall of Fame, ICNY, LRG, Maui & Sons, Mishka, Neff, New Balance, O’Neill, Oakley, Pacsun, Rainbow, Ray-Ban, Reef, Riot Society, Vanguard, Volcom, Young & Reckless, Beauty & the Beach, Body Glove, Brixton, Bullhead Denim Co., Diamond Supply Co., Dolce Vita, Erin Wasson, Glamorous, Insight, JanSport, Kirra, Pink, Body-Solid, Fitness Gear, Valor Fitness, Rage, Easton, Everlast, FootJoy, Franklin, JanSport, Jockey, Ecco, E-Force, Ektelon, Marmot, Maui Jim, Maxfli, McDavid, Oakley, O’Brien, Ocean Minded, O’Neill, Rawlings, Riddell, Spalding, Speedo, Wilson, Wolverine, Worth, and others!
Apparel donations can be dropped off in the Bay Area or a convenient and easy pick-up can be arranged. For complete information, call or text us at 510 394-4101.
Please click the link and complete the “Hand of Dignity” request form to instruct us how best to help you.
We are looking for a shop in the East Bay Area, California, to offer FREE clothing and accessories on a monthly basis. We already have clothing items, racks and displays. The clothing will be given based on need while they last and are listed below! We have new and gently used fashionable clothing available for mainly Middle School to College students and some Big & Tall! We have the latest style clothing and accessories of ALL types: footwear; eye wear; sports gear; weight training equipment and accessories; swimwear and swim equipment and accessories; electronics; toiletries; health and beauty products, equipment and accessories; hair care products, equipment and accessories; and much more! Just complete the request form below for consideration!
If you have a venue or know of one, please do not hesitate to contact us immediately!
Jalil
Call or text (510) 394-4101

BEST Hollywood, Award, Major Super Bowl Events, Parties!

                               

7633 Sunkist Drive, Oakland CA  94605-3032
Phone  (510) 394-4601
 https://Ex-Why.com 
 Abdul-Jalil on iTunes 
 Abdul-Jalil Front Row @ 1995 ESPY Awards 
 Co-Promoted, Managed and Trained Evander Holyfield versus Riddick Bowe Heavyweight Title Boxing Matches 11/13/92, 11/6/93, 11/4/95 
 1995 Pizza Hut Commercial with Deion Sanders and Jerry Jones “BOTH” 
 Superstar Management and Hammertime Open Office in New Orleans 
 Hammer and Deion in ESPN Sports Bloopers 3 Produced by Abdul-Jalil and SSM 
 https://Ex-Why.com 
 ¿eX-whY ? AdVentures Promotional Video 
 ¿eX-whY? AdVentures Wrote, Directed and Produced “I Know You’ll Love Oakland” Image Campaign PSA’s 
 Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation 
 Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation-KPFA Promotional Video: 
 Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation Kids Celebrity Gift BackPacks 
 Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation Free Food Program Celebrity Giving Back 
 The Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation and ¿eX-whY AdVentures? Trader Joe’s Emeryville KPFA Interview Video 
 The Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation and ¿eX-whY AdVentures? Trader Joe’s Emeryville Customer Appreciation 
 The Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation and ¿eX-whY AdVentures? Trader Joe’s Alameda Customer Appreciation 
 The Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation and ¿eX-whY AdVentures? Entourage & Randy Holland in Trader Joe’s Pinole “Tribute to Legends of Jazz” Show 
 Santa Fe Elementary School’s Peace March with Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation, SemiFreddi’s, Trader Joe’s, Little Ceasar’s Pizza, Marshawn Lynch’s “Fam1ly F1rst” and Leon Powe’s “Fresh Start Oakland” 
 Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation and Santa Fe Elementary LilCaesars Pizza Part 1 
 Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation and Santa Fe Elementary LilCaesars Pizza Part 2 
 FaceBook Fundrazr 
 Abdul-Jalil Honored in Port Au-Prince, Haiti and Miami, Fla. for Relief Missions to Haiti 
 Join the Superstars Entertainment and Sports Network 
 Abdul-Jalil’s Haas School of Business Profile 
 Haas School of Business Alumni Thank Abdul-Jalil for Cal Head Basketball Coach Mike Montgomery’s $750 Phelps Gift: 
 Cals’ Haas School of Business, the Y.E.A.H. Program, The Bread Project Giving Back to the Community: 
 Ziggs Profile of Abdul-Jalil 
 Linked In Profile on Abdul-Jalil 
 Abdul-Jalil on Twitter: @ajalil 
 Thanks You from Arch Bishop Joel Jeune to Abdul-Jalil 
 Abdul-Jalil’s “ooVoo” Video Chat Room 
 Abdul-Jalil on FaceBook 
iPhone 4 FaceTime: (510) 394-4501
AIM, Video Chat Screen Name:

 jalil@superstarmanagement.com 
Skype Video Chat Screen Contact Name: Superstarmanagement
Portrait of  Abdul-Jalil by Artist  Buford Delaney in Paris, France
Video and Audio with Abdul-Jalil:

 “Out. The Glenn Burke Story” 
  KGO Radio Conversation On “OUT. The Glenn Burke Story” 
  ESPN Story “Before Jason Collins” 
  KGO Radio’s broadcast discussion of “Out. The Glenn Burke Story” 
 KNBR Radio’s broadcast discussion of “Out. The Glenn Burke Story” 
 KNBR Radio’s broadcast discussion of “Bounce. The Don Barksdale Story” 
 ESPN Bostock 5th & Jackson TV Special Part 1 
 Part 2 
 ¿eX-whY? AdVentures Wrote, Directed and Produced Oakland Urban Economic Development Conference 
 Part 1 of 2 Interviews of Abdul-Jalil on American Muslim 360 (AM360) by Niamat Shaheed. 
 Part 2 of 2 Interviews of Abdul-Jalil, Nanita Strong and Imam Wali Mohammed on American Muslim 360 (AM360) by Niamat Shaheed. 
 Community Movement Toward Improvement 
Articles on Abdul-Jalil:

 The Man Who Turn$ Hit$ Into Million$ 
 One Special Case 
 ESPN Bostock 5th & Jackson TV Special Part 1 
 Part 2 
 ESPN Bostock Magazine Special 
 ESPN Magazine- The History and Mystery of The High Five 
 the “al-Hakim Tax Code Ruling” 
 Smart Agent 
 Busy Agent 
 Abdul-Jalil in Harvard University Law School Federal Tax Course Outline 
 Abdul-Jalil in Yale University Law School Federal Tax Course 13th Ed., Prof. Eric Zolt 
 Abdul-Jalil in Wake Forest University Law School “Islamic and Jewish Perspective On Interest” 
 Abdul-Jalil in Washington University Law School Tax Code 
 Abdul-Jalil in Washington & Lee University Law School Tax Code 
 , 
 Abdul-Jalil in University of Virginia Law School Tax Course 
 Award for “Distinguished Marketing and Promotional Services” from NFL Super Bowl NFL Experience ,
 Founder of BLACK EXPO shown with Olympic Sprinter John Carlos  ,  Hip Hop’s Islamic Influence ,  1979 National BALSA Conference  ,  Dellums for Mayor ,  Hip Hop’s Islamic Influence ,  1979 National BALSA Conference ,  Oakland Police Officers Arrested  for  Computer Store Burglaries ,  Police Found Guilty in Burglaries ,  Police Officers Sentenced for Burglaries 

Golden Globe Awards Parties

Experience the Lap of Luxury at the 2016 Golden Globe® After-Parties.

The Golden Globes® are the definitive Hollywood award show, and the after-parties are Tinseltown’s definitive post-event celebration. Get your 2016 tickets to Golden Globe® Awards after-party, and join the brightest stars from film and television for an unforgettable night of revelry. There’s a reason why celebs say that the Golden Globes® are their favorite award show. The intimate awards presentation is highly anticipated, but we suspect that the evening’s fabulous after-parties are the main draw.
Venue : Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, CA
Location : Los Angeles
Event Date :10 January 2016
   
Oscar Parties!

Just because you weren’t invited to the 88th annual Academy Awards® show doesn’t mean you can’t go to the prestigious after-parties or glamorous viewing blowouts. All it takes is a ticket, and VIP Concierge has them in spades. After all, it is the most highly anticipated awards show in the universe, and the parties are world class. You can see and be seen with the most exalted and prominent actors of our time, but only if you buy Elton John Oscar Party Tickets for yourself. Oscar® Sunday is approaching in 2016, so if those doomsday Mayan calendar rumors don’t come true, it’ll be a night to remember.
Venue : Los Angeles, CA
Location : Los Angeles
Event Date :28 February 2016,26 February 2017,4 March 2018
    
2016 Critics’ Choice Movie Awards

Let’s Get Critical at the 2016 Critics Choice Movie Awards
Who cares what the critics think? Fans hate being told what they like, why they like it and anything about the standards of taste. Celebrities, on the other hand, need this type of feedback, especially when it’s positive. When critics have something good to say, the celebrities can’t stop talking. When their latest performance is ridiculed, it’s enough to put any A-lister in hiding. The influence critics have on celebrities and their success or failure is amazing, and this power is always evident at the annual Critics Choice Movie Awards, which have been a Hollywood tradition for the past 20 years.
Venue : Hollywood
Location : Los Angeles
Event Date :17 January 2016
    
“Zoolander 2” Premiere and After Party

 “Zoolander 2” Premiere and After Party
Date/Location: February 8th, 2016, NYC (exact date/location TBD)
Synopsis: Models Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) must stop a conspiracy to kill the world’s most beautiful people.
 
Starring: Ben Stiller, Penelope Cruz, Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson
Trailer:

 http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/zoolander2/ 
Venue : NYC
Location : New York
Event Date :8 February 2016
    
Coachella Ultimate Access!

If it’s rocking, wild and out of control, it must be the indie-pop-rock extravaganza known as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. In April, crazed music fans take over Indio, California, for the most exciting party and music festival in the Inland Empire or anywhere else. Now, music fans can experience the VIP side of the Empire Polo Club with all-access 2016 Coachella tickets. VIP Concierge is your connection to the coveted passes that will get you backstage at Southern California’s Coachella Music Festival Concert Tickets.
Venue : Indio, California
Location : Other
Event Date :15 April 2016,16 April 2016,17 April 2016,22 April 2016,23 April 2016,24 April 2016
    
“Allegiant” Premiere and After Party

Date/Location: March 14th, 2016, Los Angeles (exact date/location TBD)
Synopsis: The third installment of the blockbuster Divergent series franchise, ALLEGIANT takes Tris [Shailene Woodley] and Four [Theo James] into a new world, far more dangerous than ever before. After the earth-shattering revelations of INSURGENT, Tris must escape with Four and go beyond the wall enclosing Chicago. For the first time ever, they will leave the only city and family they have ever known in order to find a peaceful solution for their embroiled city. Once outside, old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless with the revelation of shocking new truths. Tris and Four must quickly decide who they can trust as a ruthless battle ignites beyond the walls of Chicago which threatens all of humanity. In order to survive, Tris will be forced to make impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice and love.
 
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts, Jeff Daniels, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q
Trailer:

 http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/summit/thedivergentseriesallegiant/ 
Venue : Los Angeles
Location : Los Angeles
Event Date :14 March 2016
    
“Gods of Egypt” Premiere and After Party

Date/Location: February 23rd, 2016, Los Angeles (exact date/location TBD)
Synopsis: In this spectacular action-adventure inspired by the classic mythology of Egypt, the survival of mankind hangs in the balance as an unexpected mortal hero Bek (Brenton Thwaites) undertakes a thrilling journey to save the world and rescue his true love. In order to succeed, he must enlist the help of the powerful god Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) in an unlikely alliance against Set (Gerard Butler), the merciless god of darkness, who has usurped Egypt’s throne, plunging the once peaceful and prosperous empire into chaos and conflict.
Starring: Gerard Butler, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Chadwick Boseman, Elodie Young, Courtney Eaton, Brenton Thwaites
Trailer:

 http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/summit/godsofegypt/ 
Venue : Los Angeles
Location : Los Angeles
Event Date :23 February 2016
    
Rio Carnival

February 5 – February 10
Unnamed Venue, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Date: February 5th – 10th, 2016 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Travel to Rio de Janeiro for the ultimate party filled with music, dancing, and fun! Experience the luxury of Carnival as you attend the Magic Ball at Copacabana Palace, and even dance in the Samba Parade with this exclusive travel package. Rio Carnival is the world’s biggest celebration! The festival is held before Lent every year, and it is considered the biggest carnival in the world!

NFL Super Bowl
February 7
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA United States
Date: February 7th, 2016 Location: Levi’s Stadium – Santa Clara, CA This February, thousands of football fans from all over the country will be watching the AFC and NFC Champions duke it out in football’s most coveted game. We have access to the Big Game and all the VIP Super Bowl Parties, along with accommodations, transportation, celebrity meet & greets and more! The 2016 Ultimate Super Bowl Experience includes: 2, 3, or 4 night hotel accommodations.

New York Fashion Week
February 11 – February 18
Unnamed Venue, New York City, NY United States
Date: February 11th – 18th, 2016 Location: New York City, NY New York Fashion Week is a major fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, which allows fashion designers or houses to display their latest collections in runway shows and buyers to take a look at the latest trends. Most importantly, it informs the industry as to what’s in and what’s out for the season. The most prominent fashion weeks are held in the fashion capitals of Milan, London, New York.

NBA All Star Game
February 14
Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ONTARIO Canada
Date: February 14, 2016 Location: Air Canada Centre – Toronto, Ontario, Canada The NBA All-Star Game is an exhibition game hosted annually by the National Basketball Association (NBA), matching the league’s star players from the Eastern Conference against their counterparts from the Western Conference. Each conference consists of 15 teams each, making it 30 in total. It is the featured event of NBA All-Star Weekend. NBA All-Star Weekend is a three-day event which goes from Friday to Sunday.

Daytona 500

February 20
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, FL United States + Google Map
Date: February 20th, 2016 Location: Daytona International Speedway Daytona, FL The NASCAR Daytona 500 is the biggest and most prestigious race known around the world. This heart pounding, edge of your seat, gut wrenching event is like no other; surpassing the Indianapolis 500. Experience the “Super Bowl of NASCAR”, as the nations top race car drivers compete for a chance of hoisting the Harley J. Earl Cup in the Daytona Victory Lane.

Brit Awards
February 24
The O2 Arena, London, ENGLAND United Kingdom
Date: February 24th, 2016 Location: The O2 – London, England The Brit Awards (sometimes stylized as the BRIT Awards; often simply called the Brits) are the British Phonographic Industry’s annual pop music awards, and the British equivalent of the American Grammy Awards. Beginning in 1977 and The Brit Awards have grown to become one the biggest and most glamorous annual pop music awards events.

Oscar Viewing Parties

February 28
Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles, CA United States
Date: February, 28th, 2016 Location: Dolby Theatre – Los Angeles, CA The Academy Awards or The Oscars is an annual American awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements in the film industry. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette, officially the Academy Award of Merit, which is better known by its nickname Oscar. The Oscar depicts a knight, holding a crusader’s sword, standing on a reel of film.

MARCH 2016

Kid’s Choice Awards
March 12
Venue TBD, Los Angeles, CA United States
Date: March 12, 2016 Location: Los Angeles, CA The Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, also known as the KCAs or Kids Choice Awards, is an annual awards show that airs on the Nickelodeon cable channel that honors the year’s biggest television, movie, and music acts, as voted by Nickelodeon viewers. Winners receive a hollow orange blimp figurine. The show features numerous celebrity guests and musical acts. It has also been known to overwhelmingly cover people with the network’s trademark green slime.

NCAA Mens Final Four

March 15 – April 4
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX United States
Date: March 15th – April 4th, 2016 Location: NRG Stadium – Houston, TX The NCAA Final Four is an American tradition that started in 1939. From Selection Sunday to the Sweet Sixteen, to March Madness and the Elite Eight each process leads to the road of the final four. The final four focuses on the last four teams remaining in the playoffs commonly known as the knock-out tournaments (also known as the semi-finals). The men’s tournament begins with 65 teams.

Las Fallas de Valencia

March 15 – March 19
Unnamed Venue, Valencia, Spain
Date: March 15th – 19th, 2016 Location: Valencia, Spain What started as a feast day for St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, has evolved into a 5-day, multifaceted celebration involving fire. Valencia, a quiet city with a population of just over 1 million, swells to an estimated three million flame-loving revelers during Las Fallas celebrations. Las Fallas literally means “the fires” in Valencian. The focus of the fiesta is the creation of 380 Fallas.

APRIL 2016

Academy of Country Music Awards

April 3
Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV 90015 United States
Academy of Country Music Awards Travel Package –
Date: April 3rd, 2016 Location: Mandalay Bay Events Center – Las Vegas, NV The Academy of Country Music Awards, also known as the ACM Awards was the first official country music awards show in 1966 (after three informal awards banquets held at the Christensens Red Barrel Niteclub) honoring the industry’s accomplishments during the previous year. It was the first country music awards program held by a major organization, propelling country music into the public spotlight for the first time.

Masters
April 4 – April 10

Augusta National, Augusta, GA United States
Date: April 4th – 10th, 2016 Location: Augusta, GA Known for being rich in tradition, The Masters at Augusta National is known as one of the top Bucket List golf events to attend. Rich in Southern Hospitality, Augusta Georgia opens their arms to the only major golf championship that is held each year in the same location. Each year the top golf players pine for the privilege of being awarded the coveted Green Jacket.

MTV Movie Awards
April 10
Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles, CA United States
Date: April 10, 2016 Location: Microsoft Theatre (Nokia Theater) – Los Angeles, CA The MTV Movie Awards is a film awards show presented annually on MTV. The nominees are decided by producers and executives at MTV. Winners are decided online by the general public, and presented with a golden popcorn statue.

Tribeca Film Festival
April 13 – April 24

Unnamed Venue, New York City, NY United States + Google Map
Date: April 13th – 24th, 2016 Location: New York City, NY The Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff. The mission of the festival is “to enable the international film community and the general public to experience the power of film by redefining the film festival experience.” The Tribeca Film Festival was founded to celebrate New York City as a major filmmaking center and to contribute to the long-term recovery of lower Manhattan.

Daytime Emmy Awards

April 24
Daytime Emmy Awards Travel Package – Susan Lucci
Date: April, 2016 The Daytime Emmy Award is an American accolade bestowed by the New York based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming. Due to the relatively small talent pool in daytime television, it has become common for the same people to be nominated repeatedly. The most infamous of these is All My Children star Susan Lucci.

MAY 2016

The Old Course Experience
May 2 – May 7
Old Course, St. Andrews, SCOTTLAND United Kingdom
Date: May 2nd – 7th, 2016 [Alternative Dates Available] Location: Old Course – St. Andrews, Scottland The Old Course at St Andrews is considered by many to be the “home of golf” because the sport was first played on the Links at St Andrews in the early 1400s. The Old Course was pivotal to the development of how the game is still played today. One of the unique features of the Old Course are the large double greens.

Kentucky Derby

May 7
Date: May 7th, 2016 Location: Louisville, KY Louisville’s adopted slogan, “We’ve Got It”, says it all. Because of Louisville’s rich history and exciting future, it is easily one of America’s best cities. The Kentucky Derby is famously known as the Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports, complete with fashionably large hats, southern hospitality, derby pie, and the mint julip. The first leg of the Triple-Crown, this stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses commences every year on the first Saturday in May.

Cannes Film Festival
May 11 – May 22

Date: May 11th – 22nd, 2016 Location: Cannes, South of France The Cannes Film Festival has become an international creativity landscape in today’s world of cinematography. The festival provides a sort of rendezvous for those interested in the art and influence of the movies. The Cannes Film Festival has become an international creativity landscape in today’s world of cinematography. The festival provides a sort of rendezvous for those interested in the art and influence of the movies.

Billboard Music Awards

May 15
Venue TBD, Las Vegas,
Date: May 15, 2016 Location: Las Vegas, NV The Billboard Music Awards honors some of the hottest names in music today. Awards were given for the top album/artist/single in different genres. Billboard Music Awards finalists are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital songs sales, radio airplay, streaming, touring and social interactions on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify and other popular online destinations for music.

Movie Premieres
May 15

Movie Premiere Tickets
If seeing a much anticipated movie on opening day isn’t enough, see the movie premiere with the entire cast and crew will be exactly what you need! Walk the red carpet and attend star studded after parties. We can customize an experiences to fit your needs. Contact us and speak to an Experience specialist for availability of upcoming movies!

Preakness Stakes

May 21
Pimlico Track, Baltimore, MD United States
Date: May 21st, 2016 Location: Pimlico Track – Baltimore, MD The Preakness Stakes is an American flat thoroughbred horse race held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 1 9/16 miles on dirt. It is the second leg of the Triple Crown, held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes.

French Open
May 22 – June 12

Date: May 22nd, 2016 – June 12th, 2016 Location: Paris, France The French Open Tennis Tournament, officially known as Tournoi de Roland-Garros (English translation: Roland Garros Tournament) is held over two weeks, between mid-May and early June. The French Open Tennis Tournament is also the second tennis tournament of the four Grand Slams (US Open, Australian Open, and Wimbledon), and is the leading clay court tennis tournament in the world. 

Super Bowl 50 Information

Are you or any of the Super Bowl Advertisers, Marketers, Sponsors, NFL Properties Licensees, Event Planners, Promotional companies, in need of an experienced, decorated, Super Bowl veteran honored by NFL Properties (see letter below)? We can help with that special promotion and secure the most appropriate celebrity for the occasion/event!

¿eX-whY? AdVentures is a Strategic and Tactical Planning corporation specializes in the areas of Marketing, Advertising, Promotions, Public Relations, Political Campaigns, Fundraising, Product Placement and Development, Electronic Multimedia, and Event Planning. ¿eX-whY? devises and implements overallstrategies and tactics for reaching its clients target market(s) using sports, motion picture, entertainment, concerts, internet,  advertisements, endorsements, and special event properties as marketing vehicles to implement sponsorship and other promotional programs of an advertising campaign, for corporate exposure and product image enhancement.

¿eX-whY? is thought of as a Hip-Hop Ad Agency specializing in advertising, strategic planning, promotions and marketing to the hard to reach, but extremely lucrative, Millennials, X-Y and Baby Boomer generations, urban and suburban markets, using Hip Hop culture, it’s sound, it’s fashion, it’s speak, it’s bravado, it’s image, it’s way, as the vehicle. We have registered the services of Hip-Hop, Rap and RB’s elite artists, producers, video directors, writers, choreographers, dancers, graff artist, B-boys, photographers, actors, models, and professional athletes to participate in this ¿eX-whY? AdVenture. We can produce commercial ads from concept, to creation, to production, to placement in media, – the entire process-, while owning the product!!! 

We custom design, write, direct, produce, perform and provide all talent for the commercial, the jingle, and all promotions associated with the product and has produced TV programming for Disney,  ABC-TV and ESPN , as well as events in Japan,  Russia , Egypt,  Romania , Paris, Europe, Brunei, and the U.S.  and has consulted and advised BBDO Worldwide Advertising, Starter, Members of The Royal Family of Saudi Arabia, The Arthur Ashe Foundation, Rare Multimedia, Capcom, Comspan,The National Medical Association, Apex 1, Electronic Arts (EA SPORTS),  The ESPY’S ,  National Football League(NFL EXPERIENCE) Super Bowl  where we were honored with the NFL Cross Pen Set for Distinguished Service, “90210”, Black Entertainment Television (BET), Sega, The Sultan of Brunei, Trans-Pacific Centre, Nike, Pepsi Co., Oakland City Image Campaign, Boost Mobile Innercity Leadership Initiative, Russell Athletic, Private Jet, ESPN, Sports Image Awards, Clorox Co., Golden State Warriors Adonal Foyle’s “Athletics and Academics” Basketball Camp, BART, Levi Strauss, Montgomery Wards, The Jimmy V Foundation, “Home Improvement”, Lynn Harris’ “Fourth Quarter Athletics Basketball Showcase”, Minority Business Forum, Foremost/McKesson, etc.

We are members of the Casting Society of America (CSA), Independant Film Producers (IFP), Screen Actors Guild (SAG), Producers Guild of America (PGA), and Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI).

Kind regards,

Abdul-Jalil
President

¿eX-whY? AdVentures
(510) 394-4601

Super Bowl 50: Parties, concerts and top events for Super Bowl Week

The following events are scheduled during Super Bowl Week throughout the Bay Area:

MONDAY

Super Bowl City: 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Embarcadero and Market Street, San Francisco. Features a fan village centered in Justin Herman Plaza with free concerts; the 50th Mile with food, beverages and shops; the Fan Energy Zone with dance, bike riding, video football and other interactive exhibits; CBS’ mini field and light projections at dusk. Performers this day include Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and actor Aloe Blacc.  http://bit.ly/1Kiiu9c .

The Macy’s Fireworks show produced in partnership with the San Francisco Bay Area Super Bowl 50 Host Committee, kicked off fan-geared activities at Super Bowl City on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016.

On the Fifty-A Charitable Dining Experience: Lunch (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) and dinner (5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.) service, RN74 Restaurant, San Francisco. Celebrity Chef Michael Mina will donate percentage of of restaurant proceeds to support NFL Foundation charities; memorabilia auction included. Reservations at 415-543-7474 or  http://bit.ly/1m7eNI4 .

NFL Experience: 3-10 p.m., Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco. Fan Interactive Expo combines interactive games, an NFL Play 60 Zone for youngest fans, autograph sessions with past and present NFL players, photo opportunity with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl championship rings on display and the NFL Shop. Tickets: $35 adults, $25 children ages 12 and younger.  http://bit.ly/1VzowTD .

NFL Flag Championships: 4:30-7:30 p.m., Moscone Center, San Francisco. Youth ages 9-14 compete representing a different NFL club, culminating in these division national championship games. Part of NFL Experience ($35 adults, $25 children ages 12 and younger).  http://bit.ly/1UAwMSZ .

Super Bowl Opening Night Fueled By Gatorade: 5-8 p.m., SAP Center, San Jose. Performers: All players and coaches from the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos will be interviewed by media members on a live television special broadcast by NFL Network. Tickets sold-out and only available from resale sites.

Tony Bruno Show Live Broadcast: 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m., ComedySportz, San Jose. The radio host will conduct a live talk show with a studio audience. Free admission.

Super Bowl Opening Night After-party with The Sports Saloon: 7:30 p.m., The Glass House, San Jose. Radio personalities Patrick Connor and Tony Fidoni will host a party following the Super Bowl Opening Night. $20.  http://bit.ly/1nxggIB .

TUESDAY

Kaboom! Playground Build: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Blossom River Apartments, San Jose. More than 200 volunteers from the NFL, ESPN, Disney and local charities will join Kaboom! employees and San Jose residents to construct a new playground outside an apartment complex.

NFL Play 60 Challenge School Visit: 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Maya Lin School, Alameda. NFL players will visit school to reward students for completing the Super Bowl 50 edition of the NFL Play 60 challenge that promotes physical activity.

NFL Play 60 Character Camp: 10 a.m., NFL Experience football field, Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco. Non-contact football camp with predominantly Hispanic youth from the Bay Area, led by Hall of Fame lineman Anthony Munoz. Camp is free but part of NFL Experience ($35 adults, $25 children ages 12 and younger).  www.facebook.com/NFLPLAY60/ .

Super Bowl City: 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Embarcadero and Market Street, San Francisco. Features a fan village centered in Justin Herman Plaza with free concerts; the 50th Mile with food, beverages and shops; the Fan Energy Zone with dance, bike riding, video football and other interactive exhibits; CBS’ mini field and light projections at dusk. Performers this day include Vocal Rush and Amor Do Samba.  http://bit.ly/1Kiiu9c .

On the Fifty-A Charitable Dining Experience: Lunch (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) and dinner (5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.) service, RN74 Restaurant, San Francisco. Celebrity Chef Michael Mina will donate percentage of of restaurant proceeds to support NFL Foundation charities; memorabilia auction included. Reservations at 415-543-7474 or  http://bit.ly/1m7eNI4 .

PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 07: Attendees cuddle with puppies from a local rescue, Paw Works, who are on hand to promote Animal Planet’s “Puppy Bowl XII” during the Discovery Communications TCA Winter 2016 at The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa on January 7, 2016 in Pasadena, California.

NFL Experience: 3-10 p.m., Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco. Fan Interactive Expo combines interactive games, an NFL Play 60 Zone for youngest fans, autograph sessions with past and present NFL players, photo opportunity with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl championship rings on display and the NFL Shop. Tickets: $35 adults, $25 children ages 12 and younger.  http://bit.ly/1VzowTD .

Special Olympics Skills And Drills: 5 p.m-8 p.m., Valley Christian High School, San Jose. Special Olympics of Northern California and the 49ers team up to host a flag football scrimmage and skills demonstration.  http://bit.ly/1UAwMSZ .

Ladies Night Out At The NFL Shop: 7 p.m.-9p.m., Moscone Center West, San Francisco. Erin Andrews of “Dancing With the Stars” hosts a special “Ladies Night” at the NFL merchandise shop that will feature team manicures, metallic fashion tattoos and shopping. Part of NFL Experience ($35 adults, $25 children ages 12 and younger).

WEDNESDAY

Super Fan Chase: 8 a.m., Memorial Stadium, Berkeley. This is the launch of a four-day Super Bowl scavenger hunt where registered contestants search 50 destinations. $75, pre-event registration required.  www.superfanchase.com .

Super Bowl City: 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Embarcadero and Market Street, San Francisco. Features a fan village centered in Justin Herman Plaza with free concerts; the 50th Mile with food, beverages and shops; the Fan Energy Zone with dance, bike riding, video football and other interactive exhibits; CBS’ mini field and light projections at dusk. Performers this day include Loco Bloco, Taiko Drummers and platinum-selling folk-rock musician Matt Nathanson (7:30 p.m.).  http://bit.ly/1Kiiu9c .

On the Fifty-A Charitable Dining Experience: Lunch (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) and dinner (5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.) service, RN74 Restaurant, San Francisco. Celebrity Chef Michael Mina will donate percentage of of restaurant proceeds to support NFL Foundation charities; memorabilia auction included. Reservations at 415-543-7474 or  http://bit.ly/1m7eNI4 .

NFL Experience: 3-10 p.m., Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco. Fan Interactive Expo combines interactive games, an NFL Play 60 Zone for youngest fans, autograph sessions with past and present NFL players, photo opportunity with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl championship rings on display and the NFL Shop. Tickets: $35 adults, $25 children ages 12 and younger.  http://bit.ly/1VzowTD .

Super Bowl 50 Business Connect Celebration: 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., The Bently Reserve Event Center, San Francisco. A celebration that recognizes local businesses that are at least 51 percent owned by minorities, women, disabled veterans or LBGT individuals.

“Rock N Roll Bowl”: 6 p.m., Rockbar, San Jose. ABC 7’s Dan Ashley hosts a pre-Super Bowl party that features local rock bands, Solomon Wilcots, Raymond Anthony, Puro Bandido, Rick Stevens, Richard Bean, David Labrava from Sons of Anarchy and more and benefits Huddle Up for New Alzheimer’s Treatments. $49 in advance, $69 at the door. Doors open at 5 p.m. Ages 21 and older.  http://bit.ly/201rQbg .

A Concert of Champions: 8 p.m., Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco. Hosted by former NFL running back Marcus Allen, the San Francisco Symphony and NFL Films team up to present music with images of past Super Bowls projected onto the stage. $35-$95.  http://bit.ly/1KPZMRh .

Glazer Palooza Suits & Sneakers Super Bowl Kick Off: 9 p.m.-2 a.m., Pier 27-Cruise Ship Terminal, The Embarcadero, San Francisco. Hosted by Marshall Faulk, the kick-off party includes entertainment by Tommy Lee and DJ Aero and will feature celebrities, NFL all-stars and other notable professional athletes, as well as the Elevee fashion show. A portion of the proceeds go to Merging Vets + Players. VIP ticketed event.  http://bit.ly/1KjMDVy .

THURSDAY

Purpose of Sport Symposium: 8 a.m.-10 a.m., 50 Club, Embarcadero Center, San Francisco. Jim Stengel, President of the Jim Stengel Company and adjunct UCLA professor, discusses how brands are engaging fans activating through sport.  http://bit.ly/1OZCUmh .
NFL Family Football Clinic: 10 a.m., Moscone Center, San Francisco. NFL players will lead children and parents in relationship-building exercises. Part of NFL Experience ($35 adults, $25 children ages 12 and younger).  http://bit.ly/1VzowTD .

Super Bowl 50 Legacy Grant: 11 a.m., Malcom X Academy Elementary School, San Francisco. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and SB50 Host Committee CEO Keith Bruce will announce dispensation of a combined $2 million in grants and will help transform a picnic area at Community Youth Park, adjacent to the school, into a family friendly zone.  http://bit.ly/1OZCUmh .

Super Bowl City: 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Embarcadero and Market Street, San Francisco. Features a fan village centered in Justin Herman Plaza with free concerts; the 50th Mile with food, beverages and shops; the Fan Energy Zone with dance, bike riding, video football and other interactive exhibits; CBS’ mini field and light projections at dusk. Performers this day include Culture Shock, Le Vice and hit country The Band Perry (7:30 p.m.).  http://bit.ly/1Kiiu9c .

Puppy Bowl Cafe: 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Gott’s Roadside in the Ferry Building, San Francisco. Watch adoptable puppies from the local shelters scrimmage for toys on a 24-foot mock football field, while an Animal Planet referee oversees the action. Free. The pups featured also will be available for adoption at East Bay SPCA in Oakland or Dublin on Super Bowl Sunday and 1200 15th Street in San Francisco starting at noon Feb. 9 for discounted fees.  www.facebook.com/events/1974577382767354/ .

On the Fifty-A Charitable Dining Experience: Lunch (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) and dinner (5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.) service, RN74 Restaurant, San Francisco. Celebrity Chef Michael Mina will donate percentage of of restaurant proceeds to support NFL Foundation charities; memorabilia auction included. Reservations at 415-543-7474 or  http://bit.ly/1m7eNI4 .

NFL Experience: 3-10 p.m., Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco. Fan Interactive Expo combines interactive games, an NFL Play 60 Zone for youngest fans, autograph sessions with past and present NFL players, photo opportunity with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl championship rings on display and the NFL Shop. Tickets: $35 adults, $25 children ages 12 and younger.  http://bit.ly/1VzowTD .

Beer Blitz at Santana Row: 5 p.m.-9 p.m., Santana Row, San Jose. Unlimited beer tasting in eight locations throughout the row, featuring 10 breweries, with each stop representing a division of the NFL. $100. Limited tickets. www.santanarow.com/events/santana-row-beer-blitz/ .

Legends for Charity Dinner: 5-8:30 p.m., Hilton San Francisco Union Square. Benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the charity dinner will honor former NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden. $250.  http://bit.ly/1nGCp88 .

Madden Bowl XXII Party: 7 p.m., Masonic Center, San Francisco. Madden Bowl championship will pit the two best Madden NFL players. The invite-only event also will feature NFL stars Eddie Lacy, Eric Berry, Devonta Freeman, and DeAndre Hopkins.

Ditka & Jaws Cigars with the Stars: 7-10 p.m., Jones, 620 Jones St., San Francisco. Hosted by Hall of Fame Coach Mike Ditka and ESPN analyst Ron “Jaws” Jaworski, the cigar-filled party reportedly will include celebrities Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, Suzy Kolber, Mike Golic, and Merril Hoge; an open premium bar, appetizers and outdoor smoking. $500.  http://www.ditkajawscigars.com/ .

Concussion: Braid Injury and the NFL: 7:30 p.m., Nourse Theater, City Arts & Lectures, San Francisco. Hear a discussion by
Dr. Bennet Omalu, the first doctor to discover and identify chronic brain damage in professional athletes and was portrayed by actor Will Smith in the recent film “Concussion.” He will be in conversation with NBC’s Stone Phillips. $29.  http://bit.ly/20AFX9A .

Super Bowl Weekend With Norm MacDonald: 8 p.m., San Jose Improv, San Jose. The former Saturday Night Live star riffs on the big game. Dress code. 18 years and older. $27.  http://bit.ly/1UAZkf3 .

Super Bowl City Nights: 8 p.m.-2 a.m., City Nights, 715 Harrison Street, San Francisco. The Old School Show featuring tone Loc, Coolio, Rob Base and Young MC; open bar; VIP food spread and VIP bottle service available. Proceeds will go to The Wounded Warriors Project, Valentines for Veterans, The San Francisco — Marin County Food Bank and their outreach programs. Pre-sale tickets from $600.  http://superbowlcitynights.com/ .

A Concert of Champions: 8 p.m., Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco. Hosted by former NFL running back Marcus Allen, the San Francisco Symphony and NFL Films team up to present music with images of past Super Bowls projected onto the stage. $35-$95.  http://bit.ly/1KPZMRh .

DIRECTV and Pepsi Super Thursday Night: 9 p.m., Pier 70, San Francisco. Dave Matthews Band performs. Tickets start at $75.  http://livemu.sc/20AF80x .

FRIDAY

Puppy Bowl Cafe: 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Gott’s Roadside in the Ferry Building, San Francisco. Watch adoptable puppies from the local shelters scrimmage for toys on a 24-foot mock football field, while an Animal Planet referee oversees the action. Free. The pups featured also will be available for adoption at East Bay SPCA in Oakland or Dublin on Super Bowl Sunday and 1200 15th Street in San Francisco starting at noon Feb. 9 for discounted fees.  www.facebook.com/events/1974577382767354/ .

Super Bowl City: 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Embarcadero and Market Street, San Francisco. Features a fan village centered in Justin Herman Plaza with free concerts; the 50th Mile with food, beverages and shops; the Fan Energy Zone with dance, bike riding, video football and other interactive exhibits; CBS’ mini field and light projections at dusk. Performers this day include Jarrod Spector and One Republic (7:30 p.m.), followed by the Macy’s Fireworks Show.  http://bit.ly/1Kiiu9c .

On the Fifty-A Charitable Dining Experience: Lunch (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) and dinner (5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.) service, RN74 Restaurant, San Francisco. Celebrity Chef Michael Mina will donate percentage of of restaurant proceeds to support NFL Foundation charities; memorabilia auction included. Reservations at 415-543-7474 or  http://bit.ly/1m7eNI4 .

NFL Experience: 3-10 p.m., Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco. Fan Interactive Expo combines interactive games, an NFL Play 60 Zone for youngest fans, autograph sessions with past and present NFL players, photo opportunity with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl championship rings on display and the NFL Shop. Tickets: $35 adults, $25 children ages 12 and younger.  http://bit.ly/1VzowTD .

NFL Foundation Bowling Tournament: 4 p.m.-9 p.m., Lucky Strike, San Francisco. Teams of amateur bowlers captained by NFL legends such as Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Elvin Bethea, Mark Clayton, Warrick Dunn, Carl Eller, Floyd LIttle and John Randle will compete to raise money to support the Player Care Foundation and NFL Foundation. Entry fees are a $3,500 contribution to the NFL Foundation for a bowling team of four and $250 for a non-bowling spectator. To register, contact Toby Brown at 817-385-8444 or  toby@stemarketing.com .

Legends of the Game party: 6-9 p.m., Pac-12 Studios, 370 3rd St, San Francisco. The invite-only party will feature Brett Favre, Tiki Barber and Charles Woodson with red carpet entry, artisan cocktails, virtual reality experiences, and a live Q&A hosted by TV personalities.

Super Bowl Gospel Celebration: 7:30 p.m., Paramount Theatre, Oakland. The performance will include Billboard Music Award winner Kem, Grammy winner Anthony Hamilton, the NFL Players Choir, Season 9 “The Voice” winner Jordan Smith, Kierra Sheard and Canton Jones, Tye Tribette, Charles Jenkins, Jonathan McReynolds and MD-Mike Phillips. $25.  www.superbowlgospel.com .

Super Bowl Weekend With Norm MacDonald: 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m., San Jose Improv, San Jose. The former Saturday Night Live star riffs on the big game. Dress code. 18 years and older. $27.  http://bit.ly/1UAZkf3 .

Chairman’s Party: 8 p.m., The Masonic, San Francisco. The charity party benefiting the 50 Fund iniative to help Bay Area child, youth and young adults living in low-income communities will feature Ronnie Lott, Marshawn Lynch, Anthony Anderson and more. Rye will mix up a hosted bar, chef Michael Tusk of Quince and Cotogna is curating a “Best of the Bay” small bites and Grammy winner Tiësto will perform. $265.  http://bit.ly/1Sl7meG .

Super Bowl City Nights: 8 p.m.-2 a.m., City Nights, 715 Harrison Street, San Francisco. Featuring Pauly D from the MTV series “The Jersey Shore;” open bar; VIP food spread and VIP bottle service available. Proceeds will go to The Wounded Warriors Project, Valentines for Veterans, The San Francisco — Marin County Food Bank and their outreach programs. Pre-sale tickets from $600.  http://superbowlcitynights.com/ .

ESPN Party: 8 p.m., Fort Mason, San Francisco. Invite-only party will features a live performance by Grammy nominated singer Nick Jonas and music by D-Nice.

Bleacher Report “Bleacher Ball” — 9 p.m., Mezzanine, 444 Jessie St., San Francisco. Featuring music from the Grammy-winning Zac Brown Band, celebrities expected to attend the invite-only party include Daina Falk (“The Hungry Fan”), J.J. Watt (Houston Texans), Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys), Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys), Anquan Boldin (San Francisco 49ers), Alex Smith (Kansas City Chiefs), Aaron Donald (Los Angeles Rams), and Tyler Eifert (Cincinnati Bengals).

The Bay Exp Super Bowl 50 Weekend Party: 9 p.m.- 2 a.m., Sudio 8, 9 South 1st St., San Jose. Party will feature 50 confirmed NFL players, 32 celebrities and 6 DJs, including host Kenny Burns, Nicole Zavala, August Alsina, Jasmine Cadavid and DJ Envy. Must be 21 or older. General admission from $77.87.  www.thebayexp.com/event-info.html .

Leather and Laces party — 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m., City View at Metreon. Hosted by Jeremy Piven and Emmauelle Chriqui, the party will include entertainment by Cirque USA, mentalist, Jim Karol, DJ Automatic and DJ Zhaldee. Starting at $495.  www.leatherandlaces.com/ .

Pepsi Friday Night Live: 10 p.m., Pier 70, San Francisco. Performance by Pharrell Williams and DJ Khaled. 21 years or older. Tickets start at $75.  http://livemu.sc/1PJSsaU .

Playboy Party: 10 p.m., AT&T Park, Lot A, San Francisco. Grammy-nominated EDM producer and DJ Alesso is headlining. EFFEN Vodka will be serving molecular cocktails curated by Benjamin Cooper. Hugh Hefner is not expected to attend. $1,250. To purchase tickets, contact  playboysb@intheknowexperiences.com .

French Montana Super Bowl Kickoff Party: 10 p.m.-4 a.m., Roccapulco, 3140 Mission St., San Francisco. Miss Nicky Baby hosts French Montana with this extended Super Bowl party. Strict dress code enforced. Starting at $44.  http://bit.ly/1RUolEe .

SATURDAY

Super Bowl Breakfast: 8 a.m., Hilton Union Square, San Francisco. Presentation of the Bart Starr Award for Outstanding Character and Leadersip to Thomas Davis of the Carolina Panthers. Guests will include Tony Dungy, Brent Jones, Benjamin Watson, Roger Staubach, Jerry Kramer, Mike Ditka, Jack Del Rio and Clark Hunt. $200.  www.superbowlbreakfast.com .

NFL Foundation Golf Tournament: 8 a.m., Half Moon Bay Golf Links. Teams of amateur golfers captained by NFL legends such as Elvin Bethea, Mark Clayton, Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson, Jim Taylor and Paul Warfield. Tournament entry donation of $10,000 per team (teams of three paired with a NFL Legend), benefits NFL Foundatoin and Player Care Foundation.  http://bit.ly/201AQgD .

NFL Experience: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco. Fan Interactive Expo combines interactive games, an NFL Play 60 Zone for youngest fans, autograph sessions with past and present NFL players, photo opportunity with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl championship rings on display and the NFL Shop. Tickets: $35 adults, $25 children ages 12 and younger.  http://bit.ly/1VzowTD .

Santa Clara Super Community Celebration: 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Santa Clara University. Events include a celebrity flag football game; pep rally with the 49ers Gold Rush cheerleaders, Raiderettes and the Santa Clara Vanguard; Flavors of Santa Clara with gourmet food trucks, a beer and wine garden and live performances by local bands; NFL player signings; a youth activity zone; and concert featuring Huey Lewis and the News (requires separate ticket). Reserved advanced tickets are all booked, but a limited number of day-of tickets are available for those who arrive for the stand-by line. Reserved tickets not presented by 1 p.m. are forfeited; reserved concert tickets not presented by 7 p.m. will be forfeited. Free but requires reserved ticket.  http://1.usa.gov/20A1nDR .

Super Bowl City: 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Embarcadero and Market Street, San Francisco. Features a fan village centered in Justin Herman Plaza with free concerts; the 50th Mile with food, beverages and shops; the Fan Energy Zone with dance, bike riding, video football and other interactive exhibits; CBS’ mini field and light projections at dusk. Performers this day include opening act Oakland soul and R&B singer Goapele and 15-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys (7 p.m.).  http://bit.ly/1Kiiu9c .

Puppy Bowl Cafe: 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Gott’s Roadside in the Ferry Building, San Francisco. Watch adoptable puppies from the local shelters scrimmage for toys on a 24-foot mock football field, while an Animal Planet referee oversees the action. Free. The pups featured also will be available for adoption at East Bay SPCA in Oakland or Dublin on Super Bowl Sunday and 1200 15th Street in San Francisco starting at noon Feb. 9 for discounted fees.  www.facebook.com/events/1974577382767354/ .

On the Fifty-A Charitable Dining Experience: Lunch (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) and dinner (5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.) service, RN74 Restaurant, San Francisco. Celebrity Chef Michael Mina will donate percentage of of restaurant proceeds to support NFL Foundation charities; memorabilia auction included. Reservations at 415-543-7474 or  http://bit.ly/1m7eNI4 .

Wounded Warrior Amputee Flag Football Game vs. NFL Alumni: Noon-3 p.m., College of San Mateo. Flag football game featuring the Wounded Warrior Amputee Football Team, Snoop Dogg and 40 NFL Alumni, including former Pittsburgh Steeler Rocky Bleier and former 49ers Bill Ring, Dan Bunz, Derrick Deese, William Floyd, Bill Romanowski, Dana Stubblefield and Spencer Tillman. $10; free for childen and students.  http://woundedwarrioramputeefootballteam.org .

Leigh Steinberg’s 29th annual Super Bowl Party: Noon to 4 p.m., City View at Metreon, San Francisco. Invitation-only charity party brings together business, sports and Hollywood celebrities to raise money and present the Steinberg DeNicola Humanitarian Awards.

Super City 50 Urban EDM Fest: 1 p.m., O.co Coliseum, Oakland. Concert featuring Electronic Dance Music DJs Alesso, Diplo, The Chainsmokers, Chuckie and Showtek. General admission tickets from $99.  http://bit.ly/1RUp7B1 .

NFL Honors: Red Carpet 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., Telecast 5 p.m-7 p.m., Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Conan O’Brien hosts an event with Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductees, other NFL award winners and nominees and past greats including Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre, Joe Namath, Deion Sanders, Jerry Rice, Roger Staubach and Steve Young.

CBS Radio The Night Before concert: 5 pm, AT&T Park, San Francisco. Performance by opening act Cage the Elephant and Metallica. Concert is sold out.

Big Game Big Give: 6:30-10 p.m., private Atherton estate of capitalist and philanthropist Jillian Manus. Invite-only celebrity gala will include Joe Montana, Matt Williams, Gavin Newsom, 500 guests, and a special musical performer.
 http://bit.ly/1QRhf27 .

Super Bowl Weekend With Norm MacDonald: 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., San Jose Improv, San Jose. The former Saturday Night Live star riffs on the big game. Dress code. 18 years and older. $27.  http://bit.ly/1UAZkf3 .

Taste of the NFL: 7 p.m., Cow Palace, Daly City. Celebrity chefs and players representing every NFL city will be featured, along with music by Third Eye Blind. $700.  www.tasteofthenfl.com .

The Maxim Party 2016: 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., Treasure Island. Featuring performances by Lil Wane, A$AP Rocky, and DJ sets by William Lifestyle, Devin Lucien & Balthazar Getty; open premium bars and food. Invitation only.  www.maximparty2016.com .

Ludacris’s Super Bash: 8:30 p.m., The Warfield, San Francisco. Ludacris will perform with Busta Rhymes and DJ Supreme. 21 years and older. Starting at $403.50.  http://bit.ly/201vZvN .

Big Game Bash, Rolling Stone Live: 9 p.m., The Galleria, San Francisco. Billing itself as the “Indoor Coachella,” this annual party is one of the biggest at the Super Bowl, having in past years features Drake, Diddy and Jennifer Lopez. This year’s lineup already includes Travis Scott, Elle King and Avicii. The open bar includes Moet champagne. Starting at $1,087.  http://bit.ly/20AZery .

Super Soul Bowl Revue: 9 p.m., Poor House Bistro, San Jose. Featuring Wee Willie Walker, Terrie Odabi, Cubby “The Funky Godfather” Ingram, Loralee Christensen and The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra. Tickets $25 advance, $30 at door.  www.poorhousebistro.com .

Leather and Laces party — 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m., City View at Metreon. Hosted by Alessandra Ambrosio and Emily Ratajkowski, the party will include entertainment by Cirque USA, mentalist, Jim Karol, DJ Automatic and DJ Zhaldee. Starting at $495.  www.leatherandlaces.com/ .

San Francisco Mardi Gras 2016: 10 p.m., Fish & Farm, 424 Clay St., San Francisco. Get a feel for the New Orleans festivities with music, costumes and beads. Early bird tickets from $11.24.  http://bit.ly/20ALtcr .

DIRECTV Super Saturday Night: 10 p.m., Pier 70, San Francisco. Performance by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Tickets only available on the secondary market.

Chris Brown & 50 Cent Super Bowl Party: 10 p.m. Origin Nightclub, 1538 Fillmore St., San Francisco. Performances by Chris Brown and 50 Cent. Starting at $126.54.  http://bit.ly/1RUXDeE .

SUNDAY

NFL Experience: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco. Fan Interactive Expo combines interactive games, an NFL Play 60 Zone for youngest fans, autograph sessions with past and present NFL players, photo opportunity with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Super Bowl championship rings on display and the NFL Shop. Tickets: $35 adults, $25 children ages 12 and younger.  http://bit.ly/1VzowTD .

NFL Alumni GameDay Brunch: 10 a.m., Flemings, Palo Alto. Includes Chalk Talk Sessions, game analysis from NFL legends and personalities, stories from past Super Bowls, autograph sessions and more.  http://bit.ly/1Psigg5 .

Players Super Bowl Tailgate: 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Hyatt Regency Santa Clara parking lot. Featuring Erin Andrews, Guy Fieri, chefs Beau MacMillan, Aaron May and G Garvin, plus active and retired NFL players. $700.  http://bit.ly/1VAV2o8 .

Super Bowl City: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Embarcadero and Market Street, San Francisco. Features a fan village centered in Justin Herman Plaza with free concerts; the 50th Mile with food, beverages and shops; the Fan Energy Zone with dance, bike riding, video football and other interactive exhibits. Performers this day include Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble, John Brothers and Glide Ensemble (2 p.m.).  http://bit.ly/1Kiiu9c .

Puppy Bowl Cafe: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Gott’s Roadside in the Ferry Building, San Francisco. Watch adoptable puppies from the local shelters scrimmage for toys on a 24-foot mock football field, while an Animal Planet referee oversees the action. Free. The pups featured also will be available for adoption at East Bay SPCA in Oakland or Dublin on Super Bowl Sunday and 1200 15th Street in San Francisco starting at noon Feb. 9 for discounted fees.  www.facebook.com/events/1974577382767354/ .

On the Fifty-A Charitable Dining Experience: Lunch (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) and dinner (5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.) service, RN74 Restaurant, San Francisco. Celebrity Chef Michael Mina will donate percentage of of restaurant proceeds to support NFL Foundation charities; memorabilia auction included. Reservations at 415-543-7474 or  http://bit.ly/1m7eNI4 .

Tony Bruno’s Super Bowl Tailgate Party: Noon-10:30 p.m., The Glass House, San Jose. The radio host will conduct a live pregame broadcast and then a Super Bowl 50 viewing party. $50.  http://bit.ly/1PKVT1i .

San Leandro Super Bowl 50 Experience: 1 p.m., BAL Theatre, San Leandro. Watch the game on a 40-foot screen in the historic theatre and enjoy free food, water and soft drinks. Must pre-register for admittance. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free for first 500 registered guests.  http://bit.ly/1JTvMJi , 510-557-3462.

Super Bowl Parties
Events for Friday, February 5th, 2016

Leather and Laces Party (Friday Edition)
Description: With a bevy of Hollywood celebrities and athletes as guests, year after year the “Leather & Laces” party proves to be the hottest, chicest and sexiest place to be during Super Bowl Weekend.Previous hosts include Victoria’s Secret Models Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Brooklyn Decker, Lily Aldridge and Erin Heatherton as well as Hollywood Celebrities Kim Kardashian, Carmen Electra, Kevin Dillon, Nicole Scherzinger, Roselyn Sanchez and others.
Time: 9:30pm – 3:00am

ESPN “The Party”
Description: Continuously named the biggest and best party of the weekend, ESPN “The Party” is not just a party… it’s a platform, a culture, an EXPERIENCE! Past performances include Platinum Selling Artist J.Cole & Grammy nominee Charli XCX with celebrity DJs Questlove and SOSUPERSAM spinning throughout the night.
Time: 10:00pm – Late
Contact Us for pricing, and availability.

Playboy Super Bowl Party
Description: Just as you’d probably expect, there’s perhaps no event more lavish and luxurious than the Playboy Super Bowl Party. An essential who’s-who of the entertainment industry, past guests that have made appearances include Kanye West, Bradley Cooper, Usher, Gabrielle Union, Jon Hamm, and Shaquille O’Neal, while the event itself is typically hosted by current Playmates.
Time: 9:00pm – 2:00am
Contact Us for pricing, and availability.

Events for Saturday, February 6th, 2016

Leather & Laces Leather and Laces Party (Saturday Edition)
Description: With a bevy of Hollywood celebrities and athletes as guests, year after year the “Leather & Laces” party proves to be the hottest, chicest and sexiest place to be during Super Bowl Weekend.Previous hosts include Victoria’s Secret Models Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Brooklyn Decker, Lily Aldridge and Erin Heatherton as well as Hollywood Celebrities Kim Kardashian, Carmen Electra, Kevin Dillon, Nicole Scherzinger, Roselyn Sanchez and others.
Time: 9:30pm – 3:00am
Click Here for ALL Leather & Laces Details

DirecTV Super Bowl Party
Description: Saturday night will bring out all the stars from sports and entertainment. Past performances were given by Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, Jay Z, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and celebrity DJs. This event is guest list only and features the who’s who of sports and entertainment.
Time: 9:00pm – Late
Contact Us for pricing, and availability.

Maxim Magazine Super Bowl Party
Description: The dress code is “Fabulously Chic” as you prepare to rub shoulders with the Stars from the world of Sports and Entertainment at this extravagant and exclusive “by invitation only” Super Bowl party!
Time: 9:00pm – Late
Contact Us for pricing, and availability.

Rolling Stone Super Bowl Party
Description: Expect to enjoy performances from the some of the biggest musical acts in history while you’re in the same venue as some of your favorite stars from TV and the big screen. With past performers such as Steven Tyler, Charli XCX, Pitbull, Flo Rida & more, you can bet Rolling Stone will pull out all the stops to make this soiree the biggest and best Super Bowl bash in history.
Time: 9:00pm – Late
Contact Us for pricing, and availability.

NFL Honors Award Show
Description: Active NFL Players walk the Red Carpet in anticipation of being honored as “best in class” at their position. Over 100 active and former NFL players in attendance with gourmet food stations and open bar and Live headline musical performances.
Time: Red carpet starts at 5:00 pm, Award show 6:00pm – Late
Contact Us for pricing, and availability.

Taste of the NFL
Description: The premier food and wine tasting extravaganza featuring a top chef from each of the 32 NFL cities, paired with an alumni or current player from each team. Attendees are able to sample specialty foods, meet the chefs and get photos and autographs from host players and special celebrity guests.
Time: 7:00pm – Late
Contact Us for pricing, and availability.

Sunday, February 7th, 2016

Official NFL Tailgate Party
Description: The official “by invitation only” Pre Super Bowl tailgate party of the year promises to be nothing short of spectacular. Warm hospitality, open bar, exquisite food and exceptional entertainment – this tailgate party is the place to be and be seen. Super Bowl Ticket required for entry!
Time: 12:00pm – Kickoff
Contact Us for pricing, and availability.

 
NFL Players Tailgate Party
Description:The Super Bowl Players Tailgate has earned a reputation as the “Premier Super Bowl Game Day experience” Guests have included Super Bowl Champion and Hall of Famer Michael Strahan who in 2013 was host and gave a Super Bowl pregame chat and an inside look at the Super Bowl. In 2015, The Players Super Bowl Tailgate had over 25 active NFL Players in attendance mingling with fans. The Party is complete with an open premium bar and all you can eat 5 star food menu.
Time: 11:00am – 4:00pm

**********
Click  here  to buy tickets to NFL Experience Driven by Hyundai.
Click  here  to buy tickets to  Super Bowl  Opening Night Fueled by Gatorade.

OVERVIEW

 Super Bowl  50 will be played at Levi’s® Stadium in Santa Clara, CA on February 7, 2016. For more information on gameday, please click the “GAMEDAY” tab above.

Leading up to the game, several fan events will be taking place in downtown San Francisco and San Jose.

NFL Experience Driven by Hyundai will be held at the Moscone Center (North and South buildings) from Saturday, January 30 — Sunday, February 7, 2016. NFL Experience is pro football’s interactive theme park offering participatory games, displays, entertainment attractions, youth football clinics and free autograph sessions from NFL players.

 Super Bowl  City is the  Super Bowl  50 Host Committee’s free-to-the-public fan village designed to celebrate the milestone  Super Bowl  50 and to highlight its unique place in the Bay Area. This hub of fan energy will be open from Saturday, January 30 — Sunday, February 7, 2016 in Justin Herman Plaza, on the Embarcadero at the foot of San Francisco’s famed Market Street.

 Super Bowl  Opening Night Fueled by Gatorade will take place at the SAP Center in San Jose, CA on Monday, February 1, 2016 and will mark the first time the players and coaches address the media while in the Bay Area.

For more information on NFL Experience,  Super Bowl  City,  Super Bowl  Opening Night and other events taking place around  Super Bowl  50, please click the respective tabs above.

 Super Bowl  50 Host Committee

Visit the  Super Bowl  50 Host Committee’s website ( sfbaysuperbowl.com ) for more information on the 50 Tour presented by Chevron, a mobile exhibit designed to celebrate the history of the Bay Area’s championship teams, and to learn what to do and see around the Bay Area.

Transportation & Hotel Accommodations

Airports

— San Francisco International Airport (SFO)  http://www.flysfo.com/ 
— 31.5 miles to Levi’s® Stadium
— 14 miles to downtown San Francisco
— San Jose International Airport (SJC)  http://www.flysanjose.com/fl/ 
— 6.2 miles to Levi’s® Stadium
— 46 miles to downtown San Francisco
— Oakland International Airport (OAK)  http://www.oaklandairport.com/ 
— 34 miles to Levi’s® Stadium
— 21 miles to downtown San Francisco

Parking

 Super Bowl  parking will be available for purchase in December by visiting  superbowl.clickandpark.com ( https://superbowl.clickandpark.com/ ). Maps, directions and road closure information will also be made available on the Click and Park website.

Hotels

Please click  here  to book a hotel for  Super Bowl  50.
Hospitality Packages for  Super Bowl  50

Please visit  http://nflonlocation.com/super-bowl/super-bowl-50  for information on NFL On Location hospitality packages.

If you are responding to an offer of FREE TICKETS to an event and would like to request some, YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE! Please take the time to go to the website and complete the “Request for Tickets Questionnaire” form and by submitting it YOU will be a step away. The FREE TICKETS are awarded on a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS, and are subject to the terms and conditions of the promoters, venue, station, and the website therein. By submitting the “Request for Tickets Questionnaire” form you agree to abide by the terms and conditions of those parties mentioned therein above. Good luck in winning tickets and for those that do, Enjoy Yourself!!!

The Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation, a charitable Non-Profit serving the needy in Northern California, had our Ford E250 Cargo Van, full of Thanksgiving food for the needy stolen November 24, 2015. The van was recovered by the Highway Patrol a week later stripped! The transmission (dealer $3,100), brakes ($1,200), ignition in steering column ($900), doors (locks ripped out), rear camera, electronics, mirrors, bumpers and side panels dented, accessories and food service equipment was taken or damaged such that it has to be replaced. I took it for the final check up to determine if it would be worth fixing and it’s going to costs about $6,500 and is unsafe to drive now. Can you PLEASE help us with a donation for the repair?

Prior to the van theft, AARON & MARGARET WALLACE FOUNDATION, founded in 1957,had announced that we are expanding and

PLEASE donate Generously
need a refrigerated truck, freezer, vans, trucks, Apple computers, and equipment to better serve the ever expanding needy of Northern California and had embarked upon an effort to raise $135,000, to establish a Free Food Distributorship, first of it’s kind at this level!! I am pleased to announce that we are closing in on the deal for the Distributorship and obtaining a

¿eX-whY AdVentures? Superbowl 50 Corporate Support

eX- whY Superbowl 50
Super Bowl 50 Information
7633 Sunkist Drive, Oakland CA 94605-3032
Phone (510) 394-4601
https://Superstarmanagement.com
Aaron & Margaret Wallace Foundation
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Are you or any of the Super Bowl Advertisers, Marketers, Sponsors, NFL Properties Licensees, Event Planners, Promotional companies, in need of an experienced, decorated, Super Bowl veteran honored by NFL Properties (see letter below)? We can help with that special promotion and secure the most appropriate celebrity for the occasion/event!
¿eX-whY? AdVentures is a Strategic and Tactical Planning corporation specializes in the areas of Marketing, Advertising, Promotions, Public Relations, Political Campaigns, Fundraising, Product Placement and Development, Electronic Multimedia, and Event Planning. ¿eX-whY? devises and implements overall
NFL Superbowl Awardstrategies and tactics for reaching its clients target market(s) using sports, motion picture, entertainment, concerts, internet, advertisements, endorsements, and special event properties as marketing vehicles to implement sponsorship and other promotional programs of an advertising campaign, for corporate exposure and product image enhancement.
¿eX-whY? is thought of as a Hip-Hop Ad Agency specializing in advertising, strategic planning, promotions and marketing to the hard to reach, but extremely lucrative, Millennials, X-Y and Baby Boomer generations, urban and suburban markets, using Hip Hop culture, it’s sound, it’s fashion, it’s speak, it’s bravado, it’s image, it’s way, as the vehicle. We have registered the services of Hip-Hop, Rap and RB’s elite artists, producers, video directors, writers, choreographers, dancers, graff artist, B-boys, photographers, actors, models, and professional athletes to participate in this ¿eX-whY? AdVenture. We can produce commercial ads from concept, to creation, to production, to placement in media, – the entire process-, while owning the product!!!
We custom design, write, direct, produce, perform and provide all talent for the commercial, the jingle, and all promotions associated with the product and has produced TV programming for Disney, ABC-TV and ESPN, as well as events in Japan, Russia, Egypt, Romania, Paris, Europe, Brunei, and the U.S. and has consulted and advised BBDO Worldwide Advertising, Starter, Members of The Royal Family of Saudi Arabia, The Arthur Ashe Foundation, Rare Multimedia, Capcom, Comspan,The National Medical Association, Apex 1, Electronic Arts (EA SPORTS), The ESPY’S, National Football League(NFL EXPERIENCE) Super Bowl where we were honored with the NFL Cross Pen Set for Distinguished Service, “90210”, Black Entertainment Television (BET), Sega, The Sultan of Brunei, Trans-Pacific Centre, Nike, Pepsi Co., Oakland City Image Campaign, Boost Mobile Innercity Leadership Initiative, Russell Athletic, Private Jet, ESPN, Sports Image Awards, Clorox Co., Golden State Warriors Adonal Foyle’s “Athletics and Academics” Basketball Camp, BART, Levi Strauss, Montgomery Wards, The Jimmy V Foundation, “Home Improvement”, Lynn Harris’ “Fourth Quarter Athletics Basketball Showcase”, Minority Business Forum, Foremost/McKesson, Young Brothers Timepices, etc.
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Click here to buy tickets to NFL Experience Driven by Hyundai.
Click here to buy tickets to Super Bowl Opening Night Fueled by Gatorade.
OVERVIEW
Super Bowl 50 will be played at Levi’s® Stadium in Santa Clara, CA on February 7, 2016. For more information on gameday, please click the “GAMEDAY” tab above.
Leading up to the game, several fan events will be taking place in downtown San Francisco and San Jose.
NFL Experience Driven by Hyundai will be held at the Moscone Center (North and South buildings) from Saturday, January 30 — Sunday, February 7, 2016. NFL Experience is pro football’s interactive theme park offering participatory games, displays, entertainment attractions, youth football clinics and free autograph sessions from NFL players.
Super Bowl City is the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee’s free-to-the-public fan village designed to celebrate the milestone Super Bowl 50 and to highlight its unique place in the Bay Area. This hub of fan energy will be open from Saturday, January 30 — Sunday, February 7, 2016 in Justin Herman Plaza, on the Embarcadero at the foot of San Francisco’s famed Market Street.
Super Bowl Opening Night Fueled by Gatorade will take place at the SAP Center in San Jose, CA on Monday, February 1, 2016 and will mark the first time the players and coaches address the media while in the Bay Area.
For more information on NFL Experience, Super Bowl City, Super Bowl Opening Night and other events taking place around Super Bowl 50, please click the respective tabs above.
Super Bowl 50 Host Committee
Visit the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee’s website (sfbaysuperbowl.com) for more information on the 50 Tour presented by Chevron, a mobile exhibit designed to celebrate the history of the Bay Area’s championship teams, and to learn what to do and see around the Bay Area.
Transportation & Hotel Accommodations
Airports
— San Francisco International Airport (SFO) https://www.flysfo.com/
— 31.5 miles to Levi’s® Stadium
— 14 miles to downtown San Francisco
— San Jose International Airport (SJC) https://www.flysanjose.com/fl/
— 6.2 miles to Levi’s® Stadium
— 46 miles to downtown San Francisco
— Oakland International Airport (OAK) https://www.oaklandairport.com/
— 34 miles to Levi’s® Stadium
— 21 miles to downtown San Francisco
Parking
Super Bowl parking will be available for purchase in December by visiting superbowl.clickandpark.com(https://superbowl.clickandpark.com/). Maps, directions and road closure information will also be made available on the Click and Park website.
Hotels
Please click here to book a hotel for Super Bowl 50.
Hospitality Packages for Super Bowl 50
Please visit https://nflonlocation.com/super-bowl/super-bowl-50 for information on NFL On Location hospitality packages.
If you are responding to an offer of FREE TICKETS to an event and would like to request some, YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE! Please take the time to complete the following “Request for Tickets Questionnaire” form and with submitting it YOU will be a step away. The FREE TICKETS are awarded on a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS, and are subject to the terms and conditions of the promoters, venue, station, and the website herein. By submitting this “Request for Tickets Questionnaire” form you agree to abide by the terms and conditions of those parties mentioned herein above. Good luck in winning tickets and for those that do, Enjoy Yourself!!!

Marshawn Lynch's Fam 1st Family Foundation Football Camp July 9-11, 2015

Marshawn Lynch’s Fam 1st Family Foundation Football Camp July 9-11, 2015
The man, the myth, the BEAST. Fanlime spent the weekend with Superbowl Champion and Seattle Seahawk’s all star running back Marshawn Lynch (aka BEASTMODE) to talk about his Oakland roots, the Fam 1st Family Foundation he founded with cousin Josh Johnson and his exclusive BeastMode collaborations with sports street wear brand Hall of Fame, the cutting edge performance brand ICNY, and the legendary Bay Area Hip-Hop crew, Hieroglyphics.
Fam 1st Family Foundation Football Camp
Talent show
July 9 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Thursday, July 9, 2015. Talent show
Held at Oakland Tech High School Auditorium
4351 Broadway Oakland, CA
5pm-9pm Admission $5 (4 under free)
Family Bowl Night (Albany Bowl)
July 10 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Friday, July 10, 2015
Family Bowl Night (Albany Bowl)
540 San Pablo Ave Albany, Ca
5pm -9pm
Presale Admission $20
Door Admission $30
Purchase tickets
https://event.sparxo.com/ticket/FamilyBowlNight2015
Annual Football Camp
July 11
Saturday July 11,2015
Annual Football Camp
Oakland Tech
4351 Broadway Oakland, Ca
Admission Free
Pre-Registration Online
Check in at 8am-9am (ages 6-12)
Check in at 12-1pm (ages13-18)
After Party
July 11 @ 10:00 pm – July 12 @ 2:00 am
After Party
July 11th
10pm -2pm
Location: TBA
$20 Admission
Fam 1st Family Foundation Talent Show
MARSHAWN LYNCH
Aside from his profession as a running back for the Seattle Seahawks, Marshawn Lynch is, in most ways, a typical American. Like anyone else, the lineaments of his success are consistent with the status symbols of his childhood and hometown. Like many good kids, he was a dreamer who wanted to grow up to help his family. Like many good men, his true heart is not for public view, and like many famous people, he’s wary of your motives.
A combination of these attributes earned Marshawn a $100,000 fine from the NFL last November for not interacting with the media. While not required by the Seattle Seahawks—Pete Carroll certainly doesn’t care if Marshawn talks to the press or not—the NFL, as part of its assiduous image maintenance, demands that its marquee players routinely supply the media with content. You don’t have to watch football to guess that most of this patter is the verbal equivalent of a store-bought Halloween costume, and because variations from this banal pattern often receive undeserved, rabid scrutiny, an enforced vapidity has long been the norm among athletes and their image managers. One should not critique Marshawn for wanting no part of this.
“He cares a lot more about his teammates than people think. He cares a lot more about this game than people think,” former Seahawk fullback Michael Robinson tells the Seattle Times. “He’s just not a guy that’s going to do it for the camera. That’s how he is.”
While he’s willing to perform when he calls the shots (as with his recent endorsement dealwith Skittles, his favorite candy going back to childhood) his scant press interviews usually range from curt to succinct. NFL Network reporter Deion Sanders happened into what qualifies asMarshawn Lynch (Kurt Rogers, San Francisco Chronicle)Marshawn’s mission statement when Marshawn told him, “I’m all about that action, boss … I ain’t never seen no talking that ever mean nothing. Been like that since I was little. I was raised like that.”
Marshawn’s “action” also happens to speak volumes. Nicknamed “Beast Mode” since his teenage years, Marshawn has an unusual talent for breaking tackles and finding an extra gear, perhaps best exemplified by this astonishing runagainst the New Orleans Saints a few years back. Seahawks fans love the guy; they’ve made his jersey one of the top-selling in football and caused Seattle-wide Skittles shortages in the lead-up to last year’s Super Bowl. These exploits make him worthy of the attention—if he wanted it.
Perhaps in retaliation, the media hasn’t downplayed Marshawn’s indiscretions and scrapes with the law, which mostly happened while he was a young player on his first team, the Buffalo Bills. He’s endured a hit-and-run charge he incurred while rolling through Buffalo’s bar district, a misdemeanor weapons charge, a DUI, and a citation for playing loud music—while in the Bills’ stadium parking lot.
“I would like to see them (critics) grow up in project housing authorities, being racially profiled growing up, sometimes not even having nothing to eat, sometimes having to wear the same damn clothes to school for a whole week,” Marshawn told Jeffri Chadiha, in a rare interview for ESPN E:60. “Then all of a sudden a big-ass change in their life, like their dream come true, to the point they’re starting their career, at 20 years old, when they still don’t know shit. I would like to see some of the mistakes they would make.”
Characteristically, Marshawn will not often talk about his difficult upbringing in a dangerous Oakland neighborhood. Marshawn’s mom, Delisa Lynch, a single parent working two jobs, struggled to support Marshawn and his siblings, and couldn’t often be around to keep them out of trouble or be there when someone let them down. Also, she permitted, but did not encourage, Marshawn’s relationship with his biological father, Maurice Sapp. “He chose a different lifestyle than what I wanted,” she says. “And let’s leave it at that.”
Marshawn badly wanted to spend time with his dad, however, and Maurice was around until Marshawn was eleven, doing things like taking him to church, but then got in trouble with the law and became increasingly remote.
In his E:60 interview, Marshawn told Chadiha about a time he went to his dad’s place only to have his father abandon him. “Moms would be like, I’m going to take you over here, to your dad’s house,” Marshawn says. “And when I get there, my dad’s like, OK, I’ll be right back, and then you don’t see this guy for like two days or something. And then after a while you build up numb feelings to that. You start to expect the worst from people.”
“The biggest letdown was his father,” his high school coach, Delton Edwards, told the New York Daily News. “That was the biggest letdown of all time. He wanted to build a relationship with his father, and it was there at times. But it never materialized.”
Marshawn also attributes some of his reticence to the tough neighborhood where he was raised. “Being from Oakland, you see a lot of things,” Lynch told ESPN this week. “You see friends turn on friends all the time. You see family turn on family.”
The family that was there for Marshawn—including his mom, uncles, and cousins, many of whom were talented athletes, saw a lot of potential in the shy, hurt little kid who ate Skittles before games and showed unusual endurance from a young age. “I’ll tell you why, and nobody knows this either,” Delisa tells Seahawks.com. “When I was pregnant with Marshawn, he was supposed to have a twin. When I had Marshawn, another placenta came out. That’s when the midwife said, ‘Don’t be surprised if he’s an amazingly strong child.’ So Marshawn is a twin to himself.”
Whether the cause of his football ability is talent, work ethic, or an extra placenta, Marshawn’s athleticism and academic performance got him into the University of California—Berkeley, where he was a star for the Golden Bears football team and earned a 3.2 GPA as a Social Welfare major. Before he even began his NFL career, he understood that he could leverage his status as a prominent athlete to make a difference in his community, the way people like Delton Edwards and his uncles had made a difference for him.
When Marshawn went pro and picked an agent—naturally, a local Bay Area guy named Doug Hendrickson—Doug was amazed at his new client’s focus. “In the first meeting, he wasn’t asking about his contract,” he told Peter King. “Honest to God, his dream was to build a youth center for kids in Oakland.”
In 2011, Marshawn teamed up with a cousin, NFL quarterback Josh Johnson, to launch a Bay Area non-profit called the Fam 1st Family Foundation. He hosts hundreds of kids each year at a free football camp, and plans to do much more; his fully-realized youth complex will have a computer lab, a gymnasium, a music studio, and will increasingly segue from its current focus on sports. “The main component we want to teach is basic life skills I feel a lot of kids are missing,” Marshawn said to Sports Illustrated. “How to balance a checkbook, create a résumé, how to fill out a job application, how to speak with confidence one-on-one.”
“This is not a vanity project,” says supporter and current California Lieutenant GovernorGavin Newsom, who met Marshawn when Gavin was mayor of San Francisco. “I’ve been in this racket long enough to have seen a lot of athletes who are just going through the motions, just checking a box. Marshawn has a deep commitment. He genuinely cares about his community, which is inspiring to see. Not only is he going to get this place built, but I’m going to predict the doors will never close.”
In addition to the non-profit and the youth center, Marshawn also does a lot of day-to-day assistance with disadvantaged children, from turkeys on Thanksgiving and presents on Christmas to free tickets to games and tours of the locker room. Pointedly, he’s disallowed the team’s media relations staff from inviting the press to witness any of these interactions with kids and their families.
“I think he’s a great philanthropist. He does anything for kids,” says Richard Sherman, one of the handful of other Seahawks who have started a non-profit. “And I think that if more people saw that side of him, they would look at him differently.”
“I feel that’s most important,” Marshawn told 710 ESPN Seattle. “To put a different light into their lives and let them know that they actually do have a chance.”
In saying so, Marshawn seems redolent of James Baldwin, who wrote in Nothing Personal: “It is necessary, while in darkness, to know that there is a light somewhere, to know that in oneself, waiting to be found, there is a light.”
“Generations do not cease to be born,” Baldwin continues in the same essay. “And we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have.”
Marshawn says, “Most people told me growing up that I would either be dead or in jail by the age of 18. I have friends that didn’t make it to 18. I’ve got homeboys now that have been in jail since they was 16. This is something that I wanted to change in my neighborhood. I felt if I could influence one kid to try to help them through life, that’s a win for me.”
Marshawn Lynch wasn’t sure if he would attend Super Bowl XLVIII Media Day. On Tuesday, Lynch did indeed appear at the event to briefly speak with the assembled media before spending some additional time with NFL Network’s Deion Sanders.
Marshawn Lynch Scores in SUPER BOWL!!!
If Marshawn had any love for the spotlight, or even the slightest desire to soak up the fame associated with America’s most hyped sporting event, Tuesday could serve as a coming-out party for the ages.
With thousands of reporters set to descend upon the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., for Super Bowl XLVIII Media Day, Lynch has a compelling story to tell — which, in all likelihood, the Seattle Seahawks’ star running back will go to great lengths to avoid telling.
As of Monday, Lynch, the NFL’s answer to Greta Garbo, was still deciding whether to show up for the mandatory team-interview session, even at the risk of incurring fines that could exceed $100,000.
Even if he does appear at the podium, look for Lynch to give a figurative stiff-arm to reporters’ questions with the same ferocity he displays when pushing away would-be tacklers on his trademark Beast Mode rushes.
“If you’re forced to do something, it’s not as good as if you choose to do it,” Lynch told NFL Media last week during an expansive interview, making an exception to his three (words) and out approach to answering questions from reporters. “So no, I won’t have a lot of interesting things to say. When you’re forced to do something and you know it, it kind of just takes away from the whole experience of what it could be if (it were) natural. So, I’ll probably give forced answers.”
This is where I feel obligated to throw the columnist’s equivalent of a red challenge flag, if only to remind readers that Lynch’s ascent to the pinnacle of his profession has been nothing short of super. He has overcome a lot, from the rough streets of Oakland to the trouble-filled opening act of his NFL career, and the fact that he’s still standing is a testament to his resilience.
“He’s certainly authentic, and that’s so refreshing in this ‘look-at-me,’ celebrity-obsessed culture of ours,” California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom said of his friend Lynch, for whom he is flying east to attend the Super Bowl. “We need a little of that, and I love his story. It’s good to see someone get better after he signs a big contract. And it’s good to see someone who, let’s be candid, has rebounded after some rough patches earlier in his career.”
As the rare media member to whom Lynch has opened up over the years, from his carefree days at Cal to his choppy stint in Buffalo to his satiating revival in Seattle, I can attest that the man known as Money is fully capable of living up to his nickname in interviews.
Last week’s was no exception: When I asked him to describe the low point of his stint with the Buffalo Bills, who took him in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft and dealt him to the Seahawks four games into his fourth season, his response was pure columnist’s gold.
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“My lowest point?” Lynch replied. “I had a bunch of them, and I overcame them. I don’t think I ever had a lowest point while on an active NFL roster. My lowest point came (growing up), when we were trying to figure out what we were gonna eat at night. My lowest point came when I’d wash my jeans at night — and hopefully they were dry by the morning, so I wouldn’t have to go to school in wet jeans. Or, if they were still damp, I’d iron ’em so at least they’d be hot for a moment.”
Lynch has never been hotter than he is at this current moment, having come up big in each of the Seahawks’ playoff victories — as he did three postseasons ago, when his iconic, 67-yard touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints caused a literal earthquake and propelled him into a new realm of recognition.
Following Lynch’s 22-carry, 109-yard performance in the Seahawks’ 23-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in last Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, which included a 40-yard touchdown run that woke up Seattle’s offense early in the third quarter, fullback
Michael Robinson said of his backfield mate, “He is the face of the franchise, and his running style epitomizes what our team is all about.”
Really, though, Lynch has spent the past several years remaking himself as significantly off the field as he has in a football uniform. From his dogged devotion to charitable causes close to his heart to his growing collection of incongruous celebrity friends such as Newsom, Lynch is not the Beast you probably think he is, even though he most definitely plays one on TV.
“The man’s empathetic,” said Newsom, a native San Franciscan and diehard Niners fan who plans to spend time with Lynch after arriving in New York later this week, and who will be at MetLife Stadium on Super Sunday to cheer him on against the Denver Broncos. “Not long after Sunday’s (NFC title) game, he called me from his house and said, ‘Sorry, man. I hate to do that to your team.’ I’m thinking, ‘Hey, Marshawn’s a politician!’ But really, that sums him up — even in that moment, he wasn’t celebrating or boasting or rubbing it in. He showed compassion, which is the norm for him.”
This is not to say that Lynch should in any way be considered normal.
“No, he’s definitely not,” Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman said last Thursday. “But we love him — and he’s a lot smarter than people give him credit for.”
As Sherman spoke, Lynch was engaged in his typical mid-day behavior in the Seahawks’ locker room: strutting around in a zone of his own, blasting hip-hop on his portable sound system and intermittently injecting himself into teammates’ conversations, invariably provoking laughter. He had his sweatpants pulled down to his hamstrings, revealing gray boxer shorts, and had a ski cap yanked low over his forehead.
“You’re gonna get the same guy every day,” Tarvaris Jackson, the Seahawks’ backup quarterback, said of Lynch. “He’s not gonna be fake with you, that’s for sure.”
Clearly, Lynch is at home in Seattle. Though he has not completely avoided trouble since arriving — he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in July 2012 in Oakland and subsequently charged, and the case is still unresolved — he has found fulfillment in the Pacific Northwest.
“If you look around our locker room, you see a lot of guys that’ve been in similar situations, where it hasn’t just been all glitter and gold,” Lynch said. “A lot of us have been through a lot of struggles, or played on another team, or we didn’t get drafted where we thought we should, or had a rough childhood and troubled careers. It’s cool to look around the locker room and see guys that done have some real-life stuff, and see them come together on a daily basis.”
Life was far less idyllic for Lynch in Buffalo, where, despite posting a breakout rookie season (280 carries for 1,115 yards in 13 games) and a follow-up campaign that resulted in the first of four Pro Bowl selections, he ultimately became persona non grata, especially after the franchise selected C.J. Spiller with the ninth overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft.
In fairness, Lynch brought a lot of that on himself, thanks to off-the-field drama that included a hit-and-run incident and a guilty plea to a misdemeanor gun charge. He was essentially dumped by the Bills, who sent him to Seattle in October 2010 for a fourth-round pick in 2011 and a fifth-rounder in 2012.
“I had a couple of run-ins in Buffalo, and there was probably some bad blood between me and the organization,” Lynch conceded. “So I can understand why they’d have wanted to make the move. It never was my intention to put a black eye on the organization. I’m just thankful for the opportunity that I had to get out, and I respect their decision in coming and getting me. It’s a great place to be.”
Lynch, Seahawks SUPER BOWL CHAMPS!!!
Completing the trade became a personal obsession for Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who, during his time at USC, had coached against Lynch’s Cal Golden Bears — and who aggressively lobbied Seattle general manager John Schneider to swing a deal.
“Marshawn was a guy that we went after directly,” Carroll said in an interview that will air on NFL Network’s “GameDay Morning” on Sunday. “I was really excited about getting him on our football team, because I knew he was unique and he was special and he was tough and he was a fierce competitor. We spent months trying to get that trade done.
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“I wore John out on that thing, and we finally got it done, and it’s been really an extraordinary part of our program. He’s done everything we asked of him. And he’s had a great run, and he’s been compensated well, for what he stands for and for what he brings to this program.”
Lynch, who signed a four-year, $31 million deal in March 2012, mostly stands for indefatigable toughness.
“Everything about him is tough, from the way he runs to the way he is, but he’s a positive force, and he’s very team-oriented,” said Earl Thomas, the Seahawks’ All-Pro free safety. “The way he fights for extra yards inspires all of us. He’s the concrete of our offense. When I see him do those things, I think, ‘Man, turn it up.’ I like that. I like players who can really change the tenor of the game.”
Added Robinson: “Guys feed off what he does. I don’t know if there’s another back that can cut laterally with more power on one leg like he can. I mean, Adrian (Peterson) might be faster straight ahead, but off one leg … I don’t know. And nobody wants to tackle that guy in January or February.”
Lynch is proud of his physical running style, saying, “It’s something that every running back takes pride in, no matter how you do it. It just so happens I have the ability to do it more than one way, whether it’s making a guy miss, stiff-arming a guy or even running over a guy. Everybody loves ‘extras.’ I try to bring that to every game.”
Yet surround him with a group of men and women bearing cameras, microphones and notepads, and his speech is suddenly devoid of any extras. Certainly, he can walk the walk, but he has very little desire to talk the talk.
In a world in which false humility has become so pervasive that humblebrag is now part of the modern lexicon, Lynch truly wants to deflect the attention coming his way.
“He’s the complete opposite of what people think,” Seahawks outside linebacker Cliff Avril insisted. “He’s a team person. He’s not one of those guys who makes it about himself.”
To this, Lynch reluctantly pleads guilty.
“Yeah, that’s all it is,” he said. “I’ve never seen anybody win the game in the media. But at the same time, I understand what it could do for you, if you wanted to be someone who talks a lot. But that’s not me.
“And I’m not as comfortable, especially at the position I play, making it about me. As a running back, it takes five offensive linemen, a tight end, a fullback and possibly two wide receivers, in order to make my job successful. But when I do interviews, most of the time it’ll come back to me. There are only so many times I can say, ‘I owe it to my offensive linemen,’ or, ‘The credit should go to my teammates,’ before it becomes run down.
“This goes back even to Pop Warner. You’d have a good game and they’d want you to give a couple of quotes for the newspaper, and I would let my other teammates be the ones to talk. That’s how it was in high school, too. At Cal, I’d have my cousin, Robert Jordan, and Justin Forsett do it.
“Football’s just always been hella fun to me, not expressing myself in the media. I don’t do it to get attention; I just do it ’cause I love that (expletive).”
So if Media Day, to Lynch, looms as the equivalent of getting his dreadlocks pulled out of his head, one by one, know this: Super Sunday will absolutely live up to its name. For someone so attuned to his roots and cognizant of his journey, it’s an opportunity that will not be taken for granted.
Lynch in SUPER BOWL Championship Parade
“I mean, it feels good, ’cause this is something that I’ve dreamed about for a long time,” Lynch said. “Growing up in Oakland, a lot of us never knew the world was bigger than outside of the ‘580’ and the ‘880,’ the two freeways that bordered where we lived. We didn’t see anything past that.
“Coming from the ‘hood, being raised the way I was, and having the support system around me, it allowed me to be in position to expand my world. People on the streets who’d see something I was doing that was positive … my mom putting a foot in my ass consistently … family members and friends and teachers and coaches helping me make good choices … all of that.
“There were probably some situations that didn’t look promising. It didn’t look like I’d make it out. And looking back, there are some situations where I was blessed.”
For that, he’s very thankful — in his own, quiet way.

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