Somali Bantu Rising offers recreational and cultural programming for Somali Bantu Families in the Rainier Valley, one of the most diverse and economically challenged areas in Seattle. They are currently engaged in a capital funding project to create a recreation space with no-cost programming led by the Somali Bantu community.
SBR’s Soccer-to-Scholar and Basketball-to-Scholar Youth Programs serve 40–60 youth annually through competitive leagues. Athletic participants receive tutoring, homework help, mentorship, and college preparation support. Coaches and mentors are Somali Bantu community members who speak Maay-Maay and Chizigula, building trust that mainstream programs cannot replicate. This $20,000 grant from the Charlotte Martin Foundation will fund the Soccer-to-Scholar, Basketball-to-Scholar, and Youth Advisory Board Programs, giving Somali Bantu Youth the opportunity to participate and directly co-create youth athletic and academic programming that positively impacts themselves and their peers.
