GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Bring Your Own Five (BYO5) is bringing people together by way of basketball. An event that's all about community and friendly competition with police.
- Video shows a local basketball event bringing people of all ages on to the court for some competitive fun. Police officers also took part in the pickup basketball games.
- Sharon Harper created the event and she says the purpose is to build stronger relations between Black and brown people with the police. This year's event was at the Boys & Girls Club on Green Bay's east side.
- This is the event's 10th year and Harper plans on having a 3pt contest and Slam Dunk contest in the summer for cash prizes.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
It's called, "Bring Your Own Five," (BYO5) and it was created by Sharon Harper, who I spoke with last month about her Black History Month exhibit.
She said the idea came to her after basketball rims were taken down at Fisk Park.
"Chief Tom Molitor came and me and him talked, and he went and told the (former) Mayor Schmitt and Mayor Schmitt joined in and said let's do it," Harper said.
Harper said this is the event's tenth year
"They're all my babies, they're all my kids and now I'm a grand mama to a bunch of kids now because they started at (age) 15 and now they're 25 and 30 with their own kids," Harper said.
Sharon also invites police officers to take part in the competitive fun.
"Two of the police (officers) came in today and all the boys know them, they're like, 'Hey man', cracking jokes with them, and shouting out stuff saying, 'Look at him, that's an airball,' and everybody knows each other," Harper said. "That's what we need. Unity in the community, we need love."
Sincere Streeter said playing with officers was a blessing and he's already looking towards the next opportunity to play again.
"With this being my first time I'm lowkey out of shape, they're some real dogs but we're coming back next time, so we don't even gotta worry about that too much," Streeter said. "Just come out here, just play basketball, you chill with people you grew up with, that's always fun to do.
Harper said the next BYO5 event will take place in July 2024 and it's the love for the game that can break barriers and create relationships across all ages.
