Tobias Harris built his community work around a simple conviction: if you invest in education, you invest in the whole community. Since arriving in Philadelphia he has put serious money and his own time behind literacy, books and the teachers, especially Black male teachers, he believes change children's lives.
The $1 Million Community Draft
In October 2019 Harris announced $1 million in grants to nine literacy and education organisations, revealing them pick by pick at a Philadelphia elementary school like a draft. The largest awards went to the Center for Black Educator Development ($300,000) and Read by 4th ($200,000), with support also reaching his earlier home of Orlando and Wyandanch Memorial High School in his Long Island hometown.
Tobias' Lit Labs
Through his Lit Labs initiative, Harris has put 30,000 books into the hands of 8,000 Philadelphia children, building reading spaces and stocking them with books that reflect the kids who read them. Literacy is the through line of his foundation's work: children who can read can choose their own future.
Tobias' Top Teachers
Harris champions the recruitment and retention of Black male teachers, funding 55 professional development workshops and providing classroom supplies to 800 new teachers. He also awarded $300,000 to The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, in part to recruit teachers from HBCUs and diverse backgrounds.
Principal for a Day
Harris spent a day at Bethune Elementary School in North Philadelphia serving as principal for a day, personally thanking 15 male educators, giving each a gift card for school supplies and tickets to a game, then reading with kindergarteners in the school library. His giving is rarely a cheque sent from a distance.
A Voice in the League
Harris served as a player representative on the NBA Foundation board and helped the 76ers launch their Vote 76 voting initiative. In 2021 the league named him a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award, recognising the depth of his education work.
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