EDISON, N.J. (Feb. 23, 2021) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) recently announced new submissions for its Time Out for Black Lives reading program initiative, which aims to inspire and educate youth, athletes, families and fans. The new additions will put the digital library to over 23 videos to date.
  
Time Out for Black Lives features an interactive website, timeoutforblacklives.com, where coaches and student-athletes from MAAC basketball programs contribute their time and resources to read children's books in entertaining videos, all focusing on Black culture, history, music and myths. Posted videos feature short biographies on each coach or student-athlete, with kid-friendly information such as the reader's hometown, favorite book and favorite basketball player. There are also "Let's Talk About It" resource guides to help parents and teachers start thought provoking discussions with children viewing the videos.
 
Quinnipiac men's basketball head coach Baker Dunleavy, when asked about the Time Out for Black Lives initiative, said "'Every Little Thing' was a cool book for me to read as part of the Timeout for Black Lives initiative. The book is based on a song that I'm very familiar with, and it sends a powerful message of peace and love that our world really needs right now. 
 
Bob Marley is someone who fought for justice time and time again through his work – and his daughter Cedella was able to spread his message of harmony through this adaptation. 
 
Our country needs to commit to lasting change. I'm proud of the action the MAAC has taken to get out and make a difference, and I'm happy to be a part of this project."
 
Iona women's basketball head coach Billi Chambers added "The MAAC has really hit the nail on the head with this initiative. It's so important to focus on Black history and Black culture and I'm glad our conference can all come together to create a connection with and teach younger generations. I'm looking forward to seeing the impact we can have and hopeful that this evolves into something larger across college basketball as a whole."
 
Redshirt senior center Jordan Jones of Marist College read the book "Our Children Can Soar" in the latest round of videos, which can be found here. Jones noted "I enjoyed the book; it communicated a simple message that will help young Black kids know about the pioneers that paved the way to help guide their success. The Time Out for Black Lives reading program does an amazing job in encouraging literacy in young kids, which is the key to liberation. I hope this program continues to be a mainstay in this conference and has some more adoption across the NCAA landscape."
 
Redshirt junior forward Callie Cavanaugh, who partook in the first round of videos by reading the book "I Am Enough" added "It's important because if anything is going to change, it will be because of what we teach our children. It's important to let kids of color know that their dreams and goals are achievable and that being of color will not hold them back." Cavanaugh's video can be found here.
 
The newest round of submissions, which are now posted to timeoutforblacklives.com, can be found in the chart below.
 

Newest Videos Added
BOOK TITLE	AUTHOR	MAAC NARRATOR
Happy Hair	Mechal Renee Roe	Alexa Wallace Monmouth Women's Basketball
Together for Kwanzaa	Juwanda G. Ford	Billi Chambers Iona Women's Basketball
Brown Sugar Babe	Charlotte Watson Sherman	Ashley Williamson Siena Women's Basketball
This Is Your Time	Ruby Bridges	Lynn Milligan Rider Women's Basketball
Tiara's Hat Parade	Kelly Starling Lyons	Erika Joseph Canisius Women's Basketball
Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball	Jen Bryant	Greg Paulus Niagara Men's Basketball
Frederick Douglas: Voice for Justice, Voice for Freedom	Frank Murphy	Daryl Banks III Saint Peter's Men's Basketball
Overground Railroad	Lesa Cline-Ransome	Samir Stewart Manhattan Men's Basketball
Our Children Can Soar	Michelle Cook	Jordan Jones Marist Men's Basketball
I Believe I Can	Grace Byers	Taj Benning Fairfield Men's Basketball
A Nigerian Myth: Now We Know Why Hippos Live in the Water	Elphinstone Dayrell	Nelly Junior Joseph Iona Men's Basketball
Every Little Thing	Cedella Marley	Baker Dunleavy Quinnipiac Men's Basketball

 
About Time Out for Black Lives
Time Out for Black Lives aims to inspire and educate youth, athletes, families and fans. The initiative has an interactive website where coaches and student-athletes from MAAC basketball programs contribute their time and resources to read children's books in entertaining videos, all focusing on Black culture, history, music and myths. The program comes as part of the MAAC's United for Justice campaign that was announced over the summer.  For more information, visit timeoutforblacklives.com.
 
About the 2021 Hercules Tires MAAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships:
The MAAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships return to New Jersey on March 8-13, 2021 at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. To stay up to date on MAAC basketball, visit http://maacsports.com/basketball and follow @MAACHoops on Twitter.
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40^th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter's University, and Siena College.