Ali, Athletes & Community | An LPB Virtual Event | Muhammad Ali | A Film by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns & David McMahon
Ali, Athletes & Community
Ali, Athletes & Community is a FREE LPB virtual event in partnership with the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Join us as we explore Ali’s role as a community activist and show how his legacy lives on today for young athletes across Louisiana, through the work of an organization he co-founded, Athletes For Hope. We also took a look at the PBS series MUHAMMAD ALI - A film By Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED!
Our Event Host:
Ro Brown - A pioneering broadcasting presence who became a sports media staple in his native New Orleans, Brown was the first on-air African-American sports anchor-reporter in New Orleans at WDSU-TV in 1978. After one year (1980-81) at KPLC-TV in Lake Charles he returned to WDSU where he worked for 21 years, becoming a staple of the New Orleans media scene. Brown is a member of selection committees for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, the Allstate Sugar Bowl Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame and the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame.
Our Panelists:
Paul Mainieri, Retired LSU Head Baseball Coach
Coach Mainieri guided the LSU Tigers to the 2009 College World Series national championship and five CWS appearances. During Mainieri’s tenure, LSU captured a remarkable 30 team championships, including the 2009 NCAA title, eight NCAA Regional championships, five NCAA Super Regional championships, four Southeastern Conference championships, six SEC Tournament titles and six SEC Western Division crowns. He retired at the end of the 2021 season.
Ivan Blumberg, Founding CEO of Athletes For Hope
Ivan currently serves as a strategic advisor to Athletes for Hope (AFH) and is the organization’s Founding CEO, serving in the position from 2006 to 2021. Prior to AFH, Ivan represented athletes for the majority of his career including clients such as Arthur Ashe and Andre Agassi. He is a 1980 graduate of Hobart College and a 1983 graduate of Washington University School of Law. Outside of AFH, Ivan is involved in a variety of charitable organizations in the Washington, D.C.-area.
Jeremy Fontenot, Head Women's Soccer Coach - Southern University
Head Women's Soccer Coach Jeremy Fontenot enters into his seventh season leading the Lady Jaguars. Fontenot finished last year with 6-9-2 and made it to the SWAC tournament every year since 2017. Under his guidance, Fontenot has helped produce All SWAC performers in every year since 2016 . Prior to his arrival, Fontenot earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources at Upper Iowa University. Fontenot coached the Lady Eagles at Parkview Baptist for three seasons and led the team to the playoffs every year. He was named District Coach of the year in his final season. Fontenot has also produced a handful of All-District players and two All-Metro players during his tenure at Parkview. Coach Fontenot has been married to his beautiful wife Ashley for 10 years, and resides in Baton Rouge with their three daughters, Jordyn, Jaedyn, and Jaicee.
Jeanie Kahnke, Senior Director of Public Relations and External Affairs, Muhammad Ali
Jeanie Kahnke is the Senior Director of Public Relations and External Affairs at the Muhammad Ali Center, where she has been employed since February 2002. In her role, Ms. Kahnke is responsible for the Center’s media and public relations. Prior to joining the Center, she was the Chief Operating Officer of New Vision Enterprises, a Louisville-based non-profit organization that provides services to persons with visual impairment. A native Minnesotan, Ms. Kahnke loves traveling and experiencing new cultures.
Muhammad Ali | A Film by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns & David McMahon
ARCHIVED EVENTS
ARCHIVED: September 9th
Conversations on Ali
"Ali, Race & Religion"
Explore the interwoven nature of race and religion in Muhammad Ali’s own life, and its impact on sports, society and culture today. This event features a live discussion with filmmaker Ken Burns, Olympic medalist and change agent Ibtihaj Muhammad, and ESPN/The Undefeated Senior Writer Justin Tinsley.
ARCHIVED: September 14th
Conversations on Ali
"Ali, Activism & The Modern Athlete"
Examine the nature of the modern athlete and celebrity through the lens of Muhammad Ali and today’s biggest stars. What is the responsibility of an athlete today and how do they leverage their unique platform for good? This event features a live discussion with filmmaker Ken Burns, New Orleans Saints player and NFL Players Coalition founder Malcolm Jenkins, ESPN/The Undefeated Vice President and Editor-in-Chief Raina Kelley, and special guests.
ARCHIVED: July 19th
Conversations on Ali
"Ali On The World's Stage"
Explore Muhammad Ali on the World Stage. The hour-long discussion features filmmaker Ken Burns, five-time Olympic medalist Janet Evans, Professor of Cinema and Media Studies, USC Todd Boyd, Ph.D., and senior writer for ESPN/The Undefeated Lonnae O’Neal as they Muhammad Ali’s transcendent position as a global athlete and public figure.
ARCHIVED: June 23rd
Conversations on Ali
"Ali the Man"
Eexplore Muhammad Ali: The Man. Conversations on Ali is presented by PBS and The Undefeated, and features Ken Burns, Jesse Washington (moderator), Rasheda Ali Walsh, and Howard Bryant.
FUNDING
Corporate funding for MUHAMMAD ALI was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by David M. Rubenstein. Major funding was also provided by The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and by The Better Angels Society and by its members Alan and Marcia Docter; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tudor Jones; The Fullerton Family Charitable Fund; Gilchrist and Amy Berg; The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic Foundation, The Owsley Brown III Philanthropic Foundation and The Augusta Brown Holland Philanthropic Foundation; Perry and Donna Golkin; John and Leslie McQuown; John and Catherine Debs; Fred and Donna Seigel; Susan and John Wieland; Stuart and Joanna Brown; Diane and Hal Brierley; Fiddlehead Fund; Rocco and Debby Landesman; McCloskey Family Charitable Trust; Mauree Jane and Mark Perry; and Donna and Richard Strong. And by viewers like you.
Donate to LPB
Support programs like this on LPB!
With your donation of $60 or more a year you receive a membership with Friends of LPB.
MORE
In the Classroom
To explore more, teachers, parents, and students alike can turn to LPB/PBS LearningMedia for the digital resource, Ken Burns in the Classroom. You’ll find several streaming ready-to-learn assets associated with the “Ali” series that are available for viewing, covering a wide range of topics including “Sports in Society” “Personal Identity” and “Health.”
Music from the Film
ARCHIVED: September 9th
Conversations on Ali
"Ali, Race & Religion"
Explore the interwoven nature of race and religion in Muhammad Ali’s own life, and its impact on sports, society and culture today. This event features a live discussion with filmmaker Ken Burns, Olympic medalist and change agent Ibtihaj Muhammad, and ESPN/The Undefeated Senior Writer Justin Tinsley.
ARCHIVED: September 14th
Conversations on Ali
"Ali, Activism & The Modern Athlete"
Examine the nature of the modern athlete and celebrity through the lens of Muhammad Ali and today’s biggest stars. What is the responsibility of an athlete today and how do they leverage their unique platform for good? This event features a live discussion with filmmaker Ken Burns, New Orleans Saints player and NFL Players Coalition founder Malcolm Jenkins, ESPN/The Undefeated Vice President and Editor-in-Chief Raina Kelley, and special guests.
ARCHIVED: July 19th
Conversations on Ali
"Ali On The World's Stage"
Explore Muhammad Ali on the World Stage. The hour-long discussion features filmmaker Ken Burns, five-time Olympic medalist Janet Evans, Professor of Cinema and Media Studies, USC Todd Boyd, Ph.D., and senior writer for ESPN/The Undefeated Lonnae O’Neal as they Muhammad Ali’s transcendent position as a global athlete and public figure.
ARCHIVED: June 23rd
Conversations on Ali
"Ali the Man"
Eexplore Muhammad Ali: The Man. Conversations on Ali is presented by PBS and The Undefeated, and features Ken Burns, Jesse Washington (moderator), Rasheda Ali Walsh, and Howard Bryant.
Donate to LPB
Support programs like this on LPB!
With your donation of $60 or more a year you receive a membership with Friends of LPB.
MORE
In the Classroom
To explore more, teachers, parents, and students alike can turn to LPB/PBS LearningMedia for the digital resource, Ken Burns in the Classroom. You’ll find several streaming ready-to-learn assets associated with the “Ali” series that are available for viewing, covering a wide range of topics including “Sports in Society” “Personal Identity” and “Health.”
Music from the Film
FUNDING
Corporate funding for MUHAMMAD ALI was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by David M. Rubenstein. Major funding was also provided by The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and by The Better Angels Society and by its members Alan and Marcia Docter; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tudor Jones; The Fullerton Family Charitable Fund; Gilchrist and Amy Berg; The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic Foundation, The Owsley Brown III Philanthropic Foundation and The Augusta Brown Holland Philanthropic Foundation; Perry and Donna Golkin; John and Leslie McQuown; John and Catherine Debs; Fred and Donna Seigel; Susan and John Wieland; Stuart and Joanna Brown; Diane and Hal Brierley; Fiddlehead Fund; Rocco and Debby Landesman; McCloskey Family Charitable Trust; Mauree Jane and Mark Perry; and Donna and Richard Strong. And by viewers like you.