UCLA Store panel discussion honors legacy of Jackie Robinson
Panelists recognizing the life-long work of Robinson and the UCLA X Jackie Robinson collection on March 13 included host Matt Barns and speakers Sonya Pankey, Kyle Bowser and more.
Los Angeles, Calif., April 15, 2024 – To commemorate the first UCLA X Jackie Robinson collection release on March 13, the UCLA Store and Roots of Fight (ROF) honored the late Bruin with a panel discussion hosted by Matt Barnes. This discussion is now available for all to listen to via “All the Smoke” podcast.
A UCLA alumnus and host of the podcast “All the Smoke,” Barnes engaged with panelists Kyle Bowser, senior vice president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Hollywood Bureau, and Sonya Pankey, grand-daughter of Robinson and director of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, among other guests, for a discussion exploring Robinson’s legacy.
“Jackie Robinson’s impact can be felt today, within the world of sports and into the far reaches of our culture,” Barnes said on March 13. “It began right here at UCLA, where Jackie shined in four different sports.”
Guests attended the event at the Charles E. Young Grand Salon, Kerckhoff Hall, before the unveiling of the first licensed UCLA X Jackie Robinson collection. Guests included UCLA student athletes from all four sports Robinson lettered in during his time at UCLA, ATS, Roots of Fight (ROF) and staff from Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA).
Efforts to bring UCLA X Jackie Robinson to fruition were led by the Roots of Fight university collaboration program, Campus Legends and the ASUCLA student-run enterprises of UCLA Trademarks and Licensing and the UCLA Store.
The UCLA X Jackie Robinson collection is available in-store and online at the UCLA Store for a limited time. For more information about future collection drops and promotions, follow @uclastore on Instagram.
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About Roots of Fight:
Roots of Fight (ROF) is a media, lifestyle and apparel brand that celebrates the improbable achievements of today’s most legendary athletes, innovators and cultural icons. The ROF mission is to create high-end art, apparel and experiences that do justice to each figures unique battle for greatness. Each story ROF tells depicts the unending fight at the root of every human triumph. For more information and to stay connected, follow @rootsoffight on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, or visit rootsoffight.com.
About ASUCLA:
Founded in 1919, Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA) is a nonprofit association that drives vitally essential student services and activities throughout the UCLA campus. ASUCLA boasts the largest college store in the U.S., an extensive food program, UCLA® brand licensing programming through UCLA Trademarks & Licensing, and other services and programs that include student government and student media, which significantly enhances the quality of UCLA’s campus life. For more information and to stay connected, follow @asucla on Instagram or visit asucla.ucla.edu.