Creating More Peaceful and Equitable Communities
One PeacePlayer at a time
About Us
PeacePlayers believes that basketball has the power to be a catalyst for change. PeacePlayers is developing a global movement of young leaders who are using the game of basketball to bridge divides, create equitable opportunities, and to build more peaceful societies.
In 2017, Nike helped launch, and continues to support, PeacePlayers as a flagship partner in the United States.
In 2020, PeacePlayers United States was honored to be one of the four recipients of the Beyond Sport and Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation Collective Impact Award for Reducing Racial Inequalities.
What we Do
Systemic inequity among BIPOC in the United States breeds a lack of opportunity and community divisions.
Systemic racial inequity and disparity exist for BIPOC Americans in every facet of life: economy, education, health and involvement in the criminal justice system. Youth of color are denied economic, educational and social opportunities to thrive, deepening disparities and racial divides.
PeacePlayers United States works long-term with young people ages 8 to 18, who over time become the coaches and leaders within the program and in their communities.
Equity
PeacePlayers learn how to navigate the systemic social, economic, and educational inequities they face in order to thrive and to be active players in the dismantling of deep disparities and racial divides.
Bridging divides
PeacePlayers see the humanity of others; whether they are from a rival housing project, a different neighborhood or even a different nation.
Youth leadership
PeacePlayers develop their personal skills, potential, and talents to become leaders in their communities for peace and equity.
Where We Work
Our Programming
PeacePlayers United States engages over XXX American youth, ages 6-25, in year-round and multi-year basketball training, conflict resolution education and leadership development activities. Programs are divided as follows:
Peace League
*Short Description Here*
Girl's Peace League
*Short Description here*
Leadership Development program
*Short Description Here*
Proven Impact
of Chicago youth indicate new confidence in their leadership skills after their first year with PeacePlayers
youth reached in Baltimore since the inception of PeacePlayers Baltimore
of youth participants in Brooklyn and Detroit were able to experience something they normally would not have because of PeacePlayers
of PeacePlayers United States staff are women
youth are engaged each year through PeacePlayers Los Angeles programming.
Our Team
Rashawn Martin
Program Coordinator, PeacePlayers Baltimore
Location: Baltimore
Email: rmartin@peaceplayers.org
Rashawn Martin was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and has attended Baltimore inner-city school systems all her life! As an outstanding student at the top school in her city, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, she accomplished many personal and academic accolades. Her older brother Raheem Martin has played a pivotal role in her upbringing related to sports, providing enthusiasm for athletics and a competitive spirit that Rashawn has mimicked throughout her life. As a result, she excelled in many different sports in high school, such as in indoor and outdoor track & field, and dominated in chess.
Rashawn‘s ability to align her purpose with destiny has positioned her throughout life. Her indomitable will to succeed and desire to persevere in the face of adversity allowed her to acquire an undergraduate degree in criminal justice and a minor in philosophy. She currently serves as the Program Coordinator of Peaceplayers Baltimore while obtaining her Master’s in Negotiations and Conflict Management at the University of Baltimore.
She is very excited to be a part of the team and help build capacity, as this fulfills both her lifelong desire to make a difference in Baltimore and her primary passion for building developing youth into future leaders and problem solvers.
Rashawn‘s ability to align her purpose with destiny has positioned her throughout life. Her indomitable will to succeed and desire to persevere in the face of adversity allowed her to acquire an undergraduate degree in criminal justice and a minor in philosophy. She currently serves as the Program Coordinator of Peaceplayers Baltimore while obtaining her Master’s in Negotiations and Conflict Management at the University of Baltimore.
She is very excited to be a part of the team and help build capacity, as this fulfills both her lifelong desire to make a difference in Baltimore and her primary passion for building developing youth into future leaders and problem solvers.
Alesha Smith
Director, PeacePlayers Brooklyn
Location: Brooklyn
Email: asmith@peaceplayers.org
Alesha is the newest addition to the PeacePlayers team and is excited to continue her career in Brooklyn as the Brooklyn Program Director.
Alesha was born in Brooklyn, NY but was raised in Athens, GA. Her love for basketball began early when her mother and father introduced her to the game. She grew up playing basketball with her brothers and the other boys in her neighborhood until she was old enough to play on an organized team. Her work ethic and skill earned her a scholarship to play Division I basketball at Mercer University, but after an almost career- ending injury, Alesha would later transfer to Xavier University of Louisiana (an HBCU in New Orleans) where she would finish her collegiate basketball career with two conference championships and a B.A in Political Science in 2016.
After graduation, Alesha turned down the opportunity to play professional basketball overseas because of her strong commitment to social justice. She instead decided to move to Brooklyn, NY and began her career as a Community Organizer at one of the largest nonprofits in Brooklyn, Brooklyn Community Services, where she worked in partnership with various mental health facilities, homeless shelters, community centers, and after school programs in some of Brooklyn’s most under resourced neighborhoods with the goal of creating a better Brooklyn for all.
After three years as an organizer, Alesha returned to sports as a Program Manager at Up2Us Sports. At Up2Us, Alesha helped train and support over 100 coaches on best practices in mentorship and sports-based youth development.
Alesha recently completed her M.A at New York University in Steinhardt’s Educational Leadership, Politics, and Advocacy program. She is dedicated to the intersection of sport and social justice and centers the transformational power that sport has to build and maintain community.
Matthew Jamison
Program Manager, PeacePlayers Brooklyn
Location: Brooklyn
Email: mjamison@peaceplayers.org
Basketball has been a centerpiece of Matt’s life from the very beginning. Matt’s father, former UNC Tarheel, taught him not only the fundamentals of the game, but also how to be a man of integrity. These lessons learned on the court would help shape Matt into the man he is today; with a strong affinity for inner-city youth and promoting the importance of healthy relationships. Brooklyn born and raised, Matt left the city to attend undergrad at Morehouse College in Atlanta. After graduation, Matt returned to NYC and began his career in Social Work, Education and Youth Development.
Jasmine Cooper
Managing Director, PeacePlayers Greater Detroit
Location: Detroit
Email: jcooper@peaceplayers.org
Born and raised in Detroit and a proud product of the Detroit Public Schools Community District, Jasmine Cooper brings deep hometown pride to her role as Managing Director of PeacePlayers Greater Detroit. A proud Bison of Howard University, where she studied accounting and finance, Jasmine began her PeacePlayers journey in 2018 as a Program Coordinator and later served as Program Manager and Program Director before stepping into her current leadership role.
Jasmine believes wholeheartedly in the power of sport to teach connection, leadership, and life skills. She is also a high school girls basketball coach, bringing her passion for mentorship and youth development onto the court. Jasmine often says, “I feel like I’m stealing money by working a job I love so much,” a reflection of her joy for this work and her commitment to creating safe, empowering spaces where Detroit youth can learn, grow, and lead.
elita holloway
operations manager detroit
Location: Detroit
Email: eholloway@peaceplayers.org
Elita A. Holloway was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Raised as an only child of a single mother, Elita was often involved in camps, after school activities, and sports programs. Through these programs, she had the opportunity to develop as an athlete and a leader.
Elita has always had a passion for sports and youth development. She began her career as a volunteer basketball coach at the age of 16, and could often be found helping her mother, an athletic director for a K-12 athletic program, during after school hours. It was in this space, she developed an appreciation for the organization and planning of sports programs.
Elita’s passion for youth development was fulfilled through her years as an English teacher in Detroit, Michigan. As an educator, Elita has had the opportunity to work with youth outside of the sports realm.
Elita joins PeacePlayers as the Detroit Operations Manager. In this role, she is excited to continue bringing high quality, engaging programming to the youth of Detroit.
Michael Hundley
Operations Manager, Oakland County, Greater Detroit
Location: Detroit
Email: mhundley@peaceplayers.org
Michael Hundley joined PeacePlayers in February 2022 as a part-time coach and quickly transitioned into a full-time Program Coordinator that July. He later advanced to Program Manager and has recently been promoted to Operations Manager for Oakland County.
A Detroit native raised in Farmington Hills, Michael grew up with a strong passion for basketball. He played collegiately at The Citadel and Ashland University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a minor in Sports Management. After college, he spent nearly five years playing professionally overseas in Spain, Australia, and Albania before returning home to mentor youth through sports.
Michael was drawn to PeacePlayers’ mission of using basketball to inspire leadership and unity, and he continues to dedicate himself to helping young people grow on and off the court. He looks forward to continuing to build meaningful relationships and life-changing experiences for youth across Detroit and Oakland County.
Brittannee Oakley
Program Coordinator Los Angeles
Location: Los Angeles
Email: boakley@peaceplayers.org
Brittanee is an LA native who grew up in Inglewood, CA. Brittanee developed a deep love for basketball from a young age, a passion that was nurtured by watching and attending Lakers games with her mom, which and eventually led her to join a travel ball team in 8th grade. Brittanee ended her basketball career on the court during her junior year of high school due to personal reasons. She is grateful for the significant impact her coaches had on her. For the past 14 years, she has been fortunate to work as a middle school girls basketball coach, tutor and, most recently, the behavior interventionist for View Park High School at ICEF (Inner City Educational Foundation), which has allowed her to guide and support young athletes as they grow both on and off the court. Witnessing the positive impact of sports on the personal development of children has been immensely fulfilling for her. PeacePlayers LA partnered with View Park Middle school, where Brittanee was first introduced to the organization. The core values and principles of PeacePlayers resonated deeply with the approach she had been implementing, and it felt like a perfect match. She was honored to be selected to attend the Friendship Games in Israel as part of the program. The experience was transformative, as she witnessed firsthand the profound impact basketball can have on a global scale. The interactions she had with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures during her time in Israel were life-changing, and she has been filled with excitement ever since. Brittanee eagerly looks forward to her journey with PeacePlayers LA, where she will have the opportunity to help children grow through the incredible game of basketball. The chance to combine her love for the sport with her passion for guiding young minds is truly a dream come true.
Malcolm Carter
Community Engagement Fellow, Greater Detroit
Location: Detroit
Email: mcarter@peaceplayers.org
Malcolm Carter is a passionate community leader and storyteller who uses sports as a platform to unite and empower youth. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Malcolm earned his bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Hampton University.
Before joining PeacePlayers, Malcolm worked with RISE as a Programs Manager, where he led youth leadership and civic engagement programs across the United States. He developed interactive curricula, facilitated workshops, and collaborated with schools, professional sports teams, and community organizations to advance equity through sports.
Earlier in his career, Malcolm served as the Regional Promotions Manager for Audacy, overseeing radio promotions in Wichita, Kansas City, and St. Louis. He also hosted the #1 evening drive radio show on Power 93.5 and worked with Facts Not Fear ICT and the University of Kansas School of Medicine to build health literacy and trust in minority communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
His long-term goal is to found a nonprofit organization and open a school for high-achieving students in Detroit.
Daija Tyson
Program Coordinator, Greater Detroit
Location: Detroit
Email: dtyson@peaceplayers.org
With basketball being her first love, before Daija Tyson became Coach Tyson, she was a kid from Detroit with big dreams. A proud graduate of Detroit Edison Public School Academy, Daija is a three-time state champion who fell in love with the game early on. While still in high school, she began helping coach the DEPSA middle school girls’ basketball team — an experience that sparked her passion for working with youth.
As she grew, Daija realized that relationships were just as important to her as the game itself. The mentors who guided and supported her through basketball helped shape her into the person and coach she is today. Those experiences taught her the power of connection, empathy, and leading with purpose.
Her journey with PeacePlayers began through one of those meaningful connections — meeting Jasmine Cooper. What started as an opportunity to coach part-time turned into a life-changing experience. After two years as a part-time coach, Daija’s dedication, leadership, and passion for the mission led her to step into her current role as Program Coordinator.
Now, through her work with PeacePlayers, Coach Tyson continues to pour that same energy into the next generation — using basketball as a platform to build confidence, create community, and empower young people to make a positive impact both on and off the court.
DeAndre Ulmer
Program Coordinator, Greater Detroit
Location: Detroit
Email: dulmer@peaceplayers.org
I’m passionate about helping, mentoring, and coaching the next generation of youth. That passion comes from my own childhood experiences—having mentors and coaches who guided and believed in me—and now my goal is to pass that same support on to the next generation.
Growing up on Detroit’s west side taught me the importance of channeling my love for sports into life lessons that build character, discipline, and leadership. With over five years of experience in athletics, I’ve had the opportunity to coach competitive teams, lead youth development programs, and mentor young athletes in leadership both on and off the field.
One message I always share with my players is: “I don’t care about what you do on the field; I care about what you do in the classroom. If you give the same effort in the classroom that you give on the field, you’ll give yourself a better chance at reaching the next level.”
PeacePlayers isn’t just a job for me—it’s a calling. It’s the space where my passion for youth and sports comes together, allowing me to help young people grow and succeed in every area of life, both on and off the court.
Eboni Thomas
Leadership, Data and Innovation Fellow
Location: Detroit
Email: ethomas@peaceplayers.org
Eboni was born and raised in Detroit and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Oakland University in 2018. Prior to joining PeacePlayers, she was an Internship Program Lead with a Detroit nonprofit called Urban Alliance, where she connected and collaborated with various organizations and companies within the community, most notably with UA Detroit’s flagship partner, Rocket Mortgage, to support youth development and engagement within the workforce. Eboni is passionate about community and relationship building in Detroit and about supporting youth development. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, roller skating, taking walks through her community, and listening to music.
Our National Partners
