Marina Mabrey didn’t win the 3-Point Contest during the All-Star Weekend in Chicago, but she still made an impact off the court. Before the contest began, Under Armour pledged to donate $500 for every three she made during the event to the Black Women’s Institute for Health (BWIH), a non-profit based in Toronto. By the end of the event, the Toronto Tempo guard had made 13 shots totaling $6,500.
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After the event, Mabrey explained her thought process behind choosing to donate the money to BWIH, an organization dedicated to advancing healthcare equity for Black women and girls.
“Playing basketball, a lot of my colleagues, a lot of this league is made up of Black women. And I listen, and I’m aware, and I hear a lot of things that go on, and I think that they do not have the same access to healthcare that we have, and it’s not fair,” Mabrey told TSN’s Chelsea Leite.
She added, “I think that if I can do something to be an advocate for some of my closest friends and the people that I work with that built this league, that’s kind of where I want to put my money.”
The veteran guard said she wanted to use her platform to advocate for the community that has helped build the WNBA. Though the donation was relatively modest, Mabrey hoped she would raise more awareness around disparities in healthcare.
“I know that it’s not like a huge donation because I was not making them. But I hope that it’s a step in the right direction that people kind of have an awareness and they pay attention to it, so that more people can focus on the health of Black women as well when it relates to their health.”
Despite not raising a massive amount, fans praised her for helping raise awareness and advocating for the healthcare of Black women, which was priceless.
Fans applaud Marina Mabrey for using the All-Star platform for a noble cause
“Love UA. Love Mabrey. This is what matters most,” one fan wrote. “Complicity ain’t cool and taking a stand in anyway you can with whatever platform you have makes a difference.”
“And this is why we love Marina DOWN. Thank you, beauty!” wrote one fan. “Marina is a real one. I’m all for humanity. Respect Marina!” another added.
Many highlighted Mabrey’s willingness to advocate for issues that affect her peers, even though she isn’t directly affected by them.
“Thank you @marinamabrey for your active allyship and advocating for Black women’s health in Toronto,” another supporter wrote.
Mabrey wasn’t the only one receiving praise for the donation, with fans also praising UA for helping Mabrey with their charitable campaign.
One such comment read, “Fabulous… Well done, Under Armour.”
As the guard plays her best statistical season on the court, Mabrey can leave All-Star weekend knowing that every shot she made contributed to a cause that matters to her.