NBA star Kevin Johnson in Harlem
After a formal invitation from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York City Department of Education chancellor Joel Klein, St. HOPE has decided to make Harlem its first expansion site. St. Hope, a nonprofit organization founded 18 years ago by former NBA all-star and Oak Park native Kevin Johnson, began as an after-school program in a portable classroom at Sacramento High School. The organization's mission today is to revitalize inner-city communities through public education, civic leadership, economic development and the arts. As the business looks to expand to neighborhoods nationwide -- starting with Harlem -- Johnson will remain president and chief executive officer of St. Hope and spearhead the expansion effort. - By biznewsjournal.com
