CBA the New Home to the Roberto Clemente League of Lowell
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2022
Coalition for a Better Acre is the New Home to the Roberto Clemente League of Lowell
Lowell - Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA) is pleased to announce that the Roberto Clemente League of Lowell (RCLL) has joined our program offerings as of January 2022. CBA is proud to leverage our organization's resources and deep ties to the Acre to add programming that meets community need. Maria Claudio will continue as Director, along with board members and volunteers who have been contributing vital knowledge and maintaining relationships to support the RCLL since 2008.
The RCLL will remain an inclusive athletics program with human service at the core of its mission. CBA plans to engage at least 150 youth in free or low-cost participation in its baseball, basketball, and dance programs. Youth will also be included in CBA’s youth development
programming to build their leadership and community engagement skills. CBA’s Director of Programs, Cecilia Gutierrez Yapur, and Youth Development Program Coordinator, Pam Larocque, will work closely with RCLL’s Director, Ms. Claudio, to advance the league’s mission in the Acre and beyond.
The catalyst for this transition is CBA’s CEO, Yun-Ju Choi, who has led the organization since 2014. “Throughout my time with CBA, I have admired Maria’s dedication to the league and what they have been able to accomplish with a team of volunteers,” Choi said. “CBA was happy to be able to support the RCLL in small ways until now: sponsoring teams, providing meeting space, and even a mailbox. Then in 2021, we were able to help jumpstart the league after a year off due to the pandemic. We are really looking ahead to creating some much-needed enrichment opportunities for Acre youth.”
The RCLL prioritizes the recruitment of Hispanic athletes but promotes a globally inclusive environment. Ms. Claudio is eager to enable Acre youth to develop their skills and talents in a safe, supportive environment with CBA’s support, “As the only Spanish speaking league in the city we give the opportunity to all the children in our community to be part of our teams, and we teach them a discipline while they have fun and make friends. We are excited to be a part of CBA because our goals align. We want to offer better opportunities to everyone and incorporate anyone who is interested in being part of our programs.”
CBA has already secured funding through the Women Working Wonders Fund, specifically for the RCLL’s Acre Dance Group. Funds will be used to continue the cultural education work provided by the Acre Dance Group, where youth learn and perform dances that meld the traditional dance styles of Puerto Rico with modern, multi-genre dance. This past summer, the RCLL was able to host 17 baseball players and their coaches from a Roberto Clemente League in Colombia thanks to CBA’s partnership, adding to more than 48 international players and 30 coaches that visited the league since 2015.
The Roberto Clemente League of Lowell is accepting registrations now until April 4, 2022. Sign up on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Moody Street Center, 517 Moody Street, 1st Floor, Lowell, MA, or contact Maria Claudio at 978-608-7246 or Carmen Lara at 978-319-7134.