UTAH
College Bound
Scholarships for the Win
T
he Utah Jazz and Larry H. Miller Charities
awarded the $3,000 Larry H. Miller Youth
Scholarship to Tommy Yapias of Skyline
High School at the 35th Annual Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Memorial Luncheon at the Little
America Hotel in Salt Lake City.
Jazz television broadcaster Alema
Harrington presented the scholarship and an
engraved silver bowl to Yapias, who plans to
attend the University of Utah and major in vocal
performance and business.
Funding for the college scholarship was
provided by LHM Charities. The presentation
by the Utah Jazz and LHM Charities continued
a tradition set in motion by Larry H. Miller
more than 20 years ago.
UTAH
Ekpe’s Book Club
Ekpe Udoh Hosts Gail Miller for “Author’s Talk”
U
tah Jazz center Ekpe Udoh welcomed a new author to
his book club for his “Author’s Talk” series. It was none
other than Gail Miller, author of Courage to Be You.
Miller answered questions from host Udoh, the
assembled book club group, and social media during the
hour-long discussion. The conversation was live-streamed
on UtahJazz.com and the Utah Jazz Facebook page, where
it has registered 12,000 views.
In what was described by Salt Lake City-based
KSL.com as “one of the NBA’s most unique events,” Udoh’s
Book Club has grown from a Twitter-driven discussion to
in-person meet-ups and now has featured authors such as
Miller, Kiese Laymon, Camron Wright, and Brad Parks.
Ekpe’s Book Club is a gathering place to exchange
ideas and build relationships around books. Udoh has
led #EkpesBookClub for more than five years, building
a community of book lovers in Milwaukee and Turkey,
where he has played. The club has read more than 20
books to date, met in person six times, and now Udoh has
embarked on his “Author’s Talks” sessions.
The book club has some notable followers, including
former First Lady Michelle Obama, who suggested a
specific book for Udoh when he floated a few options for
the club’s next selection. ◆
Additional photos available at LHMWSM.com
10
LHM Winning Spirit March/April 2019
The Jazz also participated in numerous
MLK Day activities to celebrate and honor Dr.
King’s lasting contributions and legacy. These
activities included a workshop and basketball
clinic at Vivint Smart Home Arena for 60 youth.
Participants were from Calvary Baptist Church
and Salt Lake County Youth Government in
partnership with the Martin Luther King Jr.
Human Rights Commission and the Salt Lake
County Office of Diversity & Inclusion.
Following the workshop, the youth
participated in a sports clinic, run by Jazz
Youth. The group later attended the Utah Jazz vs.
Portland Trail Blazers game that evening, where
the Jazz commemorated Dr. King with several
in-game celebrations. ◆