Barclays Center to Hold Inaugural Gala Shining a Light on Brooklyn to Celebrate Arena's Fifth Anniversary

BROOKLYN – Since opening in September 2012, Barclays Center has become part of the fabric of Brooklyn, contributing economically, socially, and culturally to the borough. The venue has grown into one of the leading arenas internationally in sports and entertainment, having hosted nearly 1,000 major events.

In celebration of its five-year anniversary, Barclays Center will host its inaugural Shining a Light on Brooklyn gala at the historic Liberty Warehouse on Red Hook’s Pier 41 on Thursday, October 12 from 6-10 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the venue’s foundation, Barclays Center Cares, which supports community programs for kids and families by working with more than 300 schools, food pantries, homeless shelters, health facilities and nonprofit organizations.

The event will include special performances, including electro-funk duo Chromeo, who will perform a DJ set during the after party. Chromeo has previously performed at major festivals such as Coachella and Bonnaroo.

Barclays Center Cares will honor key people who have made a profound impact in the community through music, athletics, culinary arts, and sustainability. The award recipients in each category are as follows:

Music:

Scooter Braun, founder of SB Projects and one of the entertainment industry’s biggest power brokers whose company is at the forefront of music, film, television, technology, culture and social good, will be honored for his efforts in supporting numerous community organizations throughout his career, including Make-A-Wish Foundation, Pencils of Promise, and F--- Cancer. Braun is known for managing the careers of some of today’s biggest pop culture icons like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Karlie Kloss, Usher, Kanye West, and Tori Kelly. He also serves on Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment’s advisory board, a group of 40 top industry executives who contribute to the programming strategy and direction for Barclays Center.

Athletics:

Brooklyn Nets player Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will be recognized for his service to the borough off the court the past two NBA seasons. Hollis-Jefferson has committed his time to visiting pediatric patients at Hospital for Special Surgery, volunteering in Season of Giving events, mentoring youth at local schools, visiting homeless shelters to provide clothes and supplies, feeding the hungry at soup kitchens, and more.

New York Islanders player Anders Lee will be honored for his community initiatives off the ice, including his efforts to fight pediatric cancer through the Anders Lee Kancer Jam event, a 32-team KanJam tournament at Barclays Center that raised more than $100,000 for Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center on Long Island.

BROOKLYN BOXING ambassador and former WBA middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs will be honored for his impact through his Get In The Ring Foundation, which advocates for children struggling with cancer, childhood obesity, and bullying. Jacobs is a Brownsville, Brooklyn-native, and in 2011, he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a life-threatening form of bone cancer. After an arduous battle, 25 rounds of radiation and surgery, Jacobs returned to the ring at Barclays Center where he won the WBA world middleweight title in August 2014.

WBC international bantamweight champion and undefeated boxer Heather Hardy will be recognized for empowering women through her accomplishments in the ring. She is a single mother who overcame hardships, losing one home to a fire and another to Hurricane Sandy. Hardy is a featherweight fighter from Brooklyn and is ranked No. 3 in the world in her division.

Bruce Silverglade, owner of Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, will be recognized for his contribution to the community through his foundation, Gleason’s Give a Kid a Dream Foundation, which works to provide mentorship to disadvantaged youth through boxing.  Gleason’s is one of the oldest boxing gyms in the city and has produced some of the world’s best fighters, including Muhammad Ali, Mark Breland, Riddick Bowe, Mike Tyson, as well as Heather Hardy.

Culinary Arts:

Barclays Center Cares will honor Levy Restaurants for its commitment to supporting local food & beverage vendors through Barclays Center’s BrooklynTaste program, which features more than 50 Brooklyn-based vendors at the venue.

Alan Rosen, owner and operator of Junior’s restaurants, will be recognized for his family’s contributions to the borough and its concession stand at Barclays Center. The Rosens opened their flagship Brooklyn restaurant in 1950 and have expanded the business, which is best known for its world-famous cheesecake. Alan Rosen has also supported local nonprofit organizations through donations during the holiday season.  

Sustainability:

Brooklyn Botanic Garden President Scot Medbury will be honored for his leadership in supporting education, sustainability, conservation, and community programs that positively impact citizens in Brooklyn and beyond. For over 100 years, Brooklyn Botanic Garden has connected people to the world of plants and inspired environmental stewardship in generations of visitors. It attracts more than 950,000 visitors and serves more than 250,000 school children each year.

“We’re proud to be a part of the Brooklyn community, and it has done such an incredible job embracing us for the past five years,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “Shining a Light on Brooklyn is our opportunity to celebrate those who have supported our borough and to recognize our collective efforts to give back.”

To purchase tickets or to make a donation to Shining a Light on Brooklyn, please visit barclayscenter.com/gala.