In lieu of U.S. Open cancelling Arthur Ashe Day due to COVID-19, Don Victor Mooney of Kew Gardens Hills and President of H.R. 1242 Resilience Project, hopes to keep Arthur Ashe legacy relevant in these challenging times. Arthur Ashe advocated the power of education. In Richmond, Virginia, a bronze statue depicts him surrounded by children, holding a racket in one hand and books even higher in the other.

Children across the world have been impacted by the ongoing COVID pandemic and now Delta Variant. More than ever, we need to advocate and share the spirit to never give up. That’s why we are asking manufacturers and retailers to donate tennis bags, balls, rackets, and school supplies that we can distribute to 2021 children in New York City, across the nation and worldwide, says Don Victor Mooney, President of H.R. 1242 Resilience Project.

Arthur Ashe was the first black player selected to the United States Davis Cup team and the only black man ever to win the singles title at Wimbledon, U.S. Open, and the Australian Open. The award symbolized Arthur Ashe’s resilience and humanitarianism, particularly against AIDS.

A second initiative by H.R. 1242 Resilience Project is to launch their inaugural Arthur Ashe Never Give Up Award on the sidelines of the 2021 U.S. Open. This award symbolizes the unwavering legacy of Arthur Ashe. Arthur Ashe’s spirit to overcome obstacles and his humanity is a perpetual vitamin to never give up, says Don Victor Mooney, President of H.R. 1242 Resilience Project. This year’s honoree are Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka. All three have shown their remarkable fortitude and compassion, both on and off the tennis court.

Don Victor Mooney is the first African American to row across the Atlantic Ocean on a fourth attempt from Canary Islands, located off the coast of West Africa to New York’s Brooklyn Bridge. His mission was in honor of his brother who died of AIDS in 1983 and to encourage voluntary HIV testing. Mooney’s second brother who lived with HIV, will be buried at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in California on August 20, 2021.

H.R. 1242 Resilience Project was the co-coordinator of 400 Years of African American History at Brooklyn Bridge Park on August 17, 2019, under the theme: 400 years: Resilience, Faith, Healing, and Partnership with Brooklyn Borough President, Eric Adams.