The YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing announced it will host The Legacy of Magic Gala on Saturday, Aug. 22, in East Lansing to honor Earvin “Magic” Johnson and the Johnson Family. The event, which will take place at the Breslin Center at Michigan State University, is designed to celebrate Johnson’s remarkable contributions as an athlete, entrepreneur, philanthropist and visionary whose journey began as a boy who grew into a young man playing basketball at the YMCA of Lansing.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the history and purpose of the YMCA of Lansing alongside one of the greatest success stories of our Y and our Lansing community,” said Casey Thompson, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing. “Since that first day Earvin stepped into the Lansing Y, there have been a million little Magics who have followed behind him. The Legacy of Magic Gala will celebrate his tremendous journey and hometown impact.”
Born and raised in Lansing, Michigan, Johnson’s rise from hometown basketball star to global icon began at the YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing, where he would practice and perfect his basketball skills to lead Everett High School to a state championship in 1977 and later guide Michigan State University to a national title in 1979. Selected first overall by the Los Angeles Lakers, Johnson became one of basketball’s greatest players, winning five NBA championships and an Olympic gold medal as part of the 1992 “Dream Team.” Beyond the court, he has built a legacy as a business leader, philanthropist and advocate through initiatives supporting education, community development and health awareness.
Over the past three decades, Johnson has been actively engaged in numerous community development and philanthropic initiatives in the Lansing region, including:
• Supporting and fundraising for the Lansing Promise scholarship fund.
• Hosting the annual Earvin Johnson Senior Community Car Show at Union Missionary Baptist Church in honor of his father. The event raises funds for local law enforcement and first responders.
• Supporting the build of the YMCA Healthy Living Kitchen, which fed more than 360,000 during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Launching the annual Holiday Hope program through the Magic Johnson Foundation, which has served nearly 20,000 families since 2014 in Lansing, Detroit, Flint and Los Angeles by providing food, clothing and gifts.
• Establishing the Earvin Johnson Sr. Scholarship that supports minority students at MSU as well as the Earvin “Magic” Johnson Scholarship for high-achieving incoming MSU freshmen from the Lansing School District.
All proceeds from The Legacy of Magic Gala will go to support YMCA scholarships and facility improvements. In addition, the YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing will make an exciting announcement at the gala. For more information, visit legacyofmagic.org.
