WHEREAS, Sport, play, and movement are essential for positive youth development; and

WHEREAS, Research has shown that sport and play improve mental and physical health, increase cognitive performance, build self-esteem, cultivate leadership skills, and lead to higher academic and career achievement; and

WHEREAS, Access to sport, play, and movement varies across race and socioeconomic status, and those at greatest risk for poor health and wellness outcomes often have the least access to those opportunities; and

WHEREAS, According to a 2020 Los Angeles County Youth Sports Participation Survey for Play Equity commissioned by the LA84 Foundation, children from households with annual incomes greater than $150,000 had a 93-percent sports participation rate, but only 68 percent of children from households with annual incomes below $35,000 participated in sports; and

WHEREAS, According to the Play Equity Fund established by the LA84 Foundation, Black and Latino youth are two times as likely to reside in areas with subpar park space; and

WHEREAS, Eighty percent of youth in the United States, many of whom are in low-income families, do not currently meet federal guidelines for daily physical activities; and

WHEREAS, Black and Latino youth in the United States have higher rates of stress, anxiety, and depression, totals which have only grown since the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, Latinas have the lowest participation rate in sport activities in the County of Los Angeles; and

WHEREAS, The play equity gap refers to the inequitable access to sport, play, and movement because of certain barriers, such as the high cost of youth sports, the lack of facilities or safety in their neighborhoods, a lack of trauma-informed coaches, or exclusion based on disability; and

WHEREAS, Kids across the country are missing out on the benefits of sport, play, and movement because of the play equity gap; and

WHEREAS, Achieving play equity means removing barriers and ensuring access to sports and play; and

WHEREAS, California must close the play equity gap so that all children can build social and emotional skills and have pathways to lifelong well-being, regardless of their race, gender, ZIP Code, or ability; and

WHEREAS, The LA84 Foundation and the Play Equity Fund are issuing a call to action to fortify the spirit of California’s youth, and to create an annual national celebration to uplift the lifelong benefits of sport, play, and movement for kids and the neighborhoods where they live with Play Day on June 24, 2023; and

WHEREAS, All kids should have the right to play, there should be gender equity in sports, and all communities should have the right to free public play spaces, including well-maintained parks, recreation facilities, green spaces, and public sports facilities. All kids should have the right to attend schools that have adequate sports and play facilities, equipment, coaches, and resources, and there should be more equitable experiences in youth sports and play programs; and

WHEREAS, Play Day celebrates our shared goal for healthy and productive children, helps build community on a national scale, and shows that sports and the joy of play have the power to connect us, help us understand each other better, and build more promising futures for young people; now, therefore, be it