A gala was held today to celebrate the legacy of 18-year-old JB White, a high school basketball star who was shot and killed at a house party on Aug. 1, 2020. White was killed only a week before he was set to attend the University of New Mexico on a basketball scholarship. The JB White Foundation, a nonprofit organization that was created to help prevent gun violence and provide resources for youth athletes, was created by JB’s grandmother back in 2021. Today, the foundation held a fundraiser and charity ball in his honor. The gala, which was held at the Santa Fe Convention Center, included a four-course meal along with music and dance as well as a silent auction.Some of the attendees included State Sen. Linda Trujillo, Deputy Chief of the Santa Fe Police Department Thomas Grundler, and UNM coaches Mike Roberts and Michael Wilder. The silent auction kicked off with former NBA player Chauncey Billups donating a signed Pistons jersey, and Puka Nacua, a football player for the Los Angeles Rams, also donated a signed jersey. KOAT was there in Santa Fe to capture the event.”I think the main point of this gala is to bring awareness to what we’re doing with the foundation,” said Jude Voss, JB White’s grandmother, the founder of the JB White Foundation. “So now that we’re bringing awareness, we have some officials here and we’re hoping that they can help us and support us through whatever means. We also have businesses here today as well, so we’re hoping we can just spread the word of what the foundation is doing.”Voss emphasizes the foundation’s purpose for giving back to the community and says she also hopes to be able to give out at least five $1,000 scholarships for high school students in May. When asked how people at home can get involved, Voss says people at home can visit the JBwhitefoundation.org website, where there’s a contact us page. “I get all of the messages that come through there,” she says. She also says people can reach her at Jbwhitefoundation@gmail.com “We don’t have all the answers right now, but I think as a community we can come together and help our youth,” she said. “Gun violence awareness is what we’re going to be focused on, so we’re asking the community as well to volunteer and make the foundation better.”
SANTA FE, N.M. —
A gala was held today to celebrate the legacy of 18-year-old JB White, a high school basketball star who was shot and killed at a house party on Aug. 1, 2020.
White was killed only a week before he was set to attend the University of New Mexico on a basketball scholarship.
The JB White Foundation, a nonprofit organization that was created to help prevent gun violence and provide resources for youth athletes, was created by JB’s grandmother back in 2021. Today, the foundation held a fundraiser and charity ball in his honor. The gala, which was held at the Santa Fe Convention Center, included a four-course meal along with music and dance as well as a silent auction.
Some of the attendees included State Sen. Linda Trujillo, Deputy Chief of the Santa Fe Police Department Thomas Grundler, and UNM coaches Mike Roberts and Michael Wilder.
The silent auction kicked off with former NBA player Chauncey Billups donating a signed Pistons jersey, and Puka Nacua, a football player for the Los Angeles Rams, also donated a signed jersey.
KOAT was there in Santa Fe to capture the event.
“I think the main point of this gala is to bring awareness to what we’re doing with the foundation,” said Jude Voss, JB White’s grandmother, the founder of the JB White Foundation. “So now that we’re bringing awareness, we have some officials here and we’re hoping that they can help us and support us through whatever means. We also have businesses here today as well, so we’re hoping we can just spread the word of what the foundation is doing.”
Voss emphasizes the foundation’s purpose for giving back to the community and says she also hopes to be able to give out at least five $1,000 scholarships for high school students in May.
When asked how people at home can get involved, Voss says people at home can visit the JBwhitefoundation.org website, where there’s a contact us page. “I get all of the messages that come through there,” she says. She also says people can reach her at Jbwhitefoundation@gmail.com
“We don’t have all the answers right now, but I think as a community we can come together and help our youth,” she said. “Gun violence awareness is what we’re going to be focused on, so we’re asking the community as well to volunteer and make the foundation better.”