Meet the Starting 5: Milwaukee's First Community Leadership Fellows
Meet the Starting 5: Milwaukee's First Community Leadership Fellows
Five Milwaukee-area basketball standouts have been selected as the founding Community Leadership Fellows of Playmakers for Peace. These are not just athletes — they are young leaders who have committed to using their voice, name, image, and likeness to build a safer Milwaukee.
Each fellow was selected based on their character, their connection to the community, and their willingness to lead beyond the court. They have completed career readiness milestones including athlete onboarding, NIL education, brand representation training, professional communication coaching, media readiness sessions, community leadership development, and conflict resolution foundations.
Jalen Brown
School: Wauwatosa West HS | Wisconsin Commit
Six-Word Pause: "One pause can change your future."
Jalen brings a quiet confidence that commands respect both on the court and in the community. As a Wisconsin commit, he understands the weight of representing something bigger than himself. His commitment to Playmakers for Peace reflects his belief that leadership is not about volume — it is about consistency and character.
Rashaad Davis
School: Nicolet HS | Class of 2026 | Wisconsin Playground Club
Six-Word Pause: "Lead with heart, not with anger."
Rashaad's energy is contagious. He is the kind of player who lifts everyone around him — and that same energy extends to how he shows up in his community. His six-word pause speaks to the emotional intelligence he has developed through sport: the understanding that how you respond matters more than what happened to you.
Londyn Hollis
School: Wisco Athletics
Six-Word Pause: "Hooping saves lives. Violence steals dreams."
Londyn is a trailblazer. As the only woman in the founding cohort, she represents the truth that leadership knows no gender. Her words cut straight to the heart of why this campaign exists: sport gives life, and violence takes it away. She is proof that young women athletes belong at the center of community safety conversations.
Deuce McGuffie
School: Nicolet HS | Team Herro EYBL | Class of 2027
Six-Word Pause: "Winning on and off the court."
Deuce is the youngest fellow in the cohort, and his selection speaks to the maturity he carries beyond his years. He understands that winning is not just about scoreboards — it is about the choices you make when no one is watching. His presence in this campaign signals that leadership development starts early.
Mike Rogers
School: Homestead HS
Six-Word Pause: "Choose peace. Break cycles of violence."
Mike's words are a declaration. They are not passive — they are a commitment to action. He represents the athlete who has seen what violence does to communities and has decided to be part of the solution. His directness and clarity make him a natural spokesperson for the movement.
What Comes Next
These five athletes will participate in an emotional regulation and community safety training session, create content that speaks directly to their peers, and help engage up to 60 Milwaukee-area youth in conflict resolution, impulse control, and leadership under pressure later this year.
They are not waiting for permission to lead. They are leading now.
The Starting 5. The first, not the last. Playmakers for Peace.