The Inner-City Games were founded by Daniel Hernandez of the Hollenbeck Youth Center in 1991 as a way to build self-confidence, self-reliance, and camaraderie among inner-city youth. The Games began in East Los Angeles with more than 40,000 youths competing in athletic and academic competitions. In the wake of the LA riots in 1992, Hernandez envisioned the Games expanding citywide and then nationally. Hernandez shared this vision with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who agreed to be the Games Executive Commissioner. In 1995, the National Inner-City Games Foundation was established. Under the national umbrella, the Games have expanded to 15 cities across the United States and involved more than one million young people across the country. In 2003, the Inner-City Games was renamed to After-School All-Stars; however, in Los Angeles they remained the Inner-City Games.
References
- Cardenas, Jose (2002-09-08). "GOOD TURNS: Games Serve Thousands in First 10 Years". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2007-05-25. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
- Cooper, Michael (2003-08-12). "An Actor's New Role: Fund-Raising". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-17.