WISCONSIN HERD PARTNERS WITH TDS TELECOM TO HONOR INFLUENTIAL BLACK LEADERS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION ON FEB. 22

The Wisconsin Herd, NBA G League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks, is partnering with TDS Telecom to host a Black History Month Celebration Night on Saturday, February 22 with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m. CST at Oshkosh Arena. The Herd is celebrating Black History Month with specialty jerseys that showcase nine influential Black leaders who have made huge impacts in U.S. History.

During the game on February 22, the Herd will play in one-of-a-kind Black History Month jerseys with portraits of influential Black leaders featured on the jersey shell. Artist Patrick “Patcasso” Hunter created the portraits with the theme of “Blueprints of Progress” which reflects how the Black experience has been instrumental in shaping the fabric of America. Through a striking blueprint aesthetic, the jerseys symbolize the foundation of society while honoring Black pioneers whose contributions have been and continue to be essential to progress. The deep blue base, overlaid with white grid lines and intricate schematics, represents some key pillars of society, including Science & Technology, Education, Economy & Business, Arts & Culture, Sports & Recreation, Faith, Infrastructure & Environment, and Family & Community. By merging art, technology, history, and storytelling, this one-of-a-kind jersey serves as a blueprint for greatness, paying homage to those who paved the way while inspiring future generations.

Each player will play in a jersey that represents a different legend. The nine living and past legends will be introduced through the Wisconsin Herd’s social media throughout February leading up to the game. The living and past legends include Dave Bing, Ed Dwight, Valerie Mosley, Rosa Parks, Ulice Payne Jr., Wilma Rudolph, Wilson Smith III, Mike Taylor and Malcolm X. These jerseys can be bid on at https://herdbhm.givesmart.com from now until March 1 at noon. Proceeds will benefit the Harold Lefty Williams DARE2DREAM Foundation which works to improve the quality of life for youth and young adults to strengthen our communities both domestically and globally.

At the Feb. 22 Herd game, Artist Patcasso and DJ Steady Rock will perform at halftime. Artist Patcasso will honor a living legend by taking a blank canvas and turning it into a work of art in minutes to a custom music track performed by DJ Steady Rock. Living legends or family members in attendance will be recognized for their accomplishments and the impact they have made during the game. To honor them, they will each receive a custom jersey with their name, number, and portrait on the jersey.

Before the game on Feb. 22, the Wisconsin Herd will host three events to celebrate Black History Month. The first event will be a STEAM Clinic at Winneconne Middle School on Feb. 21 where Artist Patcasso and Wilson Smith III, the first Black sneaker designer in the industry with Nike, will teach kids the process of designing and creating shoes through STEAM. Friday evening, the Herd will host a private VIP Art Gallery event at The Waters Oshkosh where the art and jerseys will be on display for VIPs to view up close and enjoy a performance by Artist Patcasso and DJ Steady Rock. Before the game on Feb. 22, the Wisconsin Herd will partner with Mike Taylor, the first NBA Development League player to be drafted into the NBA, Taylored4All, and Stryv365 to host 50 Boys and Girls of Oshkosh for a basketball clinic with a focus on resilience and mental health.

ABOUT TDS TELECOM

TDS Telecommunications LLC (TDS Telecom/TDS®) delivers high-speed internet, TV entertainment, and phone services to a mix of small to mid-size urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout the U.S. With 1.1 million connections, TDS’ mission is to create a better world through its communications services. Powered by fiber optics and new industry-leading technologies, TDS delivers up to 8 Gigabit internet speeds and offers internet-protocol-based TV entertainment solutions along with traditional phone services. TDS also offers businesses VoIP advanced communications solutions, dedicated internet service, data networking, and hosted-managed services. Visit tdstelecom.com.

ABOUT HAROLD LEFTY WILLIAMS DARE2DREAM FOUNDATION

The Harold Lefty Williams DARE2DREAM Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for youth and young adults to strengthen our communities both domestically and globally. Through the development of sports, educational, and character development programs, the Harold Lefty Williams DARE2DREAM Foundation seeks to help in creating a stronger body of youth who will carry on as our future leaders.

ABOUT PATCASSO

By day, Patrick Hunter is a Technology Consultant in the Tech Industry based in Dallas / Fort Worth. By night, Patrick assumes the identity of Patcasso, a nationally recognized live performance painter. Patcasso, a STEAM Ambassador (Science Technology Engineering Art & Mathematics) travels the world unveiling a world of intrigue, emerging technologies, and careers that connect all disciplines of the Arts with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Co-Founding STEAM Revolt, a non-profit that creates a curriculum intended to “add swag to STEM” using pop culture and art.

He choreographs paint strokes to music creating dynamic visual performances that captivate his audiences. Many have seen him perform live turning a blank canvas into icons such as MLK, Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg, and Ray Charles in minutes to a diverse genre of music for the Atlanta Braves, Sundance Film Festival, and the Steve Harvey talk show.

A native of Detroit, Patrick holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Michigan.

--Wisconsin Herd--