We recently connected with Ibrahim Oduniyi and have shared our conversation below.

Ibrahim, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I came up with the idea while on a youth outreach shift with fellow coworker, James Mullins. Myself along with others had been working a couple of years doing outreach work with the Youth Coordinating Board, an organization that provides informal mentorship for youth throughout Minneapolis. Fortunately the Youth Coordinating Board created space for outreach workers to bring themself to the job in alignment with youth work. For me that meant starting up a program named Hard In The Paint Hoops. The foundation of this program was and still is to provide a safe space for youth to grow through game of basketball in the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs at no charge to the participant. The unique approach for HITP Hoops to grow was that we worked in middle schools and high schools throughout Minneapolis so getting parents and participants involved was a conversation away.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN. Raised by two Lagos, Nigerian natives hard work and resilience was impressed upon me from the start. After high school I would land a full ride scholarship to play basketball at Sheridan college, at a junior college in Wyoming.

When basketball as a player was over I continued working youth basketball camps which I started doing years back when he finished high school. I also got in the youth worker field in many capacities from being a social worker to youth outreach all over Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs.

In 2015 after years of working for other programs I decided to start his own outfit of basketball and youth development services by creating Hard In The Paint Hoops. Every year this program continues to grow and evolve being an agent of equity for youth and I’m proud to be apart of this organization.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I think the resilience shows in the continuous growth ever since its inception. We started in a Montessori school lunchroom/gym with 10 youth in 2015 building to an official 501c3 operating year round providing programming throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

One great thing to see is when youth grow up in this program, get the opportunity to play college basketball and work the program when they’re in town. Giving youth that become young adults the opportunity to affect youth positively like someone did for them is an amazing sight to see.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://HITPHoops.com
• Instagram: @HITPHoops
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1WxhmGvAzp/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Image Credits

Bola Ogunlana