What does a four-time Olympic gold medalist do between competitions? If you’re Gazmine “GG” Mason, you build a foundation – literally. Founded in 2020 alongside her parents George and Danielle, the Gazmine Mason Foundation (GMF) uses the sport of bowling to open doors for under-resourced youth that might otherwise stay shut.
 

“No one can achieve their dreams alone and we’re here to make sure that’s not the reason anyone falls short,” said GMF Founder & Executive Director Gazmine Mason. 

GG began bowling at age ten. As she rose through the ranks to become a two-time World Champion, she noticed a stark divide in the resources available to athletes depending on where they grew up. That observation became a mission: provide inner-city kids with equipment, training, nutrition guidance, educational resources, and the community that elite athletes take for granted.

This past fall, GMF’s 3rd Annual Roll Back to School event brought that mission to life in a big way, distributing free backpacks, school supplies, food, and bowling to nearly 100 Rhode Island youth and families, more than double the previous year’s attendance. GG also shared her own story of earning a full college scholarship through bowling, spotlighting a pathway to higher education many families had never considered.

Watch GG’s story and see how GMF is proving that a bowling lane can be a launching pad, for education, health, confidence, and community. 

This Black History Month, we are proud to celebrate GG and the generational impact she is building through GMF. POC is honored to support this organization because its work — expanding access, dismantling barriers, and nurturing the next generation of leaders — reflects exactly what we stand for.