Cause Captain Q&A: NaLyssa Smith's Support for Lupus Foundation of America
At the end of each season, Athletes Unlimited, powered by Give Lively and the Give Lively Foundation, makes a grant equal to 100% of each athlete’s end-of-season win bonus to the non-profit of the athlete’s choice.
Throughout this AU Pro Basketball season, fans can also help raise awareness for each athlete’s cause. Each week, fans can vote on which athlete’s cause they would like to learn more about, spotlighting the organizations and issues that matter most to Athletes Unlimited athletes both on and off the court.
For Week One, returning 2023 champion NaLyssa Smith was chosen to speak about her cause: The Lupus Foundation of America.
Question: What cause are you supporting this season, and why is it important to you?
Smith: I’m supporting the Lupus Foundation, and it is important to me because I recently found out my grandfather was diagnosed with lupus, so it’s something that I’m looking to do a lot more research on, and just learn a lot more about.
Q: How did you first get connected to this cause or organization?
Smith: AU helped connect me. With my grandfather, just recently learning that he has it, I just want to learn more about it and get more involved in that community, and just spread that awareness.
Q: What does it mean to you to be able to support your grandfather through this?
Smith: He’s like my best friend. I’m always at his house… He’s kind of somebody I lean on a lot, talking to him after games, he’s always just telling me he’s tapped in watching me play and stuff like that. So he’s a really, really big reason for why I’m still out here doing what I do.
Q: What does supporting this cause look like for you right now, either on or off the court?
Smith: Right now, just learning more about it, talking more about it. I feel like talking about it is gonna bring more awareness to other people, and hopefully will help them to connect with other people that are diagnosed with it, and just find out more about it.
Learn more about AU’s Athlete Cause Program
Take part in AU’s weekly Cause Captain voting process on Instagram @auprobasketball, or take the Cause Captain Quiz below.
