Kevin Love’s commitment to mental health awareness is no secret. Like NBA peer DeMar DeRozan, Love has been incredibly vocal about his battles with anxiety – using his platform to destigmatize the mental disorder. The Kevin Love fund is a result of that. In the organization’s own words:
“Kevin established the Kevin Love Fund (KLF) to inspire people to live their healthiest lives while providing tools for both mental and physical health. Through a unique combination of education, research, grantmaking, and advocacy, KLF is breaking the stigma around mental health and ensuring people who are suffering have the support needed to thrive.”
Now Kevin is reaching an even broader audience in partnership with Sony Pictures Animation to release the Spiderverse short film, The Spider Within. The short film plays on Spider-Man, Miles Morales’ own battle with anxiety as he balances superhero and normal life. The short film is paired with a lesson designed to help readers learn tools to manage their anxious thoughts and feelings. The entire creativity lesson can be found here. The collaboration is very cool, and will certainly introduce the Kevin Love Fund curriculum to readers.
Sony Pictures Animation had this to say about the project:
“Sony Pictures Animation has teamed up with the Kevin Love Fund to digitally release the animated short film, The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story, that will be incorporated into the Kevin Love Fund’s new mental health focused lesson plan, “The Hero Within.” The lesson plan invites students to tell their own story through the lens of mental health awareness via an interactive curriculum including a creative storyboard activity. Visit kevinlovefund.org for additional information.”
As we get lost in the weeds of the regular season it’s tough to take a step back and acknowledge the work Heat players do off the floor. The work Kevin Love is doing is as important as his success on the court, and seeing a collaboration like this is great. I think I can speak for all members of Heat Nation when I say we’re proud to have this man representing the organization.
The full Spiderverse short film is embedded below:
I am impressed. I did not know this aspect of Kevin Love and his life beyond basketball.