On April 1, 2025, Justice Laquan Bates and the Bates family announced the Pamela Bates Foundation. Its mission is to give back to youth, athletics and communities across the United States.
Who Pamela Bates was
Born and raised in Hoboken's Andrew Jackson Gardens, Pamela Bates was a local track and field legend whose toughness, dedication and hard work stood out locally and countywide. She died in 1988, a victim of gun violence, leaving a legacy on and off the field. In the early 2010s she was inducted into the AJ Demarest/Hoboken High School Sports Hall of Fame.
What came next
The foundation went on to launch the first Pamela Bates Foundation Awards at Summer Blockfest 2025, honoring local heroes, and returned for a second year in 2026.
Follow @pamelabatesfoundation and @whathobokensoundslike on Instagram for more.