Former NBA star and Chinese Basketball Association player Jeremy Lin has been named by edtech language learning platform LingoAce as its global brand ambassador.
Lin will be the company’s first ever, and will “collaborate to promote language learning” and “cross-cultural” understanding through technology in his new position.
“I’ve always believed that talent is universal but opportunity is not – it’s why I started my foundation,” Lin said upon the announcement.
“I am proud to be partnering with LingoAce to help children across the globe from all backgrounds be open to new cultures and languages, perspectives and wisdom, friendship and connections, as well as futures and possibilities,” he continued.
The CEO and founder of LingoAce, Hugh Yao, called Lin the “most ideal” brand ambassador for the company due to his “shattering of entrenched stereotypes” through “hard work and compassion”.
“I’ve always believed that talent is universal but opportunity is not”
“We hope our global students learn from his example and aspire to dream like Jeremy,” said Yao.
LingoAce also announced a new partnership with The Asian American Foundation at the foundation’s summit and reception.
The company, which is based in Singapore, offers immersive language experiences primarily for K-12 learners of all proficiency levels and “diverse cultural backgrounds” – reaching 100 countries.
It uses animation, AI and “gamification” to deliver its lessons in both English and Chinese, and claims to be a “committed partner” to the young learners it serves as well as their parents.
Lin’s ambassadorship feeds into his work with the Jeremy Lin Foundation, which he founded 11 years ago to support overlooked AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) programs “through narrative change, community empowerment and cross-racial solidarity” – and partnering with grassroots programs in various communities.
“Growing up and playing basketball in California, I personally knew many kids that had to navigate through inequities in terms of access to education,” Lin remarked.
“No matter what a child’s situation is, I believe that education is always valuable and is the cornerstone of opportunities for individuals,” he added.
“We hope our global students learn from his example and aspire to dream like Jeremy”
Having had to learn Mandarin as a child through “traditional experiences” while growing up in the US, Lin “recognises the value of applying technology” to create learning experiences that are effective, immersive and valuable – and he wants to “help more children learn languages” that way.
Lin is still active in the basketball sphere, playing for the CBA’s Beijing Ducks after ten years in the NBA. He played for eight teams across North America, including the Toronto Raptors with whom he won a Championship Title in 2019.
