In If Black Lives Really Mattered, the speaker delivers a searing, heartfelt challenge to society’s empty affirmations of the Black Lives Matter movement. Grounded in his personal journey and work with Atlanta’s youth, he reveals how the systemic disinvestment in parks and recreation—especially in Black communities—undermines the very lives we claim to value. With sharp analysis and undeniable passion, he connects rising youth violence to decades of budget cuts, policy neglect, and broken promises. This talk is both a love letter to the power of recreation and a powerful call to action: if Black lives truly matter, we must prove it through sustained investment in spaces that nurture, protect, and uplift them. Growing up on the Westside of Atlanta, Hulio saw two examples of success that stood in stark opposition to each other. While the Westside was a bastion for Black ownership and entrepreneurship. Today, Hulio serves as the Celtics’ general manager, a position he assumed after Prather’s passing in 2005. Working alongside the team’s co-founder Karl McCray, he works tirelessly to continue the program’s legacy. Part of the Adidas sponsored #3SSB 3 Stripes Select Basketball circuit, the Celtics are the largest basketball program in the Southeast and the largest youth sports team sponsored by Adidas. To date, the team has produced over 300 Division I college athletes and 27 NBA players. The Atlanta Celtics’ programs serve u14-u17 student athletes, the support from the organization itself is forever. Hulio has even served as a business manager for some of his players once they turned pro. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx