Opening Ceremony

Replay the Evening

Emcee

Justine Waldman, KRON4

KRON4 news anchor and a Bay Area media icon, Justine Waldman will guide the evening’s festivities, leading attendees through an unforgettable night of celebration.

SONorCal Summer Games Jennifer J-Lo Hall

Athlete Emcee

Jennifer “J-Lo” Hall, Special Olympics Athlete

Jennifer Hall of Santa Clara County has been participating with Special Olympics since 1992. She competes in basketball, track & field, bowling, soccer, flag football and softball. Jennifer is an Athlete Leader for Special Olympics and has presented at local businesses, schools, at the State Capitol and Washington D.C. as an advocate for people with disabilities. Jennifer works at Safeway, is married, loves to fundraise and volunteer, is a member of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Executive Committee and was inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. She goes by the nickname “J-Lo” because she loves to dance!

Featured Speaker

Danielle Slaton

Danielle Slaton is a former USA Women’s National Soccer Team player, Olympic Silver Medalist, World Cup Bronze Medalist, and Santa Clara University NCAA National Champion. She is passionate about using sports as a means for social change, is a co-founder of Bay FC, and an investor in LOVB San Francisco. Her dad was a 15-year coach with Special Olympics NorCal’s Team Motherlode.

Featured Speaker

Eddie Hart

Eddie Hart is an Olympic gold medalist and former “World’s Fastest Human,” anchoring the U.S. 4x100m relay team to a world-record win at the 1972 Munich Olympics. A Pittsburg native and Cal Berkeley NCAA champion, he later set a world record in the masters’ 100m. Eddie co-founded the Eddie Hart All In One Foundation, mentoring East Bay youth through sports, music, and education.

Entertainment

Futboleros

Futboleros is a high-energy soccer entertainment group that blends freestyle tricks, choreography, and crowd interaction. Known as the “Harlem Globetrotters of soccer,” they perform at events world-wide while inspiring audiences through skill and creativity.

Entertainment

Bloco do Sol San Jose

Bloco do Sol San José is a San José–based percussion and dance ensemble dedicated to Brazilian samba. Founded in 2012, the group brings the energy and tradition of Rio’s escolas de samba to the Bay Area through performances, parades, and community-focused workshops.