In May, we celebrated Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Following the lead of the White House and experts at Wing Luke Museum, we updated our language to be more inclusive and intentional in recognizing and celebrating the expansiveness and rich legacy of this community. In accordance with our social justice framework, we amplified the voices of local AANHPI experts, invested and gave back to AANHPI communities and supported AANHPI-owned small businesses.
We also celebrated the 50th anniversary of Title IX and the 50th year of girls' soccer in Washington State, as well as continuing our commitment to Defending the Right to Play and Protecting Our Planet.
RECEIPT & RECEIVE IN SUPPORT OF AANHPI-OWNED BUSINESSES
To celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month, Seattle Sounders FC, Intentionalist and the entire Seattle pro sports community are collaborated on a variety of fun ways for fans to #SpendLikeItMatters in support of the small businesses at the heart of our communities.
Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Storm, Seattle Seahawks, OL Reign, Seattle Mariners, Seattle Kraken and Intentionalist encouraged the community to buy from local AANHPI-owned small businesses this month, and all year long. During May, fans uploaded their receipts from AANHPI-owned small businesses for the chance to win Sounders tickets and other fun prizes!
Throughout May, 412 receipts were uploaded from more than 150 different AANHPI-owned small businesses, for a total of $20,596 spent. Additionally, $22,050 in gift certificates were purchased from AANHPI-owned small businesses, thanks to discounts supported by the teams.
ONE SEATTLE DAY OF SERVICE
On May 21, we partnered with OL Reign, joining Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, local leaders, and neighbors across the city for the first ever One Seattle Day of Service.
Set in the heart of AANHPI Heritage Month, this day of volunteerism aligned with our long-term commitment to make our community stronger and more equitable. We led projects at Hing Hay Park in Chinatown-International District and Pioneer Square, giving back to the neighborhoods surrounding our home at Lumen Field. Clearing trash and cleaning our neighborhoods also supported our long-term goals to Protect our Planet by ensuring we divert waste from our waterways, and to Fight Racism, especially during AANHPI Heritage Month, using our platform to support AANHPI neighborhoods and small businesses. Many thanks to Brad Evans and Sounders staff and fans who picked up trash, painted over graffiti and beautified our community!
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF TITLE IX
Our match on May 15 highlighed the 50th Anniversary of Title IX and girls soccer in Washington State! The first team wore a special jersey patch, including a mark created by the Seattle Sports Commission for the Seattle sports community to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX. The jerseys were autographed and auctioned off by RAVE to support efforts to Defend the Right to Play for local girls. Pre-match, we hosted a Pro Sports Career Panel, presented by Zulily, featuring female staff from Sounders FC and Zulily. These amazing women shared their stories with young girls from RAVE Foundation and Washington Youth Soccer. We also hosted an exhibit about milestones and hereos in WA women’s soccer, courtesy of Washington State Legends of Soccer. Finally, RAVE Foundation celebrated the announcement of an investment in a new field at Larchmont, with WYS and OL Reign, as well as highlight the Cultures United women’s team. Learn more about our investment in these women here.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AT BARGE-LINCOLN ELEMENTARY
On May 27, we went across the mountains to Yakima for our 14th project with our friends at EarthGen, addressing environmental injustice at Barge-Lincoln Elementary, which is the future home of two RAVE Foundation fields! Students, parents and volunteers joined together to address environmental injustice in the community, planting and getting their hands dirty to create greener, safer spaces to play.
RAVE CHAMPIONS GALA
The RAVE Champions Gala, held May 13 at Fremont Studios, was an inspiring evening of joy! 325 generous attendees enjoyed the evening, raising over $250,000 to benefit RAVE Foundation’s 26 Fields by 2026 campaign, bringing free play to children who need it most.
