Sounders FC and RAVE Foundation celebrated Women's History Month and International Women's Day by teaming up with The Northwest African American Museum to offer free admission to guests wearing Sounders gear! Fans explored the entirety of the the museum, with a focus on their exhibits featuring African American abstract art works from Northwest women artists. Sounders alumni Steve Zakuani and Brad Evans also stopped by the museum to take in the exhibits and chat with fans.
Sounders Day also featured a giveaway for youth, including a free soccer ball for the first 50 kids in attendance courtesy of RAVE Foundation as well as the distribution of a free book featuring Black characters, written by a Black author or illustrated by a Black artist as part of Sounders FC and NAAM's Books & Balls program.
Started in 2021, the Books & Balls collaboration furthers NAAM's objective to reflect personal experiences and reaffirm value for Black youth, and allow all children to become familiar with diverse characters and storylines while enjoying a new book. RAVE Foundation’s gift of new soccer balls to pair with NAAM’s curated children’s books by Black authors and artists reflects the club’s belief in defending the right to play by removing barriers for all youth.
NAAM is hosting several exhibitions, including The Colors of Life: African American Abstract Art and the Regathering of Community, a local exhibit showcasing abstract art featuring the works of African-American Northwest women artists Shantell Jackson and LoMar Metoyer. The exhibition will be on display throughout the month of March and until June 24, 2023.
The Colors of Life: African American Abstract Art and the Regathering of Community
Shantell Jackson
Shantell Jackson is a multidisciplinary artist who currently resides in Spokane, WA. She creates in process. Each piece or creative journey starts internally and flows outward to create colorful, rhythmic, and textural work. She also draws inspiration from her community-based work and as a writer. Her aim is to combine her disciplines to create installations and performance art pieces. She explores the human condition through her art. She hopes to create dialogue across differences, build bridges, evoke curiosity, and forge acceptance and healing.
LoMar (a.k.a Lo Metoyer)
LoMar Metoyer is a Seattle-based artist who has worked in the behavioral health field with those experiencing homelessness and diagnosed with mental illnesses. After embarking on her own journey to genuine self-love, she realized her true love for art. To share her knowledge and creations with others, she opened her business, Lo Mar's Art by Lo Metoyer. Her work intertwines science, self-love, and art. She is an abstract artist who holds a B.S. in Neuroscience & Cognitive Science and a B.S. in Psychology. She lives her life outside of the box and follows her heart with passion, courage, and unconditional love.
