ALL 12 PRO SPORTS TEAMS IN GREATER LOS ANGELES ARE UNITED IN NEW COLLABORATION
THE ALLIANCE: Los Angeles – TO UTILIZE SPORT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
Teams Join Play Equity Fund to Support Communities of Color and Level the Playing Field
In a new collaboration to pursue a change in communities of color and develop meaningful programs, the 12 professional sports organizations in Los Angeles County and Orange County have joined together to launch The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles, a comprehensive five-year commitment to drive investment and impact for social justice through sport.
Following the recent protests nationwide, the 12 teams have united to address racial injustice, develop educational opportunities, and support other important issues facing communities of color, particularly Black communities. The 12 teams will advocate for social justice, address disparities and take actions to help end racial inequality.
This commitment includes supporting the Play Equity Fund’s social justice movement in Los Angeles, and in Orange County amplifying the work of Accelerate Change Together (ACT) Anaheim. These innovative and positive models of engagement are aimed to inspire similar actions nationally.
The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles
The 12 professional sports teams that form The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles include:
The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles was formed in addition to the efforts of the teams’ community affairs departments and foundations, which will continue their charitable activities across the region.
The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles is partnering with the Play Equity Fund to manage this initiative. A 501(c)3 public charity, the Play Equity Fund was established in Los Angeles to drive social change across communities through sport.
It is the only nonprofit worldwide dedicated to Play Equity as a social justice movement to bring the transformative power of sport and structured play to youth – regardless of their race, socioeconomic status, or gender – who have been left behind by the current system.
“The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles is an unprecedented collaboration by sports organizations recognizing the impact they can have by working together, and they should be commended for seeking to make significant changes in communities of color,” said Renata Simril, President of the Play Equity Fund. “The Los Angeles region is one of the world’s most competitive markets, and sports is one of the world’s most competitive industries. But these organizations are putting their competitive instincts aside to work collaboratively for social justice.”
Social Justice
<so·cial jus·tice>
The term social justice can be broadly defined as the degree of fairness or justice in the opportunities and access to resources, wealth, political representation, and privileges within a given society. In neighborhoods with high poverty rates, opportunities to play – a globally recognized fundamental human right of childhood – oftentimes do not exist, particularly for kids of color.
About The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles
Frequently Asked Questions
The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles is a historic collaboration between all 12 pro sports teams in Los Angeles in partnership with the Play Equity Fund. Following the recent protests nationwide and in Los Angeles, the 12 teams are joining together to address racial injustice, educational opportunities, career pathways, and other important issues facing communities of color – specifically Black communities.
The 12 teams will advocate for social justice, address disparities, and take actions to help end racial inequality. This commitment includes being key voices in the Play Equity social justice movement – to promote impactful change locally and is aimed to inspire similar actions nationally.
Who is The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles?
- Following the recent protests nationwide, all 12 local professional sports organizations across greater Los Angeles are uniting as allies to address racial injustice, create educational opportunities, and take on other important issues facing communities of color, particularly Black communities.
- The 12 teams will advocate for social justice, address disparities, and take actions together to
help end racial inequality. - Together, the 12 teams are forming The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles, a comprehensive five-year commitment to drive investment and impact for racial equity through sport with innovative and positive models of engagement to level the playing field.
How are sports connected to social justice?
- Social justice is about how fair are people’s access and opportunities to resources, wealth, political representation, and privileges within a given society.
- Sports can help to develop our leaders of tomorrow and create pathways to lifelong wellbeing for children. Good sports programs and good coaches can make the difference in a kid’s life and how they think of their futures.
- Kids who play sports have higher GPAs, graduation rates, attend school more often and are both physically and mentally healthier
- In neighborhoods with high poverty rates, there are significant barriers to kids being able to play: there is less funding for school PE and sports; fewer parks with fewer sports programs; and the cost of private sports programs is too high.
- Equal access to sports is a social justice issue and the importance of creating opportunities and access to support all kids and communities for lifelong wellbeing demands all of our participation. The pro sports organizations of the ALLIANCE: Los Angeles are united in their determination to fight this injustice.
What is The ALLIANCE doing about it?
- The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles is partnering with the Play Equity Fund to leverage and direct resources to local sport-based youth development programs to provide more access and opportunities for communities of color in greater Los Angeles.
- This collaborative effort is also funding youth leadership training that focuses specifically on teaching kids how to stand up for themselves and advocate with school districts, local officials and with all levels of government so that they will know how to achieve the systemic changes that want for their communities.
- One of the most powerful parts of this partnership is that pro athletes can help lift up and raise awareness about the issues that the kids themselves care about and what the athletes themselves have learned from their own experiences in dealing with unfair systems.
- Working towards social justice is about investment, learning, education, and sustained action. That’s what The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles is committed to achieving.
How can I learn more?
- The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles and the Play Equity Fund held a Sports for Social Justice Symposium on July 22. This webinar included leaders from the sports organizations, as well as social justice leaders and sports commentators.
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