FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution Players Collaborative Fund has donated $10,000 each to Chica Project and Breakthrough Greater Boston, as well as $20,000 to the Women of Color Entrepreneurs (WOCE). With these latest grants, the coalition of Revolution players has granted $160,000 to grassroots organizations in New England that are leaders in the ongoing effort to promote social equity and fight systemic racism.
“Black Players for Change is thrilled to work alongside these three organizations empowering women and the youth of Greater Boston,” said New England Revolution goalkeeper and Black Players for Change President and Co-Founder Earl Edwards Jr, who is also a member of the MLS Players Association Executive Board. “The impactful work by Chica Project, Breakthrough Greater Boston, and WOCE perfectly aligns with what Black Players for Change stands for. I’m excited to see these organizations continue to help their communities thrive.”
Based in Quincy, Mass., Chica Project’s mission is to close the opportunity divide for Latinas and other Women of Color by empowering them with the skills, confidence, and network necessary to thrive personally and professionally. Since 2011, over 3,000 women have been impacted by the Chica Project with 170 workshops facilitated to empower girls. Through their youth-led approach in schools and throughout the community, 99 percent of their participants have gone on to graduate high school and enroll in college.
"Gracias to the New England Revolution for supporting Chica Project and for helping uplift our mission,” said Executive Director Zaida Ismatul Oliva. “We are grateful for your commitment to the development of young Women of Color."
Serving 900 students and 200 teachers annually, the mission at Breakthrough Greater Boston is to inspire excitement for learning, create paths to college and promote careers in education. By preparing low-income students for college success and training the next generation of urban teachers, Breakthrough Greater Boston changes students’ academic trajectories and supports them along the path to college. Following their foundation in 1992, the organization has expanded to Somerville and Boston in 2013 and 2018 with one more expansion planned for 2024.
"For over 30 years, Breakthrough Greater Boston (BTGB) has been closing opportunity gaps by preparing low-income students for success in college and in life," said Elissa Spelman, BTGB's Executive Director. "We are honored to partner with the New England Revolution as we continue our work for educational equity with a growing number of students and aspiring educators across Greater Boston. Thank you to the Revolution players and organization for their support of Breakthrough."
Selected as the October beneficiary of a $20,000 grant, WOCE aims to widen the circle of entrepreneurship by supporting women of color entrepreneurs who are building great businesses and want help to grow. Onboarding 7-12 entrepreneurs annually, they provide long-term mentorship, tailored programming, peer support, and curated access to potential customers, lenders and investors to maximize entrepreneurs’ successes.
“We are grateful to the Players Fund and New England Revolution for their donation to WOCE and their recognition of the work that we do to address the larger issues of gender and racial equity. This donation will allow us to support more women of color business owners in the Boston metro area on their journey to grow their businesses.” saidAnuradha Yadav, Executive Director of WOCE.
Each beneficiary of the Revolution Players Collaborative Fund, which is funded by the Kraft family, is selected by a coalition of Revolution players including several members of Black Players for Change, an independent organization consisting of over 170 Black players, coaches, and staff of MLS, working to bridge the racial equality gap that exists in society. Breakthrough Greater Boston, Chica Project, and WOCE join previous beneficiaries Dress for Success Providence, Bottom Line Boston, Inner City Weightlifting, the Center for Health & Justice Transformation, New England Culinary Arts Training (NECAT), the Emerging Adult Court of Hope (EACH), The Theater Offensive, and the North Shore Juneteenth Association.
ABOUT BLACK PLAYERS FOR CHANGE:
Black Players for Change (BPC) is an independent 501(c)(3) organization consisting of over 170+ Black players, coaches and staff of MLS, working to bridge the racial equality gap that exists in society. BPC is committed to tackling the racial injustices that have limited Black people from having an equitable stake in the game of soccer and society. Among the many goals the organization strives to advance the attention on human rights inequalities from protest to programs, partnerships and policies that address systemic discrimination. For more information visit www.BlackPlayersForChange.org or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. #TogetherThereWillBeChange.
