Major League Soccer announced โThe Seeds We Plant. The Flowers We Share,ย โ an edition of their annual Juneteenth initiatives, inspired by Black artist Gianni Lee. The Juneteenth initiatives are a collab between the MLS, the clubs themselves, and Black Players for Change (BPC) โ an independent organization of Black MLS players, coaches, and staff.
โThe recognition of Juneteenth is an important moment in American History and for everyone involved at Major League Soccer to commemorate freedom, honor the contributions of Black Americans to our country, and celebrate the right we all have to live a life of dignity, equality and opportunity,โ said Tunde Oguntimein, Vice President, Commissionerโs Office of Major League Soccer.
โThis year, our League is incredibly proud to partner once again with Black Players For Change, and to collaborate with Mel D. Cole and Gianni Lee on an initiative that beautifully captures the cultural significance of Juneteenth.โ
Throughout this post, you will see the promo photos of the special Juneteenth shirts and regalia.
โJuneteenth is a holiday that gives us a chance to reflect on our history, and appreciate the progress we have made,โ said Earl Edwards Jr., President, Black Players For Change.
โBlack Players for Change was established to generate change within the MLS, and itโs local communities.
“Since our inception, we have been working closely with MLS to accomplish our goals, and the Juneteenth jersey is another example of the incredible work we have been able to do together. With the addition of Mel D. Cole, and Gianni Lee, to this year’s collaboration, we were able to take our Juneteenth celebrations to new heights and I look forward to fans seeing the final jersey.โ
โWhen I was asked to partner up my agency Charcoal Pitch F.C with MLS for their 2023 Juneteenth campaign it was a no brainer for me,โ said Mel D. Cole.
โThe values of Juneteenth and my agency go hand in hand; without being free there is no me! My agency tried hard to ensure that Black folks were truly represented throughout the entire process of this campaign; from getting super talented artist Gianni Lee on board to ensuring that we hired people to work behind the scenes who not only are the best at their respected jobs but understood what Juneteenth meant to them and the world.โ
The Chicago Fire FC are really hurting right now in the Major League Soccer table, but at least they’ll be dressed for success tonight when they host D.C. United.
The Fire are taking part in a league-wide Juneteenth initiative through MLSโ partnership with Black Players for Change (BPC) โ an independent organization of Black MLS players, coaches, and staff working to bridge the racial equality gap in soccer and society.
In every MLS match this weekend, the jerseys will feature Juneteenth-inspired numbers designed by Judah, a Black queer artist from Childersburg, Alabama.
The yellow, green, and red color palette represents the blood, soil and prosperity of Africa and its people. Have a look at the numbers:
With that in mind, we re-post last year’s article on the Chicago Fire FC and their special Juneteenth jerseys.
If you’re still unsure of what Juneteenth is, well, unfortunately, so are a lot of other Americans. Our education system has failed on this one. Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
Juneteenth marks the anniversary of the announcement of General Order No. 3 by Union Army general Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor ofย The Sports Bank.ย Heโs also theย author of โTransatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,โ andย โNo, I Canโt Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.โ
He currently contributes toย Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMGโs NFL Wire Networkย and theย Internet Baseball Writers Association of America.ย His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated,ย Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times.ย You can follow himย onย Linked Inย andย Twitter.
