Washington, D.C
Washington D.C. Sports Teams Unite for Community Safety on 2024 Wear Orange Weekend – Monumental Sports
Washington, D.C. (June 7, 2024) – Local professional sports teams the Washington Capitals, Commanders, Nationals, Mystics, Spirit, Wizards, DC Shadow, D.C. United and Capital City Go-Go today announced their renewed commitment to community safety as they prepare to wear orange on Gun Violence Awareness Weekend. This marks the third consecutive year that D.C. sports teams have come together to combat violence in the area, while encouraging fans to do the same.
“Our teams are honored to call D.C. home, and we are proud to come together to make our community a better, safer place for us all,” the teams said in a joint statement. “This weekend, we ask our fans to stand with us as we say ENOUGH, and work to end gun violence.”
On Wear Orange Weekend from Friday, June 7, through Sunday, June 9, local teams playing at home will show their support in a variety of ways, outlined below. Efforts will kick off Friday with the Mystics in-game activations as they host the Indiana Fever at Capital One Arena. The Spirit will highlight the initiative during their home game on Saturday, June 8, as will the Nationals on Sunday, June 9.
Through the campaign’s first two years, D.C. team’s combined efforts have raised more than $200,000 for community-based violence intervention programs through donations from the teams and D.C. area sports fans.
Additional information on how individual teams are supporting gun violence awareness on Wear Orange Weekend, and how fans can get involved, can be found below.
Washington Nationals
- The Washington Nationals will raise funds and awareness at the ballpark on June 9 for the Everytown Community Safety Fund, a program of Everytown For Gun Safety Support Fund.
- All proceeds from the 5050 Raffle at the game will benefit the Everytown Community Safety Fund, a program of Everytown For Gun Safety Support Fund. Proceeds will benefit local DMV organizations implementing community-based violence interruption programs as a core component of a comprehensive approach to reducing gun violence.
- Fans can purchase 5050 raffle tickets in person or at org/5050
- Game day staff will don orange ribbons for the cause.
- All proceeds from the 5050 Raffle at the game will benefit the Everytown Community Safety Fund, a program of Everytown For Gun Safety Support Fund. Proceeds will benefit local DMV organizations implementing community-based violence interruption programs as a core component of a comprehensive approach to reducing gun violence.
- To bring awareness to Wear Orange Weekend to fans, the Nationals will host representatives from other D.C. sports teams on the field on Sunday, June 9.
- Representatives from participating D.C. sports teams will join together on the field for pre-game ceremonies.
- Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels will throw out the game’s ceremonial first pitch on behalf of the Commanders rookie class, which is making a special group trip to Nationals Park on Sunday.
- The Commanders rookie class will also attend the game on behalf of the organization.
- Nationals Philanthropies continues its support of and collaboration with Peace for DC, which hosts Peace Academy trainings at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy’s Ward 7 facility.
Washington Mystics, Wizards, Capitals and Capital City Go-Go
- The Mystics will host their “Wear Orange” game for the sixth year in a row on June 7. To highlight Wear Orange Weekend, the team will:
- Host a pre-game panel discussion about gun violence prevention in the DMV at District E Powered by Ticketmaster
- Commemorate National Wear Orange Weekend with a full orange LED takeover at Capital One Arena
- Give away Wear Orange towels for every fan in attendance
- Highlight gun violence prevention facts and calls to action from Everytown For Gun Safety during timeouts.
- Present a halftime performance by Bootsy Collins, a grammy-award winning Artist for Action and advocate for gun violence prevention
- Display the I Wear Orange photobooth mural on the concourse
- Showcase concourse activations by Artist for Action featuring a Knotted Gun Display and Sandy Hook Promise TablinG
- Donate $25K to the TraRon Center, a DC based non-profit organization committed to helping those affected by gun violence heal through the arts, in a half court check presentation featuring MSE owners Ted Leonsis and Sheila Johnson
- Donate all proceeds from the MSE Foundation’s 50/50 Raffle at the game to the Everytown Community Safety Fund, a program of Everytown For Gun Safety Support Fund. Proceeds will benefit local DMV organizations implementing community-based violence interruption programs as a core component of a comprehensive approach to reducing gun violence
- The Washington Wizards have partnered with the Alliance of Concerned Men to support their work to the eradicate violence for all communities, focusing on reduction, mitigation, and prevention. During the 2023-24 NBA season, the partners hosted a Youth Basketball Clinic at Kimball Elementary School for Jr. NBA Week.
- MSE teams have collectively made calls to action for fans to donate to national gun violence prevention groups in support of Wear Orange efforts, broadcasted statistics and data on the affect gun violence has in the DC community and supported dedicated initiatives annually.
Washington Commanders
- The Washington Commanders, in collaboration with a coalition of D.C. sports teams, are contributing funds toward Everytown Community Safety Fund, a program of Everytown For Gun Safety Support Fund.
- The team will leverage its social platforms to share important stories from select team Legends impacted by gun violence in an effort to bring awareness to Wear Orange Weekend.
- The Commanders will have players and coaches in attendance for the Washington Nationals game on June 9 where the Nationals are supporting and recognizing National Gun Violence Awareness Month
D.C. United
Washington Spirit
- The Washington Spirit will provide ongoing partnership and grant support for Peace for DC’s work, providing training and resources for educators and coaches working with youth in communities experiencing high crime and violence rates.
- The Washington Spirit will continue to support Friends of Anacostia Park’s mission to provide healing spaces and respite programming in areas most affected by gun violence.
- The Washington Spirit will show support on social media platforms.
DC Shadow
- DC Shadow players and staff will wear an orange ribbon on the front during warmups for their away game in Atlanta on Saturday, June 8.
- DC Shadow will recognize the work of Peace For DC and their community-based violence prevention partners through their social media platforms.
- DC Shadow will solicit contributions to Peace For DC through its social media platforms during the days surrounding Wear Orange Weekend.
About Washington Nationals Philanthropies
Washington Nationals Philanthropies is the official charitable arm of the Washington Nationals. Its mission is to help children, families, and communities thrive through sports-based youth development and access to healthy food. The organization delivers on this commitment by spurring investment in community-based programs that address the disparity of opportunity for residents of the region. Since 2007, the foundation has issued over $6.8 million in grants to local organizations. Through its signature program, the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, the organization operates year-round youth development and baseball instruction activities, as well as a holistic food access program – supporting the delivery of nearly 1 million meals into the Washington, DC region since 2018. Since 2013, the organization has invested $42 million for facility construction and annual programming through the Academy. For more information about Nationals Philanthropies, visit nats4good.org.
About Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation
MSE Foundation is committed to making the region a better place for all by supporting game-changing solutions for our community. We fundraise, provide grants to nonprofits and rally Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s teams and fans to support and amplify the impact of community change agents. Together, we’re raising the game in the DMV. Learn more at: www.monumentalfoundation.org.
About the D.C. United Foundation
The D.C. United Foundation harnesses the power of soccer to reach underserved communities in the D.C. area and give youth the tools necessary to soar on and off the pitch. The D.C. United Foundation is an extension of D.C. United, the Major League Soccer Club located in Washington, D.C., and we prioritize serving populations that lack equitable access to important resources, educating and empowering the next generation and using our platform to lift people up and support their visions. Our work is centered around programming and partners that encourage and provide opportunities for community members to thrive, unite and have essential support. For more information visit dcunited.com/foundation.
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To mark Gun Violence Awareness Month, residents in Southeast D.C. came together to search for a lasting solution.
The Trigger Project held a peace walk Saturday afternoon reflecting on lives impacted by gun violence
The Trigger Project decided to host the walk to give victims’ loved ones a chance to be among others who have experienced the pain of losing a loved one.
The agency said it prides itself on getting the word out about how to prevent gun violence through lived experiences, community leadership and partnerships. The group aims to uplift young people through healing, opportunity and connection while addressing the root causes of gun violence. Another critical part of the event was to ensure that young people have a safe space where they can hang out.
“We’re losing too many of our babies to the streets, you know what I’m saying?” said Darlene Williams, who said she has been a victim of gun violence and also lost her granddaughter to gun violence. “Like I say, the guns don’t kill, people kill. [..] Be around other people, you know what I’m saying, that’s going through the same thing that we’re going through.”
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Back to The Atlantic
(NEWS FROM THE STATES) – Visitors from across the United States traveled to the National Mall Thursday for the opening day of the Great American State Fair, a days-long event that is part of President Donald Trump’s Freedom 250 celebration of the nation’s semiquincentennial.
States and territories showed off cultural and agricultural exports at exhibits stretching nearly a mile. Attendees snapped photos on the small Grand Ole Opry stage in the Tennessee booth, kids tried putt-putt at Indiana’s miniature golf course and cowboys rode horses at Montana’s rodeo.
A 110-foot Ferris wheel slowly turned at the center of the freshly manicured lawn, framing the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol in the distance on either side. Nearby stood a model of Trump’s controversial “triumphal arch.”
People collected swag from each state — drawstring bags from Ohio, stickers from South Dakota, snacks from Tennessee — and could receive a stamp on state fair passports.
The fair is part of the larger Freedom 250 programming and kicked off Wednesday night with a rally on the mall featuring a speech from the president that closely resembled his remarks along the 2024 presidential campaign trail. The festivities will continue over Independence Day, when Trump will deliver a second speech followed by what is promised to be an impressive fireworks display.
The president will visit North and South Dakota as part of his Freedom 250 tour for the opening of the Teddy Roosevelt presidential library and Independence Day eve fireworks above Mount Rushmore.
Freedom 250 then extends into August with a high school athletic competition in Washington, D.C., dubbed the “Patriot Games” and a Freedom 250 INDYCAR race around the National Mall.
The administration’s celebration is separate from the America250 commission, created by Congress a decade ago, and which has its own nationwide programming this year.
From Lake Erie to the Ohio River
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and first lady Fran DeWine greeted guests in Ohio’s pavilion. The couple posed for photos in front of a map of the Buckeye State.
“We wanted to see on the wall all the different things, from Lake Erie to the Ohio River, all the different fun things you can do in Ohio,” the Republican governor said, adding the state has local celebrations and initiatives planned for the 250th anniversary, including “Movies in Ohio” for community showings of films that feature the state.
Ohio’s first lady showcased a children’s literacy exhibit on the opposite wall and touted the roughly 427,000 participants in the state’s partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a program that mails free children’s books monthly to households with kids under age 5.
“We’ve mailed out 27 million books. We know that a child’s brain is 80% developed by age 3, so we want to get them those books early,” she said.
Reflecting on America’s milestone birthday, the governor said, “We’re always a work in progress, Ohio’s a work in progress, this country is a work in progress.”
“I think you know the thing we need to keep in mind, all of us, is there’s some essential core principles that we all believe in. … We may disagree about different policies, but the core principles are the same,” he said.
Cartwheels on the lawn
People from various states walked from exhibit to exhibit, while stopped in the nation’s capital during road trip vacations.
Tanya Geders, 43, of St. Louis, Missouri, did a cartwheel in the mall lawn, trying to persuade her son to join in. The family stopped at the state fair on their way to Virginia Beach.
“We’re like, well, if we go to the ocean, we can go to D.C. and what a better time to be here than the 250th anniversary,” Geders said.
Robyn Toman, 71, of Severn, Maryland, escorted her 12-year-old grandson Miles to meet DeWine and grab a photo with the governor.
Toman said she remembers the country’s bicentennial.
“I was a kid about his age, and I came in 1976. I said, ‘We’re gonna go, let’s go down to D.C. for a couple days and see this,’” she said.
“We’ve enjoyed it. We went over to the archives yesterday, and saw the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights. And, oh, that was so nice, that was fantastic.”
Not all states are there. A spokesperson for Washington state’s lieutenant governor’s office told States Newsroom the administration declined to join because of “the costs to the state associated with participating.”According to news reports, Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont did not contribute exhibits, though many are still represented by flags outside the individual booths.The state officials did not immediately respond to States Newsroom for confirmation.
All states that reportedly did not participate, with the exception of Vermont, are Democratic-led.
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