NWSL Supporters Form ACTS, Partner with Prideraiser to Benefit Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake

Sandy, UT, June 25, 2020 – A coalition of NWSL supporters groups have joined together and started a new initiative called ACTS: Activating Communities Through Support, focused on collective projects supporting NWSL communities. The first ACTS project will take place during the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.

“Service to our local communities has always been a part of NWSL supporters culture. With all eyes being on the Challenge Cup in Utah this summer, we thought it would be best to pool our efforts into one fundraising campaign that will benefit an organization that serves the greater Salt Lake City area. ACTS was created to provide a unified voice for its member clubs, both for the current UICSL project and others moving forward,” said Jen Muller, ACTS organizer and an officer of Cloud 9 Supporters Club.

These groups are using the unique opportunity of the Challenge Cup to raise awareness of issues faced by the Indigenous communities of Utah, the site of the tournament, and to raise funds for the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake (UICSL) during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Public health concerns, including the COVID-19 pandemic, often have an outsized impact on Native American communities. As NWSL supporters tune in to the Challenge Cup tournament in Utah we also want to draw the focus of the NWSL communities to the challenges faced by Native American tribes in the area as well as the good work being done by organizations like the UICSL to meet those challenges,” said Maggie Dziubek, ACTS and Chicago Local 134 organizer.

“We’re honored that the Activating Communities Through Support (ACTS) Project has pledged to raise funds for the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake (UICSL),” said Maurice “Mo” Smith, Executive Director of UICSL. “Their commitment to financial support and to raise awareness of issues faced by the Native Americans and the eight Federally-Recognized Sovereign Tribes of Utah is timely during these unprecedented times due to COVID-19 known as the Coronavirus. They recognize the importance of supporting community-based organizations whose missions are aligned with promoting racial and ethnic approaches to community wellness.”

Participating ACTS supporters groups (SGs) are: Bayou City Republic (Houston Dash), Black Swans (Orlando Pride), Chicago Local 134 (Chicago Red Stars), Cloud 9 Supporters Club (Sky Blue FC), The Court (Utah Royals), Pride’s Crown (Orlando Pride), Red Line (Chicago Red Stars), Rose City Riveters (Portland Thorns), Royal Guard (OL Reign), Spirit Squadron (Washington Spirit), The Uproar (North Carolina Courage)

ACTS organizers are partnering with Prideraiser.org, a platform which uses soccer to facilitate fundraising for local LGBTQ+ organizations, for the event. “Our volunteer team is thrilled to work with the NWSL supporters on this initiative. It’s a perfect fit with our principles and our technology, and we are happy to donate the Prideraiser platform to the cause” said Prideraiser.org co-founder Galen Riley. Soccer fans can visit the Prideraiser site to make a pledge for each goal scored by their favorite team or across the entire tournament. At the end of the NWSL Challenge Cup, Prideraiser will notify participants to complete their donation.

To learn more about the ACTS UICSL fundraiser and to make a pledge, visit https://acts.prideraiser.org.

ABOUT ACTSACTS is a coalition of supporters groups representing all nine teams of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). It was created to serve as a collective voice for philanthropic endeavours organized by its member clubs.

Follow ACTS on Twitter: @NWSLSG_ACTS
Contact: nwslsg.acts@gmail.com

ABOUT URBAN INDIAN CENTER OF SALT LAKE
The mission of the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake is to serve The People by honoring Native cultures, strengthening health and wellness programs and cultivating community. Visit uicsl.org to learn more.