OL Reign Legends: Founders of the Black Future Co-op Fund
The Legends Campaign, a partnership between OL Reign and Starbucks, honors women for their extraordinary contributions to our community in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. OL Reign recognized the founders of the Black Future Co-op Fund — Andrea Caupain Sanderson, Angela Jones, J.D., Michelle Merriweather, and T’wina Nobles — at the club’s May 15 match against the North Carolina Courage.
A local Tacoma resident and elected official, T’wina Nobles has had the opportunity to make it out to OL Reign games in the past. Intrigued by seeing the names of OL Reign season ticket members on the 2021 jerseys, she was browsing the Reign website and stumbled upon the list of previous OL Reign Legends. “I thought, wow. That is so cool, to see people like Mayor Victoria Woodards and Chief Carmen Best. Then a couple weeks later, we got the email about the team wanting to honor us. Just being represented among that group of women leaders, it makes me really excited… that in the middle of a pandemic, when we have absolutely been hurting with and helping our community to get through this pandemic, that we were able to do something so positive that will impact our state for years to come. It is just such an honor to be recognized, especially amongst all of the other women who have been recognized before us.”
Angela Jones noted that the founders of the Black Future Co-op Fund did not set out for recognition; they set out to do good and make a lasting impact in the lives of Black Washingtonians. For the group, being recognized as OL Reign Legends is “motivating and refueling.” She continued, “to speak to the company that we get to be in as OL Reign Legends is huge, and we are appreciative and know that it continues to motivate us and inspire us because you never who is watching and paying attention.”