– The WNBPA and America’s Socially Responsible Bank to support social justice reform efforts via newly launched WNBPA Social Impact Fund; player-advocates Sue Bird, Natasha Cloud & Elizabeth Williams will also share their stories –
– OneTeam Partners played leading role in player-driven partnership –
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OneTeam Partners announced today that the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (“WNBPA”) and Amalgamated Bank, member of the Amalgamated Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: AMAL), America’s socially responsible bank, have launched a first-of-its-kind collaboration to make Amalgamated Bank the Official Social Responsibility Partner of the WNBPA. Together, they will partner to promote social justice reform, specifically in areas of racial and gender equity, and voting rights. The alliance includes dedicated player-driven content to support organizations on the ground working for a more equitable and inclusive world through the establishment of the WNBPA Social Impact Fund. The Fund will direct support to the National Council of Negro Women, Black Voters Matter, The New Georgia Project, Sister Song, GLITS, and the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.
“Amalgamated and the WNBPA share a deep alignment. Our joint legacies of standing up for what is right provides the perfect platform for Amalgamated to become the Official Social Responsibility Partner of the WNBPA,” said Priscilla Sims Brown, Amalgamated Bank’s President & CEO. “This is not your typical sports sponsorship. It’s a collective action to use our voices and resources to advance racial justice, voting rights, and gender justice, while lifting up the work of movement leaders across the country.”
As part of the collaboration, WNBA stars Sue Bird, Natasha Cloud and Elizabeth Williams will appear in a series of videos entitled “Shout Outs” that highlight their own personal connections to social justice issues. The videos aim to demonstrate how both organizations have joined to build a more socially responsible world. Created with OneTeam Partners, each video features a player sharing her journey related to social justice.
The videos are scheduled to launch August 16th and run online and on digital and social platforms. Sue Bird, a four-time WNBA champion with the Seattle Storm and vice president of the WNBPA, will highlight the issue of gender equality. WNBA champion with the Washington Mystics and member of the Board of Player Representatives, Natasha Cloud will speak to the fight for racial justice. Atlanta Dream All-Star and secretary of the WNBPA, Elizabeth Williams will share her experience related to voting suppression.
The union representing the women’s professional basketball players in the WNBA has historically fostered opportunities to amplify the voices and leadership of its member players, most recently working with the WNBA to launch The Justice Movement and the Social Justice Council, a first in sports, which promotes conversations about race, voting rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy, public health, and gun control among other critical issues. The players of the WNBPA were honored in March 2021 with the NAACP Jackie Robinson Sports Award for the players’ social justice, civil rights, and community contributions.
“Our members have provided the blueprint and have consistently moved with collective action on the issues that matter to them, their communities and fans across the country,” said WNBPA Executive Director, Terri Carmichael Jackson. “We are delighted that Amalgamated Bank, whose corporate values align with ours, has affirmed the work and will provide strong support for the players’ social advocacy agenda.”
OneTeam Partners, the sponsorship and licensing partner of the WNBPA, facilitated the unique partnership. It represents the first time that Amalgamated Bank has aligned with a sports organization or professional athletes to advance economic, social, racial, and environmental justice utilizing the tools of finance. OneTeam is a global sports company unleashing the collective power of world-class athletes to drive business via group licensing, marketing, media and venture.
“We are excited to align the WNBPA with another purpose-driven, socially conscious organization in Amalgamated Bank that shares the same values and is also committed to making a difference in the pursuit of justice and equality,” said OneTeam Partners CEO Ahmad Nassar.
About Amalgamated Bank
Amalgamated Bank (“Amalgamated” or the “Bank”), member of the Amalgamated Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: AMAL), is a mission-driven New York-based full-service commercial bank and a chartered trust company with a combined network of six branches in New York City, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Boston. Amalgamated provides commercial banking and trust services nationally and offers a full range of products and services to both commercial and retail customers. As of December 31, 2020, our total assets were $6.0 billion while our trust business held $36.8 billion in assets under custody and $15.4 billion in assets under management. Since our founding in 1923, Amalgamated has served as America’s socially responsible bank, empowering organizations, companies, and individuals to advance positive social change. Amalgamated advocates alongside those working to make the world more just, compassionate, and sustainable. Amalgamated is the country’s largest B Corp® bank and a proud member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values. We don’t just have a mission, we are on a mission to advance economic, social, racial and environmental justice utilizing the tools of finance. For more information, please visit our website at www.amalgamatedbank.com.
About the Women’s National Basketball Players Association
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) is the union for current women’s professional basketball players in the WNBA. The WNBPA is the first labor union for professional women athletes. It was created in 1998 to protect the rights of players and assist them in achieving their full potential on and off the court. The WNBPA handles the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, filing grievances on their behalf, and counseling players on benefits and post-WNBA career opportunities. The WNBPA also serves as a resource for current players, while they are competing internationally during the offseason. The WNBPA encourages players to participate in union activities – including executive leadership roles, team representative positions, and global community outreach initiatives.
About OneTeam Partners:
Formed in November 2019, OneTeam Partners is a joint venture between the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and RedBird Capital Partners. OneTeam helps athletes maximize the value of their name, image and likeness rights by transforming the way in which athletes interact with businesses across four verticals: licensing, marketing, content and investing. OneTeam represents a range of commercial business interests on behalf of the NFLPA, MLBPA, Major League Soccer Players Association, United States Women’s National Team Players Association, Women’s National Basketball Players Association, and United States Rugby Players Association.
Media Contacts:
For Amalgamated Bank:
Cara Joftis
cara@jacobsonstrategic.com
Jacobson Strategic Communications
215-680-1699
For OneTeam/WNBPA: David Cooper, david@mvppr.com
Amalgamated Financial Corp.
