The Alliance Los Angeles: One Year Stronger

All 11 Southern California professional sports franchises joined together for a march through the streets of LA alongside members of the Play Equity Fund, Brotherhood Crusade, and the Los Angeles Police Department to commemorate the year anniversary of The Alliance, a group united to address racial injustice, develop educational opportunities, and support other important issues facing communities of color.

Franchise executives stressed the importance of the day's themes: unity and acceptance. "We believe that stronger teams and communities are created when people of every culture, background, and lifestyle, are accepted and valued," Kelly Cheeseman, Chief Operating Officer AEG Sports, said.

Blake Bolden, LA Kings scout and Growth & Inclusion specialist, sat on the panel alongside Kevin Miles and Jeremiah Johnson of the Brotherhood Crusade, an LA-based group that focuses on improving quality of life and meeting the unmet needs of low-income, underserved, under-represented and disenfranchised individuals.
Blake highlighted the significance of diversifying the workplace while also acknowledging how far the Kings have come over the last year.
"It's very important for each and every team to open their doors and become more inclusive," Blake said. "And we're working on that every single day with our inclusion initiatives.

"If you want to move fast, go alone. If you want to move far, go together," Brotherhood Crusade member Estaban Bozeman said, quoting the infamous African proverb. And that was the main message that prevailed amongst all the attendees, each leader acknowledged we are stronger as a whole.

LA Kings Growth & Inclusion Initiatives:
- Hiring, Recruiting and Development/Training for the Organization - Youth Hockey and Ice Sports Accountability - Youth Hockey Development and Equity Expansion - Fan Education, Growth and Inclusion - Sourcing and Purchasing Audits - Voting and Census Partnerships with the State of California - Kings Care Commitments - Participation in the LA Sports Alliance