ANNUAL REPORT
2022
2022 Year in Numbers
663
ENGAGEMENTS
246
PARTNERS ENGAGED
25,213
PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
96%
OVERALL SATISFACTION
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I am excited to share RISE's first annual report with you. Our theme, Be Courageous, guided the organization at every level, and 2022 was a year of incredible growth and momentum. I cannot wait to see what 2023 has in store for us!
Thanks to the unwavering support of our partners, staff, and community, RISE has expanded its reach and impact in advancing racial equity and social justice. We have marched ever closer to our bold vision of creating a nation unified through sport committed to racial equity and social justice.
— Diahann Billings-Burford, CEO
READ THE FULL LETTER//
RISE takes its inspiration from the example of leaders such as Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Jackie Robinson, Wilma Rudolph and many others.
My own commitment comes from a lifetime in sport, as athlete and professional, and from the values of President Ronald Reagan expressed in a letter he sent to me in 1990 when I was NFL Commissioner.
— Paul Tagliabue, RISE Board Chair
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EDUCATE
We provide the knowledge and tools to address matters of racism, prejudice, diversity and inclusion.
Multiweek Leadership Programs
8,067
Participants
309
Sessions
47
Programs
EMPOWER
We empower athletes and sports leaders to become effective advocates for change.
Critical Conversations
We use sports to convene the likes of athletes, students, coaches, executives, community leaders and law enforcement, to discuss ways they can create positive social change in respect to race relations, inclusivity, civic engagement and social justice.
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IMPACT STORIES
"RISE lives up to its promise to use sports to address racism and champion social justice in many ways, including providing thought-provoking, courageous, authentic conversations designed to elevate the issues, explore potential solutions, empower attendees, and inspire action - helping us realize we all have the ability and power to be change agents in the fight against racism and social injustice wherever we sit in our organizations."
— Nona Lee, Former Diamondbacks executive, CEO of Truth DEI
"You're never alone to make a change when there's an injustice."
— Jimena, Youth Participant
"At Under Armour, we believe that sport can unite, inspire and change the world, particularly for young people. This directly aligns to RISE's mission, which is why have been longstanding partner. By partnering with RISE and the NBA on the Building Bridges Through Basketball program, we are able to empower communities to foster communication and relationships between youth and law enforcement, and ultimately unite through sport."
— Flynn Burch, Director, Global Philanthropy, Under Armour
"I actually learned something, and I see really how other people think from different backgrounds than me."
— Clemson University Student Athlete
"I attended RISE's "Representation Matters" event last week and I just wanted to let you know how AMAZING the event was. I learned so much about myself from the various exercises, and really enjoyed the panels and pearls of wisdom. You and your team did a phenomenal job and I'm honored to have had the opportunity to participate."
— Christian Fuller
"I think the biggest take away for me was recognizing that engaging with these topics is really important. If we don't, we risk accepting them as loose concepts and not shared definitions."
— SailGP Participant
"It was a once in a lifetime experience, especially to collab with you guys and also teach us a lot. I'm grateful because being in that facility was like a taste of what I wanted, where I want to go in life. So it kind of motivated me again to pursue my dreams, to be honest."
— Will, Youth Participant
"Improving humanity is a never-ending challenge. RISE's purpose to help change lives and the process it's taking with conversations like this, highlight the commitment it has made to inspire change."
— Steve Wyche, NFL
"This program opened up my mind to a lot of topics I haven't had in depth conversations with. I enjoyed learning and being able to take away the knowledge I now have."
— Steele, Youth Participant
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