In early June the Rays had announced that, in consultation with community partners, they would be making grants and sharing resources to further the goals of equity and social justice in the Tampa Bay area.
They chose Opening Day to follow through on their promise, a signal that they appreciate how the fight for justice continues even now that we have baseball to entertain us. Life, they note in quoting Jackie Robinson, is not a spectator sport.
Racial Equity Grants
Their initiative includes $100,000 in grants to local organizations through the Racial Equity Grant Program. The four grant recipients represent organizations that have addressed, implicitly or explicitly, issues of racism on both sides of Tampa Bay.