Miscellaneous
Ten months ago, amidst the national reckoning on race that revealed visual and violent instances of racial inequity and injustice in our country, SB Nation and The Athletic reported stories on Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen that exposed a history of racism and what was described as a toxic work culture within the organization. Those revelations forced Hansen to put the team up for sale. Since Hansen has been away from the club, Real Salt Lake has genuinely embraced the need to address racism, diversity, equity and inclusion up and down the organization, be leaders in their community and advocate for those causes. They’ve worked closely with us at RISE and our Chief Program Officer Dr. Andrew Mac Intosh to hold multi-week leadership programs and trainings, from players and staff in their youth academy all the way up to senior staff and executives with their MLS club, and this week RISE will be onsite as Real Salt Lake is partnering with the Vancouver Whitecaps to celebrate Juneteenth when the two clubs resume their MLS season this Friday, June 18, at Rio Tinto Stadium outside Salt Lake City. Anthony Beltran, the team’s Assistant General Manager, and Arnold Rijsenberg, RSL Academy’s Director of Coaching, have been instrumental in bringing these DEI trainings to the organization in hopes of fostering a more inclusive culture from top to bottom. Tony and Arnold join us to discuss the progress made, the work that still needs to be done and the importance of this week’s Juneteenth celebration in light of all they have been through as individuals and as an organization.