PORTLAND, Ore. (February 25, 2021) – The Portland Trail Blazers are elevating womxn in sports and honoring Womxn’s History Month virtually with various initiatives, engagement and awareness efforts throughout the month of March. "Womxn” is a gender-inclusive term that includes transgender women, non-binary people and all who identify as such. This year’s Womxn’s History Month engagements look to the local community and within the organization to support, honor and engage with local nonprofits, womxn-owned businesses and the Trail Blazers community. Hosted activations and all subsequent proceeds throughout the month will benefit this year’s nonprofit partner, ChickTech Portland, a nonprofit engaging womxn of all ages in the technology industry and helping hundreds of girls in the Portland area discover an interest in STEM.
“Womxn throughout history have been blazing the trail for future generations to be seen, heard and valued,” said Chris McGowan, President & CEO, Portland Trail Blazers. “Though we cannot bring everyone together, I know our fans will join us throughout March as we honor and support the womxn in our community, womxn in the sports industry and the local womxn-owned businesses that make up Rip City.”
This year’s Womxn in Sports Celebration Night takes place virtually on March 1 as the team faces the Charlotte Hornets at Moda Center, with all proceeds benefitting ChickTech Portland. Activations around the evening include:
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National Anthem sung by Singer Janna Zimmerman
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Exclusive long sleeve T-shirt as the Item of the Game in collaboration with Women Ball Too, a local company started by two University of Oregon graduates whose mission is to bring awareness and recognition to the womxn’s professional sports market
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Online auction for fans to bid on featuring Trail Blazers-signed merchandise open March 1-19
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Womxn’s History-themed content, facts and trivia in the Digital Rip City Magazine located in the Trail Blazers Mobile App
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Limited-edition Trail Blazers pin upon purchase of takeout or dine-in at one of five womxn-owned businesses from March 15-19, including Ya Hala, Bison Coffeehouse, Noble Rot, Mama Dut and Commissary Cafe
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Chance to win one of five $100 gift cards to these local womxn-owned business
For more information around the Womxn in Sports Celebration night, visit trailblazers.com/whm.
Outside of the Celebration Night activations, the Portland Trail Blazers are engaging the community with virtual events, including:
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A career panel featuring womxn Trail Blazers staff who have roles in the technology space with local youth from ChickTech Portland
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A career panel featuring womxn Trail Blazers staff with Elevate Oregon and its “Dream Reachers” after-school program for girls
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A giveaway of the full 2020 Rip City Clothing Co. Made by Her Collection
The Trail Blazers organization is hosting an all-staff virtual pregame dinner and all employees in attendance will be given a $40 Grubhub credit to support a local womxn-owned restaurant by purchasing takeout for the Womxn in Sports Celebration Night on March 1. In addition, employees are encouraged to donate new and gently used womxn’s clothing and other new and gently used items to nonprofits Dress for Success, Rose Haven and Bradley Angle as part of an organization-wide effort to support local womxn in need.
For more information, including the calendar of events, digital assets for fans and signup pages to win prizes, visit trailblazers.com/whm or visit our social media pages facebook.com/trailblazers on Facebook, @TrailBlazers and @BlazerCommunity on Twitter and @TrailBlazers and @BlazerCommunity on Instagram.
ABOUT THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Members of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Portland Trail Blazers were founded in 1970 and purchased by the late Paul G. Allen in 1988. The team's rich heritage includes 36 playoff appearances, three trips to the NBA Finals, an NBA championship in 1977 and a commitment to community service and sustainability. The Trail Blazers are dedicated to positively impacting underserved kids and their families throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington where they live, learn and play. Portland is the first and only professional sports franchise to receive the prestigious National Points of Light Award for excellence in corporate and community service. The Trail Blazers home arena, Moda Center, is the first existing arena to earn LEED Platinum Certification in 2019 after receiving LEED Gold Recertification in 2015 and becoming the first existing professional sports venue in the world to receive LEED Gold status in 2010. The team is also one of the founding members of the Green Sports Alliance. For more information, visit trailblazers.com.