For RSL Unified Assistant Coach Alisa Graham, Pride Month means more than just celebrating who you are, it's celebrating how far we've come.
"I'm 40 and when I came out, it was the early nineties and the times were very different," said Graham. "Pride is not only being proud of who you are and comfortable with who you are, but it's about the work that people have done before you to get to a point where what we say the other day at Utah Pride Parade and there were so many people celebrating."
Graham, along with other RSL fans and staff members marched in the Utah Pride Parade this spring, becoming the first ever professional men's sports team in Utah to sponsor Pride.
"It was huge," said Graham. "Having RSL a part of Pride helps shows people that there's much more that unites us than makes us different. It shows that all fans are welcomed because we all love RSL, and that is the number one thing. When an organization like RSL says that they support our LGBTQ+ community, it also shows that we're all welcome as fans and that we're all fans of the same team. It's another link to community and commonality."
Graham knows plenty about community and commonality. As an assistant coach for RSL Unified, she helps RSL Unified athletes reach their full athletic potential through Special Olympics Utah.
"It's been an incredible experience to watch their growth and not only as players, but as people as well," said Graham.
Keep an eye out for more content surrounding the RSL Unified team and join RSL in celebrating Pride Night on June 25 against the Columbus Crew. Get your tickets here: https://www.rsl.com/tickets/single
