Skip to content

TORRENT VS. FLEET
SUNDAY, JAN. 18 | 7:00 PM PT

GET TICKETS

The Seattle Torrent Black History Celebration Unity Game is designed in partnership with Black-led organizations, artists, and community leaders across the Seattle area to honor Black history, culture, and contributions both within and beyond sport. Through music, spoken word, art, and community engagement, the evening will center storytelling, cultural expression, and connection while creating meaningful opportunities for education and visibility. All programming is developed collaboratively with community partners to ensure authenticity, respect, and lasting community impact beyond game night.

Pre-Game Programming

National Anthem & “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
Performed by Jayza Duhon, a Seattle-based R&B recording artist whose music reflects soulful storytelling and cultural pride.

Ceremonial Puck Drop: Sheridan Blanford
Sheridan Blanford is the Seattle Storm’s first-ever Chief Social Impact Officer and a nationally respected leader in equity and community impact in sport. Previously, she served as the University of Washington’s inaugural Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, launching initiatives that advanced mentorship, advocacy, and belonging.

Blanford is a co-founder of the Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Council of Excellence and a graduate of the NCAA’s Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute. She is committed to using sport as a powerful platform to influence lives and change trajectories.

Concourse Tabling (Pre-Game – 1st Period Intermission)
Community organizations will host tables on the concourse, offering fans opportunities to engage directly with local leaders, learn about ongoing initiatives, and access community resources:

  • Central District Community Preservation and Development Authority
  • Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
  • Speak With Purpose

Intermission Programming

1st Intermission
Speak with Purpose Youth Spoken Word Poetry — a live performance spotlighting youth voices through poetry centered on identity, empowerment, and storytelling.

2nd Intermission
Artist Spotlight - Takiyah Ward is a Central District muralist and sneaker designer whose work reflects Black identity, place, and cultural storytelling. Her art is rooted in community history and contemporary expression, using bold visuals to celebrate heritage, resilience, and creative innovation.

Featured Artist: Takyah "TDUB" Ward

Takiyah has studied the art of customizing, cleaning and restoring, for over 20 years and shares her wealth of knowledge through her business The Re-Sole. She spends most of her day researching the latest trends in custom design, products, accessories, and the resell market. It is important to her that the service she provides is the best, and that The Re-Sole is a place where people feel safe bringing their most coveted sneaker collection and ideas to life.  

Takiyah is also the host of Art of the Matter which is a local TV show and web series by Seattle's Converge Media. Art of the Matter explores art's role in culture and connecting diverse creators, featuring interviews and discussions about artists and events, fostering a creative "convergence" of ideas and people."

As part of the celebration, Takiyah will create a custom hand-painted hockey stick, designed for the Unity Game and incorporating team elements and artistic expression. The one-of-a-kind piece will be featured in-game and then gifted to Black Girl Hockey Club, who will auction the stick independently, with proceeds supporting increased access, representation, and belonging for Black women and girls in hockey.

Community Impact: MLK Jr. Day

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 19, the Seattle Torrent is volunteering at MLK Jr.'s Organizing Coalition's 43rd Annual Opportunity Fair and Community Rally at Garfield High School in partnership with the Central District Community Preservation Authority.

In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this historic annual community volunteer event seeks to elevate and give power to Black and minority art, music, and culture as the only county in the U.S. whose name is dedicated to Dr. MLK Jr. 

Featured Community Organizations

  • Black Girl Hockey Club

    Black Girl Hockey Club is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access, representation, and belonging for Black women and girls in hockey. Through community programming, advocacy, and storytelling, BGHC works to challenge systemic barriers within the sport while creating spaces where Black women and girls can see themselves reflected and supported.

    Learn More, opens in a new tab

  • Black Future Co-op Fund

    Black Future Co-op Fund is a Black-led collective investment fund committed to resourcing Black-driven movements and organizations across Washington State. The fund prioritizes long-term sustainability, community self-determination, and economic justice by redistributing resources to initiatives that strengthen Black leadership, civic engagement, and collective care.

    Learn More, opens in a new tab

  • Central District Community Preservation and Development Authority

    The Central District Community Preservation and Development Authority (CDCPDA) works to preserve the cultural legacy, economic vitality, and community ownership of Seattle’s historic Central District. Through anti-displacement efforts, cultural programming, and equitable development initiatives, CDCPDA ensures that long-standing Black residents and institutions remain central to the neighborhood’s future.

    Learn More, opens in a new tab

  • Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle

    The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle is a civil rights and social service organization advancing economic empowerment, educational access, and social justice for Black and underserved communities. Through workforce development, youth programming, housing advocacy, and policy engagement, the organization supports pathways to opportunity while addressing systemic inequities across the region.

    Learn More, opens in a new tab

  • Speak With Purpose

    Speak With Purpose is changing the game in education as the only public speaking program and curriculum integrated in classrooms across King County public schools. Speak With Purpose empowers young people to find their voice, speak their truth, and lead with confidence—because when youth speak with purpose, everyone rises.

    Speak with Purpose, opens in a new tab