The ownership group of the WNBA’s Seattle Storm is writing its own playbook on how to engage with the community. On July 18, the team will hold its inaugural “Stand with Planned Parenthood” rally in KeyArena’s West Plaza. The event will cap off with $5 from each ticket sale that day to be donated to Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and Hawaiian Islands.
Dawn Trudeau, a co-owner of the team, is not sidestepping the apparent political message this partnership sends. “Obviously, we are progressives, so throughout this year we’ve had conversations about what was going on in the country, and what we might as individuals might do about it,” she commented in regard to discussions within the ownership group.
Planned Parenthood, which is a non-profit organization that provides reproductive health care to women across the country, has come under fire from conservative politicians who have looked to defund the organization. According to its website, one in five women in the country have visited at least one of Planned Parenthood’s estimated 650 centers. Planned Parenthood sees about 2.5 million men and women a year. Planned Parenthood provides education, Pap tests, breast exams, sexual health screenings and treatments and services to prevent pregnancy. About 3 percent of its services are for abortions. The organization relies heavily on federal funding.
