CHICAGO – The Chicago White Sox today announced the team’s Game Changers series, presented by Modelo Especial® and Saint Xavier University, will return for its fifth season to celebrate diversity and inclusion in sports through art.
The reimagined Game Changers series, which aims to support and empower under-represented communities through sports, showcases compelling stories about sports and culture through the work of local artists who identify within the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI), African American and Latino communities.
The featured artists draw inspiration from conversations with members of the White Sox organization to create mural pieces centered around their respective cultures. The completed artwork will be unveiled at Guaranteed Rate Field prior to select home games this season with the first AAPI-inspired piece set to debut as the White Sox take on Seattle at 1:10 p.m. on Saturday, June 26.
Artist Murrz will create an AAPI-inspired mural – the first in the series. A self-taught artist born in Manila, Philippines, Murrz’s large-scale murals and digital illustrations are well-known across Chicagoland and beyond, blending her years of experience with a love for street art, music, and culture.
Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, artist Edo will unveil an African American-inspired mural before the game against Minnesota on July 21 – a day marking 70 years since Sam Hairston made his major league debut with the White Sox, becoming the first African-American player to play for the White Sox. His style combines a wide range of colors and objects to create a narrative that speaks to specific stories.
On Hispanic Heritage Night on September 10 against Boston, artist Asend™️ will debut his work of art, reflecting the experiences and inspiration of Latino culture and White Sox baseball. Asend’s roots in Venezuela and Chicago’s South Side inspired a passion for the sport of baseball and urban art. He is a renown interdisciplinary artist who specializes in graffiti, photorealistic paintings, and large-scale murals, including the largest mural in Chicago located in the Loop.
Each work of art will be displayed at Guaranteed Rate Field during the 2021 regular season. Videos offering insight into the creative inspiration and the stories reflected in their work will be shared with the unveiling of each piece.
At the conclusion of the regular season, the artwork will be donated to local non-profit organizations that support these communities.
Since 2016, the Game Changers series has featured leading community voices in panel events and virtual discussions focused on creating meaningful change and empowering diverse community groups. Last year’s programming included “Latinos Reshaping the Sports Journalism Industry,” “The Legacy of Chicago’s Negro Leagues,” and “A Real Conversation on Challenges and Wins for Women Working in Sports.”
For additional information on the Game Changers