In a column published on LinkedIn, Karina LeBlanc reflected on Epicenter Week and the growth of women’s sports in Portland.
LeBlanc pointed to an event held in Portland this August where nearly 40,000 people gathered to celebrate women’s sports, contrasting it with the early days of her career spent at a national team camp in military barracks wearing men’s jerseys in front of empty stands.
Recalling her retirement at a home World Cup in 2015 and a life-threatening bout of heart failure in 2020 a week after the birth of her daughter Paris, LeBlanc described the personal motivations behind her current advocacy work.
She detailed several initiatives completed by RAJ Sports, the Portland Thorns FC, and the Portland Fire during Epicenter Week, including a refurbished basketball court at Harriet Tubman Middle School, a pledge to revive the Lillis-Albina Park soccer field, and the opening of the Kaiser Permanente Performance Center, described as a first-of-its-kind dual-sport performance center built for women athletes.
Additional events during the week included the Epicenter: Women’s Global Sports Summit presented by Nike, an Epicenter Gala that brought together 400 guests and raised $700,000 for the community, the EmpowHER Awards, and a tribute to Tobin Heath.
LeBlanc thanked team owners Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alexander Stegmann Bhathal for their vision, alongside the players, volunteers, partners, and fans.
“Every morning, my daughter Paris and I remind each other every morning to be our own SHEroes,” LeBlanc wrote.
“Watching this city show up, I know she’ll grow up believing anything is possible,” she added.
Worth a look
Why Clarity in Mississippi Senate Election Could Come by Week’s End – USA Today
Mississippi’s Senate race is approaching a critical juncture as election officials push toward a final tally, with clarity...
UMD Volleyball Faces SMSU in a Tightly Contested Match
The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) volleyball team faced Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) in a match on...
Maximizing the Michigan R&D Tax Credit: Key Lessons and Preparation Strategies
For over ten years, Michigan stood as one of the few states—and the only one throughout the Midwest—that...
Massachusetts Honors Inaugural Class of Women’s Hall of Fame
As the country nears the end of its 250th anniversary celebration, Massachusetts recognized its historical and contemporary leaders...