DETROIT – Throughout May, Detroit City FC will honor and celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage. Southeast Michigan’s AAPI community comprises longtime Detroit natives, recent transplants to Michigan, and brand-new immigrants to the United States. It is a community rooted in the largest continent on earth, full of individuals with wide-ranging stories, histories, hopes, and dreams.
Throughout AAPI Heritage Month, DCFC will engage in several themed activations and creative projects.
Available at the DCFC Club shops and detcityfcstore.com will be a limited-runs of a commemorative AAPI Heritage-themed t-shirt and a “Stop Asian Hate” scarf – both designed by Detroit-based AAPI artist and gallery operator Shingo Brown, who is also curating the project on behalf of DCFC.
Commemorative matchday posters will be designed by AAPI artists for every home* – and, for the first time, away – match in May.
The month’s matchday poster – for home and away matches – will highlight artists in the AAPI community. Each poster artist will also create a one-of-a-kind mini soccer ball. All eight balls will be auctioned off the final week of the month, with proceeds going to support local AAPI-focused community organizations.
May 6th Shingo Brown // @shingypop @hardgallery
May 13th (women’s) Maya, Kikko, and Nicky Paradella // @kikkkkooooo
May 13th (men’s) Martyna Alexander // @martyna_alexander
May 17th Arnold Hong // @artofarnold
May 20th (women’s) Marcus Bakke // @marcus.bakke
May 24th Diana Vuong // @daisydeestudios
May 27th (women’s) Naomi Blakely // @nomiining
May 27th (men’s) Joe Dao // @daocow
Each poster artist will also create a one-of-a-kind mini soccer ball. All eight balls will be auctioned off the final week of the month, with proceeds going to support local AAPI-focused community organizations.
Detroit City FC will also take time this month to spotlight AAPI stories from around our community and within the DCFC organization and host honorary captains, including State Senator Stephanie Chang, on May 13th.
“This month is a model for how we want to be both creative and consequential during these annual heritage months,” said DCFC co-owner Alex Wright. We seek to strengthen our existing relationships in the AAPI community, build new connections, use our platform to inform, and hopefully expand the Detroit City FC community along the way.”
“I’m excited to connect my two passions, sports, and art, into one exciting project during AAPI month. DCFC has been an incredible partner to collaborate with, and they are trusting me to bring my talented network into their club. Detroit is full of creative artists and designers, and I’m honored to share their work this month featuring them on official game day posters and customized soccer balls that will be up for auction,” said artist and curator Shingo Brown.
