Addressing gender equity issues is critical to moving society forward, and the Jackie Robinson Museum in New York City recently hosted an important event on this issue, “Leveling the Playing Field: Women in Soccer,” in June.
Ahead, we discuss the museum and the event, as well as philanthropist Robert F. Smith’s involvement with the Jackie Robinson Foundation and his championing of gender equity.
About Jackie Robinson and the Museum
Jackie Robinson was a baseball icon, businessman and civil rights activist who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball (MLB). He also dismantled racial divides in business and created equalizing pathways for those from communities that lacked opportunities. Robinson started his baseball career in the Negro Leagues with the Kansas City Monarchs before playing nine years with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
In addition to his baseball career, Robinson served as the Vice President of Chock Full O’ Nuts. He also co-founded the Freedom National Bank of Harlem in 1964, which provided financial assistance to Black communities, and the Jackie Robinson Construction Company in 1970, which provided housing for low-income individuals.
In 1973, Robinson’s wife Rachel founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which provides premier projects, scholarships and leadership development programs for college students. The Foundation’s programs and projects include the Jackie Robinson Museum, the Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars Program (a college scholarship program) and the Jackie Robinson Foundation Impact Program (an online community for Black college students). The museum commemorates the life, legacy and impact of Robinson and works to educate, inspire and challenge patrons to make a difference and elevate social change.
Leveling the Playing Field: Women in Soccer Event
“Leveling the Playing Field: Women in Soccer” was held at the Jackie Robinson Museum (JRM) as a solutions-based discussion to address and work toward breaking barriers in soccer. The event was moderated by Renee Washington, an ESPN and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Analyst and PHLY Sports host. A panel of sports executives, coaches, journalists and players took part in the thought-provoking conversation.
Panelists included Kia McNeill, Head Coaching Chair for Brown University’s Varsity Women’s soccer team; Darian Jenkins, former NWSL player; Bekah Salwasser, former professional soccer player for the Boston Breakers and Executive Director of the Red Sox Foundation; and Danita Johnson, President of Business Operations for the D.C. United.
The panel examined pay parity, front office roles and team ownership for women and how women of color are becoming more prevalent within the NWSL and the U.S. Women’s National Team. The panel also covered how career avenues can be created for young female soccer players.
Smith, the Jackie Robinson Foundation and Supporting Gender Equity
For years, Smith has been a dedicated advocate for programs that support racial and gender equity across numerous industries, including STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and business. In 2016, Smith was awarded the ROBIE Achievement in Industry Award from the Jackie Robinson Foundation for his humanitarian efforts, reflecting the philanthropic work of Jackie Robinson.
Alongside his various philanthropic endeavors, Smith is also a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Engineering. In 2016, Fund II Foundation and Smith, of which he is the founding director and President, donated $50 million to Cornell University’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering to help support technology scholarships and fellowship funds for Black and female students. In 2022, he made another donation to assist undergraduate students from urban high schools and graduate students at Cornell who received their undergraduate degrees from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
“My direct intention here is to work directly with Cornell Tech and Cornell Engineering, in New York City and in Ithaca, to create direct on-ramps for African-Americans and young women to enter tech so that they can help lead us into the fourth industrial revolution,” said Smith.
Smith is also a graduate of Columbia Business School. In early 2024, Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners (Vista), moderated a panel at Columbia Business School’s 7th Annual Women’s Business Leadership in Technology Conference, an annual event sponsored by Vista. On stage, he was joined by some of Vista’s best leadership and portfolio executives to discuss ways to foster diversity and inclusion and the future and impact of artificial intelligence.
Follow Robert F. Smith on LinkedIn to learn more about his efforts around racial and gender equity.
