• by Tanya Gazdik , May 29, 2023

Audi of America, Major League Soccer and The Players’ Tribune is launching a season-long content series shining a spotlight on players and their impact on their communities. 

Content will be unveiled through written, video and social media across The Players’ Tribune’s channels.

The first installment of the multiplatform series “Celebrating Impact” features Alejandro Bedoya, Philadelphia Union captain.

Bedoya, who has a long history of activism, took action following the horrific shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas in 2022. Prior to the Union’s match against New England, Bedoya led his team in a demonstration by wearing orange “End Gun Violence” T-shirts for warmups.

Bedoya, who is a member of Everytown for Gun Safety, was invited to the White House to celebrate the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. He continues to advocate for gun safety by participating in PSAs and speaking engagements.

“Leveraging my platform as a voice for positive social change is extremely important to me,” Bedoya says in a release. “This is an important opportunity to continue to shine a light on gun safety and the issues surrounding it.”

As part of the activation, Audi will make a $20,000 contribution to the charitable organization of each player’s choice via the “Audi Goals Drive Progress” fund. Throughout the season, MLS players will be chosen based on their dedication to charitable efforts and social impact work.

The 2023 season also marks the debut of the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award presented by MLS Works, a new program dedicated to recognizing the individual community work projects of players. 

A selection committee will consider candidates whose commitment to charitable efforts and social impact work creates sustainable communities, fosters equity and inclusion and enriches the lives of those in need across the U.S. and Canada.