Kicks for Equality
Part of the Storm's social justice platform, Force4Change, Kicks for Equality is an annual auction featuring custom designed sneakers worn by Storm players/coaches and other Storm memorabilia & experiences.
In 2026, the funds raised from the Kicks for Equality campaign will benefit the Storm Foundation and Force4Change efforts. The funds will go to the Storm Foundation – a registered 501(c)(3)—and distributed throughout the year to support our broader Force4Change efforts and initiatives, as guided by our players.
One of the most meaningful parts of Kicks for Equality is that every design begins with a conversation Our players and Coach Raman chose causes that reflect their lived experiences, the people they love and the communities they care about. These sneakers become an invitation for fans to better understand who this team is beyond basketball and to join us in creating positive change. —Sheridan Blanford, Chief Social Impact Officer
A few examples of how the funds may be used include:
- Donations to the honorees of Believe in Women Night to support their ongoing work around the community.
- Donation to the winner of the newly create Prism Award, given during Pride month to a LGBTQ+ leader of color, to support their ongoing efforts
Each year we select a talented BIPOC woman sneaker artist to work with the players to custom design their sneaker. The shoes reflect important causes for Storm players such as mental health, gun violence awareness, Black Lives Matter, Pride, gender equality, indigenous people awareness, and African art and heritage.
This year's featured artist, Jayda Noble, is a Washington native and former University of Washington student-athlete whose neo-expressionist style blends athletics, identity, and self-expression. Noble collaborated closely with each Storm player and Coach Raman to transform the causes most meaningful to them into one-of-a-kind wearable works of art.
