The Los Angeles Dodgers are often lauded for their commitment to diversity and inclusion. On Friday, that became more evident with the announcement that Billie Jean King and her partner Ilana Kloss have joined the organization as minority owners.
King and Kloss, perhaps best known for their achievements on the tennis court, are also prominent social activists. King is considered a trailblazer, who has long advocated for gender pay equality and LGBTQ rights.
King and Kloss additionally co-founded the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, which addresses inclusion and diversity issues in the workplace.
Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten was especially pleased to introduce King and Kloss to the organization’s ownership group, which he believes is the latest example of the team making a social impact, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“We are most proud of the Dodgers’ place in society,” said club CEO Stan Kasten during a Friday introduction. “No franchise has had the impact on society at large or popular culture as the Dodgers. That’s why we are so proud to make this announcement today.”
The Dodgers have a rich history of breaking barriers that spans multiple decades. The organization most notably signed Jackie Robinson in the 1940s, who went on to become the first African-American to play in the Majors in the modern era.
The Dodgers’ hiring of Farhan Zaidi in 2014 cemented him as the first Muslim general manager in North American professional sports history. Los Angeles also holds an annual LGBTQ night at Dodger Stadium, which celebrates pride in the city.
