Who are we?
Rose Room Collective is an independent supporter group for the Washington Spirit and D.C. United by and for people of color (POC). As the nature of soccer support in the United States changes and evolves, we were founded on a strong desire to have a supporter group in the D.C. area with a more targeted approach to including and amplifying the voices of POC.
Why form this group?
Washington, D.C. is one of the most diverse cities in the United States. It's a city rich with culture from all over the world. When thinking about the makeup and culture of this city, we must especially note and emphasize Black D.C. history when we talk about the broader history of our city. It is time that soccer support for our teams reflects the full spectrum of heritage in D.C. We wanted a space to gather voices of color, carve out our own path, and better reflect the city's makeup.
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Looking at D.C. history, Duke Ellington became a central figure of inspiration for us. We wanted to look outside the norms for naming this entity. Ellington is a D.C. icon, and he became a focal point in our decision. Famously reviving the song "Rose Room" in 1932, the name stuck out as one that fit the tone we were aiming for; an elegant and reserved space for ourselves. The usage of the top hat was inspired by an iconic Ellington image and a nod to D.C. soccer history. With the nature of the group and two of the founding members being former students of Woodrow Wilson SHS (please change the name), we also want to mention the Washington Darts history as another central source of inspiration.
Who created the badge and banner?
Local D.C. artist and co-founder Aaron Bland designed the current badge and banner header for the group. Being a fan of the game since childhood, Aaron channeled his expertise and fandom into this design.
Why only the Washington Spirit and D.C. United?
The wider D.C. soccer community is an amazing community at all levels. However, we wanted to focus our energy on the Washington Spirit and D.C. United as they are the teams that brought the founding members together.
Do I have to exclusively support the two teams to be a member?
No. Everyone has different rationales and reasons on why they support one team vs. another. Motivations on why someone may have become a fan of the Spirit can differ from why one does or does not support D.C. United. Regardless of your reasons for supporting, we'd rather have you welcome in this space than engage in supporter gatekeeping.
Our main request is when it comes time to support the teams, whether on game days or any other day of the year, you're there to support that respective team and leave any other feelings behind. D.C. United game days are to support D.C. United. Washington Spirit game days are to support the Washington Spirit.
I’m not a POC. What can I do to support your efforts?
Do you have member fees?
We do not have plans for fees at this time.
Is there a physical gathering space?
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, D.C. regulations, and a lack of startup funds, we do not foresee having a physical, in-person gathering in the immediate future. We will announce publicly if such a gathering space comes to fruition.
How do I sign-up for membership and updates? What can I do to help?
Sign up with this Google Forms sheet here! We'll be collecting names, emails, and optionally, preferred social media handles for us to follow. The founders and current admins of this group, @dcdoubleaa, @RissKiss_13, @dreyesceron, and @SarahKallassy, can be reached on their respective Twitter accounts. We'll eventually be hosting folks in a private forum space for communications and chit-chat outside Twitter and Instagram.
Building this community will take resources and skills beyond our abilities, so help from others will always be welcomed.
Is there merchandise?
Not yet! That is in development, and we will have more to announce in the future!