July 21 Hometown Heroes Showcase, Presented by RBC Wealth Management, to Celebrate Local Leaders During MLS All-Star Week in Austin
Austin FC Goalkeeper Brad Stuver Named 2025 MLS Hometown Heroes Program Ambassador
NEW YORK (June 23, 2025) – Major League Soccer (MLS), RBC Wealth Management and Black Players for Change (BPC) today announced the 2025 MLS Hometown Heroes—four Austin-area community leaders who exemplify innovation, resilience, and service.
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The 2025 MLS Hometown Heroes include:
- Fidel Campuzano Gonzalez, Co-Executive Director, Austin Youth River Watch
- LaKissa Bright, Founder & Executive Director, Ladders for Leaders
- Gabriela Kane Guardia, Executive Director, Latinitas
- Bill Wallace, Founder & Executive Director, Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation
In addition, Ismael Guzmán has been named the 2025 Honorary Hero for his vision and commitment to youth soccer. He launched East Austin Soccer Club—a community-based initiative that provides affordable soccer and life skills programming to local youth.
Each MLS Hometown Hero will receive a $15,000 grant to support the mission of their respective organizations. These initiatives focus on removing barriers to soccer participation, empowering young people as future leaders, and sustaining and protecting green spaces throughout the Austin area.
Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver will serve as the official ambassador for the 2025 MLS Hometown Heroes program, continuing his commitment to community advocacy and equity-focused initiatives across Central Texas.
“We are honored and grateful to celebrate this extraordinary group of MLS Hometown Heroes, leaders and organizations who drive lasting and meaningful change in communities and lives throughout Austin,” said Sola Winley, MLS Executive Vice President, Chief Engagement Officer. “Showcasing exceptional talent on and off the field and being a force for good speaks to the heart of what MLS All-Star week is all about.”
“As a company deeply rooted in the communities we serve, we are incredibly proud to recognize the work of these Hometown Heroes” said Shareen Luze, Head of Business Administration for RBC Wealth Management – U.S. “These inspiring individuals and their organizations are making a positive impact in Austin and we are honored to help further their missions.”
In collaboration with Black Players for Change and Austin FC, the honorees will be celebrated at the fourth annual MLS Hometown Heroes Showcase, presented by RBC Wealth Management. The private event will take place on Monday, July 21, at Antone’s in downtown Austin.
"We are incredibly proud to stand alongside Major League Soccer and RBC Wealth Management to honor these exceptional Austin leaders," said Allen Hopkins Jr., Executive Director of Black Players for Change. "Their unwavering dedication to empowering youth, fostering community, and driving positive change truly embodies the spirit of the Hometown Heroes program and inspires us all."
The MLS Hometown Heroes Showcase is one of several official events leading up to the 2025 MLS All-Star Game, featuring MLS vs. LIGA MX on Wednesday, July 23, at Q2 Stadium in Austin.
For more on this year’s honorees, visit MLSHometownHeroes.com.
2025 MLS Hometown Heroes Honorees
**Austin Youth River Watch** – Fidel Campuzano Gonzalez, Co-Executive Director
Austin Youth River Watch combines mentorship with intensive environmental education and engages youth through nature-based and experiential service-learning programs in environmental science. Students engage in water quality monitoring, restoration projects, and outdoor experiences—often for the first time. To ensure accessibility, AYRW provides transportation, nutritious meals, and stipends.
**Ladders for Leaders** – LaKissa Bright, Founder & Executive Director
The mission of Ladders for Leaders is to connect high school students to careers through education, training, and impactful internships. We aim to ensure students acquire workplace readiness skills and experience, thus becoming more competitive as they apply to colleges, scholarships, trade schools, or enter the workforce.
**Latinitas** – Gabriela Kane Guardia, Executive Director
Latinitas is an Austin-based nonprofit that empowers girls and their communities through culturally relevant education. Their work helps girls build confidence, develop a strong sense of identity, and grow as leaders while gaining critical content knowledge in technology, media, and creative fields. Through afterschool clubs, summer camps, and youth conferences, Latinitas equips participants with the tools to continue their STEAM education, pursue diverse career pathways, and make meaningful contributions to their communities.
**Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation** – Bill Wallace, Founder & Executive Director
Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation seeks to divert children from systems and promote wellness and an upward trajectory in their lives. Understanding that to impact the youth you must also support the parents or caregivers in the home. TPF has taken a holistic approach to connect parents with peer support, parent coaching, direct services, referrals to services and systems education opportunities so they can successfully advocate for their families. TPF centers youth wellness through the lens of youth and offer a number of services in addition to the signature events such as positive youth development, youth coaching and peer to peer mentoring.
Honorary Hero: Ismael Guzman – East Austin Soccer Club
Ismael Guzmán and his team established East Austin Soccer Club in 2004 to address a critical gap in the community: the lack of affordable, competitive soccer opportunities for children from low-income families. Guzmán envisioned a place where every player could reach their full potential, without being limited by their family’s financial constraints. The mission was clear: to make high-level soccer accessible to all and to empower youth through the sport.
Guzmán's unwavering dedication to East Austin Soccer Club stems from witnessing the transformative impact of soccer on young players and the belief that sport instills a strong sense of self-worth, discipline, and teamwork. Guzman is particularly passionate about the club's holistic approach, which extends beyond the field to offer life skills and pathways to higher education, including college opportunities through soccer.
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About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer -- celebrating its 30th season in 2025 -- features 30 clubs throughout the United States and Canada. All MLS, Leagues Cup, and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches can be watched through MLS Season Pass, available on the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com. MLS Season Pass features the most expansive and accessible lineup of programming ever for MLS fans. For more information about MLS, visit mlssoccer.com. For more information about the Apple TV app, visit apple.com/apple-tv-app.
About Black Players for Change
Black Players for Change (BPC) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization consisting of over 170+ Black players, coaches and staff from MLS, working to bridge the racial equality gap that exists in society. BPC is committed to tackling the racial injustices that have limited Black people from having an equitable stake in the game of soccer and society. Among the many goals, the organization strives to advance the attention on human rights inequalities from protests to programs, partnerships, and policies that address systemic discrimination. For more information visit www.BlackPlayersForChange.org.
About RBC Wealth Management
Founded in 1909, RBC Wealth Management delivers trusted advice and world-class wealth solutions to individuals, families and institutions. A subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), it is one of the largest full-service wealth management firms in the U.S., supporting the complex needs of high-net-worth and institutional clients by providing access to private banking, credit, investment management, asset management and other services. In the United States, RBC Wealth Management operates in 192 locations in 42 states. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, registered investment adviser and Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC. Learn more at rbcwm.com.
Media Contacts:
Major League Soccer
Peter O’Brien
Sal Petruzzi
For Black Players for Change
Allen Hopkins Jr.
Megan Fontenot
RBC Wealth Management
Kris Herberg
