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| (Image Source: SEScoops/All Elite Wrestling) |
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) President, Chief Executive Officer, General Manager and Head of Creative Tony Khan has officially announced the company’s refreshed and refocused community outreach program under a new name AEW TOGETHER. Moving forward, AEW TOGETHER will operate as AEW’s philanthropic initiative designed to foster lasting, positive change in each market AEW visits. Under the leadership of new Director of Community Engagement Katelyn Borden, AEW TOGETHER will dedicate its efforts and initiatives around four core pillars: (1) Next Generation, focusing on youth programs, (2) Equity, with an emphasis on human rights and social change, (3) Service, helping those in need in the local area, and (4) Wellness, focusing on physical and mental health. The efforts of AEW TOGETHER complement AEW’s commitment to fostering the physical and mental wellness of its talent and staff. Borden and AEW Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Megha Parekh established these core pillars with a renewed emphasis on selecting and serving causes near and dear to the hearts of AEW’s roster.
AEW TOGETHER will continue its larger-scale national partnerships with charitable organizations throughout the year, including KultureCity, the American Heart Association and Oceana. In tandem, the team will continue to develop collaborations with local nonprofits and organizations to support communities in need. AEW TOGETHER will also continue fundraising efforts and awareness campaigns for groups that align with the program’s core values. AEW TOGETHER’s relaunch kicked off last February 1, 2023, the start of American Heart Month, with a CPR training session done in coordination with the American Heart Association for AEW talent and staff ahead of a live episode of “AEW: Dynamite” in Dayton, Ohio. As AEW TOGETHER’s Director of Community Engagement, the daughter-in-law of professional wrestling legend Steve "Sting" Borden will be responsible for driving the overall strategy of philanthropic and local activations, managing fundraising targets and overseeing team members. She will also manage the evaluation of proceeds, data and results, and work to secure and develop partnerships and implement activations. “The overarching mission of AEW TOGETHER is to fight collectively for a better world, and I’m honored to lead this incredible team in our effort to create meaningful impact. With our roster of passionate wrestlers and amazing partners across the country, we have the power to make a difference. We’re thrilled to officially kick off AEW TOGETHER today, and I’m looking forward to all that’s to come this year and beyond," Borden said.
Meanwhile, Amanda Huber, wife of the late Jon Huber a.k.a. "The Exalted One" Brodie Lee, will continue her impactful work as Community Engagement Coordinator, spearheading the identification of local organizations for collaborations in AEW’s touring markets. Her role will encompass coordinating logistics for activations and meet-and-greets, as well as managing all team communications channels. Professional wrestling veterans Mark Henry, Paul Wight and Jake "The Snake" Roberts as well as All Elite Wrestling talent “Captain” Shawn Dean have been promoted to Special Advisors to AEW TOGETHER. In this role, they will bring their experience and passion for community relations to help identify partner organizations across the country, assist in incorporating talent participation and provide counsel on enhancing activations. “Hand-in-hand with delivering the best product to our fans each week is our strong commitment to fostering a safe, healthy and inclusive community through the power of wrestling. AEW TOGETHER complements this by identifying causes that are important to our talent and supporting organizations in the cities we visit throughout the year. The team behind AEW TOGETHER will ensure that we make a positive impact in every town we visit through volunteering, fundraising and helping to drive social change," Khan said.
For more information and updates on AEW's refreshed and revamped community engagement program, follow @AEWTogether on Twitter & Instagram and visit www.aewtogether.org.
