Who are we?

Rose Room Collective is an independent supporter group for the Washington Spirit and D.C. United by and for non-white supporters of color. 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 non-white POC (people of color) fans.

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.