You may know Doug Baldwin as the Seahawks' legendary wide receiver and Super Bowl champ. You may also know him by his deep commitment to community.
We were lucky to see that passion in action, when Baldwin came to the Sound Transit campus to speak on creating equitable communities at an event hosted by Sound Transit’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).
Sound Transit ERGs are employee-led communities centered around shared identities, experiences and interests. These groups come together to build community and further the mission, vision, and values of Sound Transit.
Since retiring from football, Baldwin has focused on philanthropy, helping others, and being a voice for underserved populations. He has been a strong supporter of local communities for more than 12 years.
One of his first projects was spearheading the construction of a community center called Family First in the Seattle suburb of Renton. He has donated $1 million toward the project with the goal of raising another $5 million in collaboration with the city of Renton.
If you’re authentic in the work you want to do, that will show.
For Baldwin, this project was personal. "This facility is very similar to a facility and program where I grew up back in Pensacola, Florida. It's a place I called my second home. There were resources and people that genuinely cared about me not only as a student and an athlete but more so about me being a well-rounded human being. There was so much involved in that you can't really put a measurement around. I owe a lot to them, to that organization, to that facility, to that second home for me seeing the world the way I see it today."
The Family First Community Center is just one project that Baldwin has spearheaded as CEO and managing director of Vault89, whose mission is to create empathic solutions to complex problems.
For Sound Transit, Baldwin challenged event attendees remain consistent. “Continue to show up. None of us have all the answers, but if you’re authentic in the work you want to do, that will show as you continue to build relationships and establish trust."
Baldwin is also a recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service Award the Paul G. Allen Humanitarian Award and is the youngest ever appointee to the WA State Clemency and Pardons Board. Most importantly, he is a devoted husband and father.