Diversity’s benefits in action in Morrisville’s cricket coup | WRAL TechWire

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion.

There are three words we hear often at panels and conferences, as business leaders and elected and community leaders explore how to grow more diverse and inclusive workplaces and communities. Much of the debate recently has focused on the recent UNC System decision to scrap DEI programs. I could write a separate column on this topic, but the pros and cons of DEI programs continue to be explored and debated.

So, I began my day with a Chat GPT question: How can diversity bring positive change to communities?

Forget Chat GPT for now. I found my answer in the Town of Morrisville’s cricket transformation.

Every day  in Morrisville, as a council member and resident, I see something that makes our community uniquely strong and vibrant: our diversity. Morrisville is a tapestry of cultures, traditions and stories from around the world. Each thread in this tapestry brings its own rich history, perspective and contribution, making our community a beautiful mosaic of humanity.

Our Live Connected Live Well brand statement means more than being connected to beautiful greenways, parks and a high quality of life.

It also means that the connections our regions have with many different cultures can bring true transformation to our communities. I have often mention in my speeches around the region that I can have a samosa, banh mi sandwich and pulled pork sandwich in one hand, listen to bluegrass and Bollywood music playing in the background, as I find my way to a Holi or Diwali event, Dragon Boat Festival or any number of cultural activities where I can be introduced to almost every culture in the world. It almost makes me feel like I can cancel the trip to Disney’s Epcot and experience the world right in our own backyard.

Make no mistake. The Alexander Hamilton musical got it right: immigrants get the job done. Our cricket transformation clearly validates this line from the Tony-award winning musical.

There is no greater example of the  positive cultural and economic impact of these global connections than Morrisville’s emergence as the Cricket Capital of the United States.

Morrisville is betting that cricket – the sport – ignites more economic growth

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During the  opening ceremony of the Major League Cricket championships this week. I could not help but think of the important role that immigrants have played in transforming Morrisville into a destination for some of the best cricket players in the world.    This story is a reminder of the true power of diversity to transform communities and is an everlasting reminder that diversity is the true power behind a vibrant, thriving democracy.

Think of it.

Our cricket journey began when immigrants from cricket-loving nations such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean introduced the sport to Morrisville. These communities brought their love for the game with them, fostering a new sports culture in the area.

The establishment of local cricket clubs and leagues fueled major  interest in these programs. Flash back to 10 – 12 years ago, pre- Church Street Park and the Shiloh Fields and Cedar Fork District Park were always packed with avid cricket players. It was a big deal then (and still is) to attend the finals of a local league championship, and finally, in 2021, Morrisville was able to field a Minor League Cricket Team, the Morrisville Cardinals, now Raptors. (There are now 26 Minor League Teams)

Former Morrisville Mayor Mark Stohlman reveals that it was the introduction of the Town of Morrisville by the Triangle Cricket League  to the International Cricket Council (ICC) which led to the first World Cup qualifiers played at Church Street Park in 2018.  The momentum which began with ICC  has pushed the game of cricket to a greater level than we imagined back then.

Finally, various youth programs and academies have been established, and these programs have nurtured young talent but also provide opportunities for physical activity, discipline, and teamwork. Talented young cricketers can get access to scholarships and pathways to professional cricket, both in the U.S. and internationally. I can only see more opportunities in the future as we continue to expand our cricket facilities and grow the game.

World Cup cricket legend Alvin Kallacharen, who resides in Morrisville, has coached and mentored many youth.

Who knows — maybe one day Morrisville will produce a cricket Olympian (2028 Los Angeles Games).

At the end of the day, cricket has promoted cultural exchange and community bonding, providing a sense of belonging and friendship. Fans can experience this at the Major League Cricket tournaments as they can enjoy  food, music and traditions from various countries.  The fan energy at these events is electric and contagious!

During these very divisive times, cricket is serving as  a bridge between different cultures, fostering mutual respect and understanding.

Major League Cricket is a big deal

Major League Cricket, now in its second season, was founded in 2019 to grow the game of cricket in areas with significant immigrant populations. Major League Cricket (MLC) is funded by American Cricket Enterprises (ACE), which is a group of investors including prominent business leaders and technology entrepreneurs. It is often overlooked that major MLC investors include Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe, and Ross Perot Jr. Not a bad group of investors to have involved in any venture. These seasoned business leaders have provided significant financial backing to help establish and grow MLC, aiming to make it a premier cricket league in the United States.

It really should be no surprise that MLC wanted to seize the market opportunity in Morrisville. I was proud of Council’s decision to partner with MLC investing over $3.5 million to upgrade Church Street Park to where it is today.

Last week at the first Washington Freedom game, Major League Cricket CEO Vijay Srinivasan shared with me his excitement to be back in Morrisville. He is very optimistic about the growth of the nation’s first professional cricket league. MLC Co-founder Sameer Mehta was also so excited to be back in the Triangle and shares the hope that we can upgrade our lights so we can host more night matches.

And it’s the economy …

We often forget that the growth of cricket contributes to the Triangle economy. From the construction of cricket grounds to the purchase of equipment, ticket sales, booked hotels and support of our local businesses, cricket continues to grow our economy in Wake County. EDPNC CEO Chris Chung and Gov. Roy Cooper reminded us at a number of conferences this year that tourism has contributed at least $35 billion to the state coffers. Global media coverage can increase awareness of the Triangle region for visitors and even companies looking expand into the old North State. Cooper and Chung should be happy with this marketing of our state to the rest of the world.

Upgrades to our cricket facilities including more state of the art drainage systems, more stadium seating and parking could actually help us bring more international events, like the T20 Cricket World Cup which was played this year in the west Indies and in New York.

In an interview with WPTF Radio this week, Director of Corporate Development Selby Sturzenegger shared her excitement that the US markets are responding to the faster T20 format (3 hours), and higher scoring games. In her words, “Cricket is more than players wearing white, sipping tea and playing cricket for five days. Major League Cricket is betting their future growth on baseball fans also attending fast-paced, higher-scoring cricket games.

Conversations with the Wake County Commissioners need to take place soon regarding the potential of hotel occupancy funding for future expansions of our cricket stadium.Flash back to 2014 when the Wake County Commissioners allocated $3 million in funding to the Wake Competition Center, the training hub for the Carolina Hurricanes.

It is time to repeat this history.

And I do not think that is a stretch to explore state economic development funding as I have broached the topic with Speaker Tim Moore and soon-to-be Speaker Destin Hall.

Certainly more advocacy and collaboration with state and local officials can help us secure more funding for facility expansions.

Immigrants get the job done

As an avid runner, every July 4, I run to my favorite patriotic music. On Saturday, I ran to the music of “Hamilton,” running through Church Street Park, a multipurpose park that has now emerged as a destination to some of the best cricket players in the world.

Every time I listen to the music or watch the musical on Disney, I get very emotional as the Hamilton story demonstrates the true transformation that immigrants can bring to our nation.

As we kicked off the opening ceremony for Major League Cricket with the national anthem, I could not help how timely it was that we were celebrating cricket on the heels of the celebrating American Independence Day. As we watched the opening match together, Morrisville Mayor TJ Cawley reminded me that our emergence as the cricket capital of the United States also means progress and opportunity for our entire region.

What can we learn from our cricket journey?

Major League Cricket  in Morrisville and our region is a reminder that diversity is the true power behind a vibrant democracy. The true power of the all-American project is that we can call come from far away places, bring our ideas, cultural traditions, sports from our motherland to the United States and bring true transformation to our nation. I consider it a blessing that we can see the American story play out in Morrisville as we celebrate the growth of the global sport of cricket.

As I ran in intense heat up my last hill, I blasted “My Shot.” Like Alexander Hamilton, the immigrants who brought the global sport of cricket, are young, scrappy and hungry like their country.

We should be grateful that they took their shot, to bring the global sport of cricket to our town, and of course, now take another shot to transform the Town of Morrisville to be the cricket capital of the United States and a destination for some of the best cricket players in the world. This shot will serve as a bridge to cultures from all over the world and help us grow our economy.

During a live Radio Nyra interview with me at one of the games, former Morrisville Mayor Mark Stohlman made my day when he said he could see a day when North Carolina could have our own professional cricket team. Also, we could see Team USA train here at least a few times a year and to have more Major League Cricket played in Morrisville.

Please join us this week for the remaining matches which you can find at www.majorleaguecricket.com. San Francisco makes their debut this week at Church Street Park. On Monday, we look forward to having United States Congresswoman Deb Ross, Wake County commissioners and state officials for a ceremony before the game when the Seattle Orcas take on the San Francisco Unicorns.

I look forward to the next chapter in our cricket transformation, which will continue because of the true transformational power of diversity.

Let’s keep moving forward and yes, taking our shot to cricket greatness right here in the Research Triangle.

About the author

Steve S. Rao is a Council Member At Large and Former Mayor Pro Tem for the Town of Morrisville and an Opinion Writer for WRAL Tech Wire.  He served on the Board of the New American Economy, now the American Immigration Council, and on the NC League of Municipalities Race and Equity Task Force.