D.C. United and Moët Hennessy are honored to celebrate five exceptional individuals —Donald Curtis, Jason Wucinski, Luz Mireya Pelaez Lopez, Queen Anunay, and Shedrick Young—for their commitment to promoting service, justice and leadership in the community.
In addition to their Raise A Toast Award, Moët Hennessy and D.C. United awarded each honoree with a $1,000 donation to benefit a nonprofit of their choosing.
Donald Curtis, Founder and Executive Director of SOUL Programs
Born in Washington, DC and raised in Palmer Park, Maryland, Donald Curtis is the Founder and Executive Director of Student-Athletes Organized to Understand Leadership (SOUL).
Since 2013, SOUL has been working to provide low-income student athletes with essential resources and programming to help them successfully transition into life after high school.
Jason Wucinski, Homeless Children's Playtime Project
Jason Wucinski has been a volunteer for Playtime for over 10 years, focusing on families living in both shelters and under resourced communities.
He's also worked as an Addiction Counselor and served in the Peace Corps as a Social Welfare Officer before starting with the United States Agency for International Development, providing COVID-19 relief and aid to Ukraine.
Luz Mireya Pelaez Lopez, EmpowerED
Luz Mireya Pelaez Lopez teaches Spanish Immersion at Marie Reed Elementary School. In partnership with the Washington Teachers Union and EmpowerED, she's been a strong advocate for Hispanic and Latinx students and teachers in the District of Columba Public Schools.
Queen Anunay, District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services
Queen Anunay serves as the Assistant Fire Chief of EMS Administration and the first female to hold this position in the 151-history of the department. As a native of DC and graduate of DC Public Schools, she is an active member in the community, committed to creating strong relationships between DC Fire and EMS and its constituents.
Shedrick Young, Special Olympics DC
Shedrick Young, better known as "Coach," has 22 years of professional teaching, coaching, and mentoring experience and currently serves students of all abilities as a teacher at the Kennedy School.
Through his involvement with Special Olympics, he's been able to encourage a healthy lifestyle and expose student-athletes to regional and national competitions.
Raise A Toast Nomination Form
Do you know a local hero who you would like to nominate for the next Raise a Toast Cohort? Click below to submit a nomination.