Our Genesis

Urban Warriors began with a simple yet powerful act of giving back. In 2016, on the baseball diamonds of Piotrowski Park, our founder, Rey Raigoza, returned to coach Little League as a way to honor the sport that had given him so much. That year, he mentored 15 young athletes—guiding them not only in the fundamentals of baseball, but also in life.

A pivotal moment came when Coach Rey's team was invited to participate in a tournament held in the suburbs. It quickly became clear that their invitation was a last-minute decision, extended only because another team had withdrawn. As the only Latino team in attendance, they stood out—not only because of their cultural identity, but also due to a lack of resources. The team had no matching uniforms or branded gear, and they shared just three bats among them.

Despite these obstacles, the team wasn’t intimidated. Instead, they embraced the challenge and advanced to the semi-finals, fueled by a deep belief that they belonged and deserved to take up space. That experience sparked something greater than a love for the game—it ignited a mission.

From that day forward, our purpose became clear: economic barriers should never prevent young people from accessing competitive sports or opportunities to build human capital within their communities.In 2022, Urban Warriors officially became a nonprofit organization, but our mission remains the same. We believe no young person should be excluded from high-quality extracurricular experiences due to financial hardship. Our commitment is to provide equitable access to programs that shape the “Perfect Athlete”—strong in character, disciplined in action, and empowered on and off the field.

What began as a single baseball team has now grown into a multifaceted organization with six thriving programs, serving over 300 youth across our city—and we're just getting started.