Actress Issa Rae joins San Diego FC ownership group

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Actress and producer Issa Rae has joined the ownership group of Major League Soccer expansion club San Diego FC.

San Diego kicks off its inaugural season on Feb. 23 at the defending MLS champion LA Galaxy. The club's primary owners are billionaire Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan Tribe, the first Native American tribe to have an ownership stake in a professional soccer team.

Rae joins a group of club partners including San Diego Padres’ third baseman Manny Machado and former Manchester United and Spanish national team player Juan Mata. Rae's investment was announced on Tuesday.

“Soccer is a universal language that has the power to bring people together, and I look forward to contributing to San Diego FC’s journey as we make history in MLS," she said in a statement.

Rae joins San Diego FC in partnership with Pave Investments, a private African firm that led a group that invested in NBA Africa. Pave Chairman Tunde Folawiyo and Founding Director Kwamena Afful are also joining the team ownership group.

Rae starred in the HBO series “Insecure,” which she also co-created and co-wrote, and had roles in several films including “Barbie” and “The Hate U Give.” She wrote the memoir “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” and is an advocate for underrepresented communities and civil rights.

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