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WNBA Seattle Storm

On and off the Court, Force4Change Executive Director Crystal Langhorne Powers the Storm's Social Justice Efforts

February 25, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Seattle Storm News Release


Crystal Langhorne is a highly decorated basketball player. A two-time WNBA Champion, two-time All-Star, and the WNBA's Most Improved Player in 2009, she is no stranger to success on the court. At the end of her seven years with the Seattle Storm, Crystal became the No. 6 player in rebounding, ranked No. 7 in games played, and No. 8 in total scoring in franchise history.

Crystal's final WNBA season was in 2020 when the league was based out of the IMG Academy in Florida for the "wubble." During this time, players across the league came together to use their platforms to amplify the social justice issues making headlines. The murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor brought the Black Lives Matter campaign to the forefront of the league and its players.

Since a young age, Crystal was always passionate about racial equity so when the players met with the Storm ownership about how the organization could make a bigger impact in the community, she led the charge. From those discussions, the Storm's Force4Change was born. Force4Change is a social justice program that focuses on four pillars: Voting, Education & Legislation, Amplification of Black Women, Support of LGBTQ+ Communities, and Support of BIPOC Communities.

"I would say I'm usually a very laid-back person, but with this, I wanted to take the lead, as I'm very invested in these topics," said Crystal. "I knew a lot about what was going on and wanted to help be a part of the change."

When Crystal thought about what she would do after retiring from basketball, the possibility of working in the social justice space had never crossed her mind.

"Once I announced my retirement, I had a conversation with Lisa (Brummel), and she offered me the position to run Force4Change," said Crystal. "I was initially planning to go to school for interior design, and while I did end up doing both for a little while, ultimately the work I was doing with the Storm won out."

"I found it so important to be in this space. There are so many non-profits to invest in or local heroes to highlight, but social justice work is far from over. In the beginning, I was happy to see the impact we were having in our community, but now, it's clearer than ever before that we cannot slow down. We need to continue showing up, continue investing in DEI, and continue uplifting Black, Brown and Indigenous communities."

Working in the front office came naturally to Crystal. After all, she had been a team player her entire life.

"Being a part of the staff for this organization and being a player on a team are surprisingly similar," she said. "Everyone has a unique role, and we can't get our work done without everybody contributing, just like on the court. Each person has their niche and when we excel together, we can do amazing things."

Looking forward, these next four years are crucial to continue elevating the Storm's platform in the ongoing efforts of awareness and social change. For Crystal, intentionality and consistency are two of the biggest factors when considering the marathon ahead of us.

"We must maintain our programs and continue this work more than ever before. I like the impact we make, the women we honor, and the amplification of communities," said Crystal. "Now, it's about finding ways to incorporate players and getting deeper into the community."

"For anyone who wants to educate themselves on these topics, check out Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi and The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander, those two books re-invigorated my passion for these topics."

Follow the Storm's Force4Change initiatives this year via the Storm's social media channels and visit https://storm.wnba.com/force4change to learn more.

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