November 10, 2022
Meet the Black Woman Whose Company Washed 43,035 Seats in Preparation for 2022 World Series
A Black woman entrepreneur is proud that her company played a role in the Phillies’ World Series run.
After fans were cleared out from Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park by a rain cancellation last Monday night, Sheena Parker, owner of 4SYT Industries, a facilities maintenance company, said her crew stayed behind to uphold their duties.
“If we’re rained out or something is canceled, our crew is still there,” Parker said.
According to ABC6, the crew of 150 members made sure the stadium seats were ready for the next day. Preparation included pressure washing all 43,035 seats in Citizens Bank Park.
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“My guys work super hard and they work all night,” she said. “We do pressure washing, trash pickup, and janitorial.”
“It’s almost like a make or break. It must be done,” she added.
Parker shared how pleased she is to be one of the few Black-owned companies contracted with Citizens Bank Park where the team also preps the stadium for concerts and other events.
“It’s a labor that’s often overlooked,” said Parker.
“People just look at ‘Oh, I’m in my nice clean seat,’ but they don’t realize how much time it takes to ensure there is no debris in your seat. That there is no debris on the ground because that changes your entire experience when you’re walking into something that is not clean.”
As an Army veteran and woman in a male-dominated field, Parker revealed she is often the only Black woman when she visits sites. Aside from the stadium contract, 4SYT is responsible for all state buildings in Delaware and the Atlanta public school system. She also has contracts with companies and venues in six states along the East Coast.
With game three between the Phillies and Houston Astros being postponed, the remainder of the 2022 World Series schedule was pushed back by a day.