Hockey Equality is selected for DESA’s July’s Donation!
More about Hockey Equality.
“There’s no denying the lack of diversity and inclusion in hockey. We have some hard truths we need to accept before we can begin to understand the challenge we face.
At the highest level, only 42 Black, Indigenous, players of colour (BIPOC) are listed on NHL rosters. That equates to a mere 5.7% of its players.
According to surveys, over 7 million Canadians identify as people of colour and over 4 million people belong to the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Of the four major North American sports, NHL is the only one that has not had an openly gay player to date. These numbers are, unfortunately, not representative of the hockey community. We aim to change that!
In Canada, we have seen girls and women’s hockey growing in leaps and bounds. While still, only approximately 14% of all hockey players in Canada are female. Professional women’s leagues, such as the NWHL, are underrepresented in the media and struggle to make a livable wage.
With all this being said the biggest hurdle we face is overcoming the extensive cost of hockey even at its grassroots level. With registration, equipment, and ice costs at an all time high, HockEquality’s main goal is to lower the bar for everyone.
Now more than ever, organizations are working to create sustainable change in the hockey community. We plan to help that movement and work together to chip away at making hockey a game for everyone. Through our efforts we hope to bridge these gaps and see equality in the sport we love.”
We would like to invite those who can to follow in our footsteps to make a difference and choose a charity each month to donate too, no donation is too little and every dollar counts! Or feel free to follow DESA’s lead and donate to the charity we choose monthly!
Learn More: www.hockeyequality.org
Petar Bozinovski on behalf of Desa Bozinovski