Briana Mastel, a defender with the NWHL’s Boston Pride, shares a quote from the author and activist Ibram X. Kendi:
“The heartbeat of racism is denial.”
Mastel goes on to say, “When it comes to ending racism, I believe everyone has a personal responsibility to acknowledge one’s own implicit biases. Being anti-racist is a choice one makes every day, that is guided by courageous conversations and continuously educating oneself. It’s never too late to take action to create positive change.”
The National Women’s Hockey League and the members of the NWHL Players’ Association acknowledge that the league and the sport of hockey have a long way to go in the fight against racism and to make the sport more inclusive. As part of ongoing efforts for equality by the league’s 120 players across all six teams, they will wear a patch that declares “End Racism” throughout the NWHL season that begins Saturday in Lake Placid. An example of the patch is in the image at right of Tori Howran, a first-year defender with the Connecticut Whale.
“The NWHLPA stands firmly against racism of all kinds, and is proud of the legacy our BIPOC players and alumni have created in Women’s Hockey,” said Anya Packer, Executive Director of the NWHLPA. “The world today is fractured, but in the NWHLPA we will continue to educate our athletes, leverage our platforms, and drive meaningful action to make hockey a more diverse and inclusive space. We want our stance to be clear, so we are proud to wear End Racism patches.”
“The National Women’s Hockey League supports every player, coach, and staff member in any peaceful action they may decide to take in the fight against racism,” said NWHL Commissioner Tyler Tumminia. “We wanted a message to be appearing every second of every game this season. After a series of discussions, the Players’ Association suggested a clear message on every uniform – End Racism. We are united with the players on this initiative and everything that NWHL teams and players do for equality and representation. Make no mistake: hockey has a long way to go, and we will continue to do the work.”
The NWHL season begins Saturday, Jan. 23, and culminates with the Isobel Cup Final on Feb. 5. All games take place at the 1980 Rink-Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York.
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