10 | Produced by ST Content Studio SPONSORED CONTENT PROVIDED BY SEATTLE KRAKEN Small details help build safe spaces for all The Seattle Kraken with Climate Pledge Arena, Kraken Community Iceplex, and One Roof Foundation, are writing a new playbook in sports and entertainment that includes everyone. That means proactively supporting the LGBTQIA+ community in our programming and policies year-round. Learn more at climatepledgearena.com/ seattle-kraken. A Gallup poll released in February 2022 found that 7.1% of American adults identify as LGBT, and one in five Gen Z adults identify as LGBT. These are the highest numbers since Gallup began tracking in 2012, when just 3.5% of American adults identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. As more and more people proudly and openly embrace their identities, it’s crucial that they feel welcomed and safe to be themselves in all spaces. And it’s often the small details that can make all the difference. When Seattle Kraken launched their inaugural season in 2021 at Climate Pledge Arena, prioritizing inclusivity and allyship was top of mind. “Historically, hockey hasn’t always been the most representative or welcoming sport to some,” says Mari Horita, senior vice president of Social Impact & Government Relations at Seattle Kraken. “We have the opportunity and obligation to rewrite the narrative and make sure everyone feels seen, respected and embraced by our team and the local hockey community.” The process of showing up as allies and supporters starts internally. For example, Seattle Kraken has an internal DEI council that includes their LGBTQIA+ employees. “We want to ensure their voices are heard internally in all decisions that are made,” says Horita. She acknowledges the organization is at the beginning of their journey but says it’s crucial to take steps that ensure they’re doing things the right way to foster inclusivity — and honest feedback from the communities impacted is key. And while she says it’s true that hockey hasn’t always been the most welcoming place for certain communities, sports teams are uniquely positioned to set an example of inclusivity because of their platform, fanbase and reach. Seattle Kraken are helping to support this work. “[Sports] bring together really different people with different viewpoints who may agree on nothing except that they want to watch this game together,” says Horita. “And right now in our very divided society, we need more spaces like that.” Naomi Woolfenden, diversity, equity and inclusion specialist at Seattle Kraken, says that the organization has taken concrete measures to make true the aspirational statement that hockey is for everyone. For example, they host Hockey Is for Everyone theme night games, have a fully accessible rink at Kraken’s Community Iceplex, which includes gender neutral restrooms, and have implemented a financial assistance program to remove barriers to youth participation in ice sports. The organization also carefully selects partners so that diverse voices, experiences, and perspectives are always included. “Seemingly small details, like featuring and supporting diverse representation of people across race/ethnicity, gender expression, age and ability, in our social media content, advertising materials, or in-game presentation, are subtle yet powerful ways to signal that everyone is welcome and safe,” Woolfenden says. Horita says that Seattle Kraken’s Hockey Is for Everyone game nights are an area to shine a light on different communities, causes and cultures — Pride being one of them (other examples include Black history, Lunar New Year and Indigenous Peoples Night). For Pride Nights, the organization recruited LGBTQIA+ artists to create alternate jerseys and made videos featuring the artists describing their thought processes behind the designs. Taking allyship into account when forming partnerships within the community is another way businesses and organization can be allies themselves. For example, Seattle Kraken works closely with Seattle Pride Hockey Association, which actively works to create a more inclusive hockey culture, as well as values-aligned corporate partners such as Alaska Airlines and Symetra. Because the organization does a lot of youth programming, Woolfenden says a major area of focus is fostering a supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ youth. She notes that these youth are marginalized not just in society but also in ice sports – and a challenge the organization wants to tackle is making ice sports a safe space for them. “We’re exploring specific education and training for our youth coaches led by subject matter experts, of which fostering a supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ youth would be one focus of many,” says Woolfenden. Horita notes that coaches haven’t historically been equipped with that type of learning. It’s another important step toward making the aspirational statement, “hockey is for everyone” a reality. Read story online Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena March 13, 2023. (Photo by Christopher Mast/NHLI via Getty Images)
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