Black Girl Hockey Club facts for kids
| Formation | October 31, 2018 |
|---|---|
|
Region served
|
North America |
|
Membership
|
500+ |
|
Executive Director
|
Renee Hess |
Black Girl Hockey Club is a group in North America. It is a nonprofit organization. This means it works for a good cause, not for profit. The club helps Black women and girls get involved in ice hockey.
Their main goal is to make sure everyone feels welcome in hockey. They want to inspire a love for the game in the Black community. This includes Black women, their families, and friends. They work to stop unfair treatment in hockey. This means dealing with issues like racism, high costs, and limited access to programs.
Contents
History of the Club
How Black Girl Hockey Club Started
Renee Hess started the group in October 2018. She was an assistant director at La Sierra University. Renee was also a big fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team. The club began as an online chat group. It was for Black women who played or loved hockey.
Before starting the group, Renee studied Black women's experiences in hockey. She found that many faced unfair treatment at games. At that time, only three Black women played professional hockey in North America.
Growing the Community
The online group quickly grew. Members started meeting up at real games. These included NHL (National Hockey League) and NWHL matches. The first NHL meet-up was on December 16, 2018. It happened at a Washington Capitals game. Over 40 members came. This included NWHL player Kelsey Koelzer.
Helping Young Players
In January 2019, the group helped a 12-year-old girl. Her name was Kalei Forga. She needed money to play in a big hockey tournament in France. Black Girl Hockey Club helped her raise the funds. In March 2019, the group started the process to become an official nonprofit organization.
Programs and Campaigns
In 2020, Black Girl Hockey Club started its first scholarship program. This program helps pay for hockey costs for Black girls. It is for girls aged 9 to 18.
In September 2020, they launched the "Get Uncomfortable" campaign. This campaign gave ideas for how people in hockey could fight racism. It asked hockey fans to promise to actively stop racism on and off the ice.
In 2021, BGHC started a mentorship program. This program helps Black adults of all genders. It is for those who want to work in hockey, but not as players. Mentorship areas include broadcast journalism, physiotherapy, and photography. The program has two six-month terms each year. People can apply to be mentors or mentees all year long.
See also
- Race and ethnicity in the NHL
- Black players in ice hockey
- Misogyny in ice hockey
