Compete Summer 2023

OUR VISION: Compete Sports Diversity Unites the World Through Sports.TM

MISSION STATEMENT

Compete connects, educates, empowers and inspires mission-driven LGBTQ+ and allied sports and community leaders, sports organizations, non-profit groups, tourism partners, corporate partners and athletes to further sports diversity together through our membership, media and event platforms.

VALUES

E-Excellence

S-Service

P-Passion

Want to make a difference?

We currently have one open Executive Committee seat. If you are a sports organizer interested in joining our committee, please contact Eric Carlyle, SDLT for more information. eric.carlyle@competediversity.com

CEO | DEI ADVOCATE

Eric Carlyle • eric@competenetwork.com

C0O | DEI ADVOCATE

Connor Shane • connor@competenetwork.com

VP OF PARTNERSHIPS | DEI ADVOCATE

John Deffee • john@competenetwork.com

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR | DEI ADVOCATE

Trayer Martinez • trayer@competenetwork.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | DEI ADVOCATE

Connie Wardman • connie@competenetwork.com

MANAGING EDITOR | DEI ADVOCATE

David “Dirk” Smith • dirk@competenetwork.com

ART DIRECTOR

Dara Fowler • dara@competenetwork.com

PROJECT COORDINATOR

Emma Carlson • emma@competenetwork.com

ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER

Bethany Harvat • beth@competenetwork.com

To partner with Compete Sports Diversity, please contact our Vice President of Partnerships.

VICE PRESIDENT OF PARTNERSHIPS

John Deffee • john@competenetwork.com

All Mail: PO BOX 2756, Scottsdale, AZ 85252

Corporate Office: 7014 E Camelback Rd Ste 1452 Scottsdale AZ 85251

Copyright ©2023 Media Out Loud, LLC

All Rights Reserved.

Compete Sports Diversity, Sports Diversity Leadership Council, Sports Diversity Leader and SDL are all trademarks of Media Out Loud, LLC.

Proud Partners of

2023-2024 COMPETE SPORTS DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP BOARD

LEADERSHIP BOARD COMPETE LIAISON: Connor Shane, SDLT

Compete’s Leadership Board is comprised of leaders from college athletics, professional sports, business, non-profits and the travel and tourism industry who engage the professional and business communities on behalf of Compete Sports Diversity.

2023 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE COMPETE LIAISON: John Deffee, SDLT

Compete’s Executive Committee is comprised of recreational sports leaders from diverse backgrounds, including leaders from both the for-profit and non-profit sectors who work closely within the diversity community to engage sports organizations, organizers, athletes and other sports leaders to further Compete’s mission

ANGELA SMITH, SDL Amateur Sports Alliance of North America (ASANA) Commissioner

JOEL HORTON, SDL National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL) Commissioner

ARION HERBERT, SDL Main Attraction Recreational Sports (MARS) Owner

BRIAN HELANDER, SDL International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) President

DIANE MAIESE, SDL BOARD CHAIR USA Diving DEI Council Chair DiveRVA CEO

GREG LEE, SDL Arizona Cardinals Chief Financial Officer

DR. WILLIAM KAPFER JPMorgan Chase Global Head of Supplier Diversity

RHONDA RAJSICH, SDL World Champion Racquetball Athlete

ROGER CAPOTE CAN Community Health Senior Vice President

DEANA GARNER, SDL Arizona State University Sr. Associate Athletic Director Deputy Title IX Officer

MICHAEL ZEFF Palm Beach County Sports Commission Senior Director

Uniting

SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

ERIC CARLYLE, SDLT

CEO | DEI Advocate eric.carlyle@competediversity.com

CONNOR SHANE, SDLT COO | DEI Advocate connor.shane@competediversity.com

JOHN DEFFEE, SDLT

VP of Partnerships | DEI Advocate john.deffee@competediversity.com

LEADERSHIP TEAM

SUPPORT TEAM

CONNIE WARDMAN, M.A., SDLT

Education Director | DEI Advocate connie.wardman@competediversity.com

DAVID “DIRK” SMITH, M.SC., SDL

TRAYER MARTINEZ, SDLT

Membership Director | DEI Advocate trayer.martinez@competediveristy.com

We celebrate Pride all year long!

Is it really Pride Month already? Things are abuzz at Compete with all things Pride. But at Compete, Pride is more than one month a year. We celebrate Pride all year long! But even for us, June is just a little more special!

I’m really excited about all the things we’re working on right now. As I write this, we’re wrapping up our 2023 Compete Sports Diversity Summer Membership Conference. And what a great time was had by all. We’re honored that Visit St. Pete Clearwater, Valley Forge Sports and the Tampa Bay Rays hosted the event in beautiful St. Petersburg, Florida.

Sports organizers, community partners, corporate partners and travel and tourism partners from around the country descended on the beach city for four days of education, networking and of course, fun.

Many new friends and connections were made at the many social events, including a peddle bar sponsored by Valley Forge Sports! We even announced a new partnership between the Lynn Lewis Foundation and the Arizona Cardinals NFL team. The Cardinals will be the sponsor for this year’s Lynn Lewis Invitational in Mesa, Arizona.

If you weren’t able to attend the Summer Membership Conference, we invite you to come to our 2023 Compete Sports Diversity Summit and Women’s Conference in Glendale, Arizona on October 10-11. It will be another chance for many of us to see each other again and to learn, grow and network together.

In the meantime, I’ll see you in Seattle for Gay Bowl XXIII. •

With you,

Eric Carlyle, SDLT, CEO • HE | HIM CEO | DEI ADVOCATE eric@competenetwork.com

Celebrating PRIDE in Victories Large and Small!

We’re now at the end of the official Pride season, a time when we annually celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in its full scope! As I’ve often reminded our readers, things go in cycles; sometimes you feel like you’re “winning” and sometimes you feel like you’ve lost everything you worked hard to gain. But it’s important to “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize.”

Sadly, it’s no surprise some may feel angry or dejected right now – the first six months of 2023 haven’t been seen in rose colored glasses by the entire gay community and by its many allies. Based on the 75+ anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been signed into law this year, the Human Rights Commission has issued its first-ever Emergency Declaration, stating that they have created an “Imminent Threat to the Health and Safety of LGBTQ+ People and Families Nationwide.”

But in this special issue you’ll see some of the progress that’s been made. There’s a story on Juneteenth and Opal Lee, the determined Black woman who walked (more than once!) from her home in Texas to Washington, D.C. to get June 19th passed as a holiday, one that’s essentially become America’s Second Independence Day. There’s the story of our MVP Verity Smith, a trans man who plays wheelchair rugby. And then there’s a story on the upcoming Gay Bowl XXIII in Seattle that not only has support from the local NFL Seahawks but it’s also the first time in 23 years that gay and allied football players will be playing on an NFL team’s home field … AND with the support of all the other Seattle professional sports teams. These stories all reflect the courage and determination it’s taken people over the years to reach this point in our sports diversity movement.

This makes it the perfect time to step back and see the bigger picture that some of our Pride issue stories tell. We have an update on what Compete Sports Diversity has accomplished as well as a partial list of LGBTQ+ athletes that have come out. You’ll get a better view of just how much you, our members have helped Compete to change the game for so many over the years since we first began in 2006.

So take PRIDE in all the accomplishments that you and the others before you have made; celebrate the victories large and small – it all counts toward us achieving our Vision: “Compete Sports Diversity Unites the World Through SportsTM!”

Connie Wardman, M.A., SDLT • SHE | HER

HIGH FIVE

Deserving athletes, teams, leagues, organizations and corporations as well as high profile celebrities receive High Fives for their contributions to promoting diversity, inclusion, equality-equity and acceptance for all.

WARNER BROS. LOONEY TUNES

… for celebrating Pride with a Twitter drag show; Bugs Bunny is shown in six different looks from various decades of his hilarious crossdressing.

WOMEN’S TENNIS ASSOCIATION

… for celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Begun by Billie Jean King and fellow rebels known as the Original Nine in a London meeting in 1973, they pioneered a change in women’s tennis. It’s now evolved into the dominant global sport for women, and the WTA Tour has grown into a multi-million dollar enterprise with over 1,600 players competing for prize money in excess of $160 million in 70+ events spanning six continents.

DR. COLLEEN J. SHOGAN | ARCHIVIST OF THE UNITED STATES

… for placing the Emancipation Proclamation on permanent display in the National Archives Rotunda at the start of the Juneteenth weekend. The 160-year-old document now sits alongside the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. Its pages will be rotated in and out of the display to limit light exposure.

JESSE M. ERENFELD, M.D., M.P.H.

… for becoming the first ever LGBTQ+ doctor to lead the American Medical Association. The anesthesiologist, Navy veteran and father from Wisconsin who was sworn in earlier this month as the 178th president of the AMA, spoke about the organization’s strides in recent years “to recognize past wrongs, to take a stand against discriminatory practices in medicine, to stand on the side of justice and equity and to partner with allies who are committed to advancing the rights of all patients to receive equitable care.”

LIZZO | MUSICAL DIVA

… for donating $50,000 to the Marsha P. Johnson Institute (named for transgender Stonewall veteran) that protects and defends human rights of Black transgender individuals. This donation is part of Lizzo’s fourth annual Juneteenth Giveback campaign that donates to five Black-led grassroots organizations and Planned Parenthood in hopes that her fans will also donate to these organizations.

CONGRATULATIONS

• MLB’S SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS AND ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

… for playing a regular season game next year at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, original home of Negro Leagues Birmingham Black Barons. It will honor previous player and Giants legend Willie Mays.

• SVTV NETWORK

… for now including more LGBTQ+ Live Streaming Sports, including softball (Big Peach, NAGAAA, ASANA), women’s tackle football (WTFL), basketball (NGBA) and Gay Rodeo Finals (IGRA).

• NFL’S NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

… for hiring Maya Ana Callender as first female scout in 64-year franchise history.

• CAT RUNNER, TRANS MAN OF COLOR

… for winning HBO’s reality show “The Climb” by beating 10 climbers, winning $100,000 grand prize plus one-year sponsorship from PrAna, also worth $100,000.

• US AMBASSADOR MARK BRZEZINSKI + 30 MEMBERS OF U.S. EMBASSY IN POLAND

… for marching in Warsaw Pride parade and carrying a U.S. flag, sending a message to a NATO ally that the U.S. opposes LGBTQ+ discrimination.

• AMANDA NUNES, FIRST OPENLY LESBIAN UFC CHAMPION

… for retiring following defense of her UFC women’s bantamweight title, finishing with the most wins in UFC women’s history (16). She’s widely considered to be the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time.

• SPECIAL OLYMPICS SUMMER WORLD GAMES

… for opening in Berlin this month with 7,000 athletes from 190 countries competing in 26 sports, aided by 3,000 coaches and 20,000 volunteers.

PHOTO©KINGENTERPRISES, CC0, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

PHOTO©RAPH_PH, CC BY 2.0 VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

BY DIRK SMITH, M.SC., SDL • HE | HIM

United Sports Seattle’s Brian Hawker

I recently caught up with tournament director of Gay Bowl XXIII and founder of United Sports Seattle, Brian Hawker to learn more about his work promoting cross connection and intersectionality within the LGBTQ+ sports community and developing sport programs for LGBTQ+ youth during this year’s tournament being held in Seattle, Washington.

Dirk Smith (DS): Jumping right into things, Brian – Gay Bowl XXIII and United Sports Seattle have tagged Compete Sports Diversity in a number of posts related to an online auction. Tell me more about that!

Brian Hawker (BH): Yeah, it’s one of our primary fundraisers for Gay Bowl. We’re running an online auction with lots of really great stuff donated to us from a bunch of teams, organizations and individuals. For example, the Seattle Seahawks have given us an awesome “Game Day Experience.” It includes tickets for great seats in the Toyota Reserve Club, food, drink and a “pregame event.” It’s the swanky star of our show. We’ve also got tickets for the Seattle Storm and the Seattle Kraken, a concert, Alaska Airlines tickets and we’re also auctioning off a bunch of Seahawks swag and autographs. We’ve been running it all month. It’s part of our fundraising strategy leading up to Gay Bowl. The next big item is a one-of-a-kind experience that we’re building – a seven-day cruise for two on Holland America to any of their ports of call – Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean, Canada or New England. And it includes two tickets on Alaska Airlines to their chosen port of call.

DS: Tell me more about Gay Bowl. This is Seattle’s first time hosting it, right?

BH: Yep! It’s super exciting and we’re working on promoting it highly throughout the city. Seattle is both an inclusive city and a big sport city, so we’re letting people know that the games are free to attend and volunteer. We’ve had promo tables at the Mariners’ Pride Night and other events as well as a couple coming up, highlighting the great opportunity to see another take on the sport and be part of a national event. We’re showcasing the city of Seattle as a World Port City, but also showing what Gay Bowl and LGBTQ+ sports are all about.

We’re very excited to be the first Gay Bowl in 23 years to have an event hosted at an NFL stadium with our opening party at Lumen Field, hosted by the Seahawks. We’ve invited some cheerleading groups and pep squads, local music groups, bands and others to come out to build a big pep rally kind of feel. I think that’s going to help set us apart.

What’s also really exciting, particularly for womens+ participants are tickets the Seattle Reign gave us for all of our womens+ participants to attend their match on Friday, October 6. This is the first time ever in Gay Bowl history where we were invited to incorporate professional sports programming into our program. It’s just phenomenal.

Our mantra is that we want Gay Bowl Seattle to set a new standard for all future host cities; that’s our North Star. It’s all about building out that experience and getting involved, so I’m excited my team and I are going to make

We’re very excited to be the first Gay Bowl in 23 years to have an event hosted at an NFL stadium with our opening party at Lumen Field, hosted by the Seahawks.

that happen with a uniquely Seattle experience, especially with the inclusion of the Seahawks. Our closing party is going to the Showbox SoDo, an historic downtown theater, plus just a litany of other fun.

DS: That’s really amazing to have the support of so many professional sports teams. The NFL has been gradually getting more involved in Gay Bowl and the National Gay Flag Football League in various capacities for quite a while. But to host a Gay Bowl event at the stadium and to have the involvement from Seattle’s other professional sports teams and groups – this is a big deal.

BH: Recently I met with members of the local Queer theatre and burlesque groups. We’re doing some cross advertising with them in our respective programs to encourage people from both groups to attend each other’s events. We’re also hoping to get them to perform during the Gay Bowl and at the closing party. Burlesque is very turned out. I never realized just how many Burlesque shows there are; it’s quite big.

DS: It’s important to share that culture even if it’s not an “official” Gay Bowl event. I know when I visit cities and attend these kinds of events, I like to experience the local culture beyond the main event. The Gay Games in Cleveland was just as amazing as the Gay Games

in Paris, but the two couldn’t have been more different if they had tried. So you don’t try to compete with them, you just build up the experience based on your unique qualities as a host city.

BH: So, I’ll cancel that order for beach sand and sangrias?

DS: Yeah, probably a good idea! [laughs]

BH: With these kinds of events, you have many people for whom it’s their first time ever; you want them to have a unique experience that sets the stage for them wanting to come back. But you also want to have that great quality, memorable experience for those who’ve attended in the past. The entire focus of this tournament is about the experience; making sure we think through the player experience, the official experience and most importantly, the general fan experience. We want fans to be part of the larger conversations where we’re talking about events, the field or any of the other things – it’s all part of that conversation.

DS: That’s a big thing. With many people attending this event for the first time, it’s going to influence and shape their whole relationship with sport and the LGBTQ+ sports community from there on out. So it’s great to hear you focusing on ensuring that experience will be top notch.

PHOTO BY ANDREW GORMAN

PHOTO BY ANDREW GORMAN

BH: Indeed! For us, we’re not actually a flag football league as Gay Bowl organizers. United Sports Seattle is a nonprofit that focuses on the support and promotion of LGBTQ+ and youth sports. We’ve expanded to include the ability to help these types of local organizations with programming they want and aspire to do but often don’t have the capacity to achieve it without it impacting their core program. With my United Sports Seattle team, we’re able to come in and build a planning committee that includes people from a local league or who were prior players or officials. Then we’ve also got people from other sports, even those not involved in the sports world who are rockstars at what they do. I think we’re able to approach this very differently. I want this to be a springboard, showing other organizations that I’m not affiliated with like I am with football, to come to us when they have these kinds of ideas and we’ll work together to see what we can do. Ultimately, it’s not about United Sports Seattle; it’s all about the sport, the local league and helping to enable their growth.

DS: There’s so much power in that because the LGBTQ+ sports community is huge – literally an LGBTQ+ sports organization for every sport I’ve ever seen – and you can find it somewhere in the world. I know Seattle offers a lot of different sports.

BH: Exactly. We should be working together for each other. One of the things I noticed as commissioner of the flag football league is that all the sports are really siloed. There might be an occasional reach out to others when someone points out the need here for that kind of connectedness between the different sports. So being able to do that is part of what United Sports Seattle is about. I’ve done interviews where people will ask, “But your organization also talked about the youth. Where does that come in?”

DS: Well, you did bring up the youth, so where does that come in?

BH: One of our future goals is partnering with the You Can Play project because we really want to promote exercise and sport in school programs and other recreational programs. Helping them to create individual programming, working to make sure that kids who identify as LGBTQ+ or are from one of those households are able to get engaged in sports. There are a lot of stigmas that still are part of sports and it sucks. Especially in areas like football where toxic masculinity creates an environment filled with strife and a lot of negatives. But sport offers so many benefits.

Personally, aside from just the physical health and activity side, a lot of my teamwork and leadership skills came from playing football and from being a swimmer, learning how to operate in something bigger than just myself. I feel it’s an injustice to so many of these kids who are left out of that experience. That’s something where hopefully, we can make some inroads.

DS: I recently interviewed Salem Lemmon from the Rain City Soccer Club and they talked about how a lot of adults are joining these LGBTQ+ sports leagues now. But one of the biggest inaccessibility barriers they face is that a lot of these programs assume the new people already have the skills and competencies to play when in fact, they don’t. They never learned to play as a kid due to the hostile environments in sport that forced many LGBTQ+ youth either to quit or not get involved in the first place. Without an athletic development program to teach people how to play, an inclusive club or team can’t succeed. You never know when the smallest impact can have a big effect, like the almighty butterfly. BH: It also gives us that opportunity to provide alternative programming for straight kids and help raise their emotional IQ level by making them aware of people’s differences at an earlier age, expanding their ability to be more accepting of people who are different. We’ve made a lot of progress but we’re experiencing a lot of setbacks right now, especially against the transgender community and drag queen culture. It’s worrisome to be hearing about these things. So our hope is to help build more inclusion and diversity in sports right from the beginning.

DS: Awesome! How can people find you?

BH: Find us on social media @UnitedSportsSeattle and our website is www.unitedsportsseattle.com •

PHOTO BY ANDREW GORMAN

BY CONNIE WARDMAN, M.A., SDLT • SHE | HER

JUNETEENTH: America’s Second Independence Day JUNETEENTH:

SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT BIDEN

in 2021, Juneteenth is now a federal holiday celebrated every June 19th to commemorate the ending of slavery in the U.S. in 1865. But 1865 isn’t when all Confederate slaves were actually set free; this is just the “official date.”

When you search Juneteenth online, you’ll an find an abundance of colorful posters. However, I think the one that most clearly and succinctly states what the day is all about comes from the Air Force and Space Force Joint Base in San Antonio, Texas: “Have you heard? It’s not the day freed; it’s the day we were told we’re free.”

HOW JUNETEENTH BEGAN

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 that freed all slaves in the Confederate states. But it wasn’t until June 19, 1865 that the last Confederate community of slaves in Galveston, Texas learned that they had been free for 2.5 years. That’s when Union General Gordon Granger arrived with Union soldiers not only to guarantee the Proclamation’s enforcement but also to oversee Reconstruction. The troops even included some Black soldiers, much to the shock of the local slaves; it let them know the rumors some had heard about being freed were actually true!

Reasons for the original delay weren’t simply because the Civil War was still in progress, a fact that slowed information considerably and also tied up Union soldiers required for enforcement. It was also the fact that Southern slave holders, not wanting to lose their free labor either pretended to comply or ignored the order altogether.

Once the Civil War ended, there were finally enough troops to enforce Lincoln’s 1863 Proclamation. But “enforcement” never equated to “compliance” by many Confederate slave owners so Constitutional Amendments were necessary to drive home the point. Needless to say, there was immediate jubilation throughout the enslaved Black population.

That first official Juneteenth celebration was held in 1866, one year after General Granger notified the Black slaves in Galveston that they were free. It began in Texas; some were political rallies where Blacks were given instructions on how to vote, but it was really a joyous celebration. Black churches held picnics to celebrate their new freedom with food, drumming, dancing, music, sack races, speeches and poetry.

A major symbol of the celebration has always been the color red, used in clothing, food and decorations. It may have come from many of the West African cultures where it symbolized strength and spirituality as well as life and death, while in later years relatives told younger people that it symbolized the blood of untold numbers of enslaved Blacks who had suffered horribly and died. So while Juneteenth is still a wonderful celebration, it’s also grown into a day of deep reflection on past and present societal circumstances.

Sadly, due to Southern whites not willing to relinquish their power, the Jim Crow era began in 1870, the same year Black citizens were given the vote. It started with whites working to prevent Black citizens from exercising their

right to vote. As you can see from the chart below, in spite of all the protective legislation passed through the years, the Black slaves of yesteryear and their descendants of today haven’t had an easy time claiming the freedom and acceptance that is legitimately due them as free U.S. citizens. Yet the celebration of Juneteenth has continued, especially in Texas where it’s a state holiday known as Emancipation Day. Now – thanks to one Black woman – it’s our newest federal holiday. Her name is Opal Lee.

JUNETEENTH: NOW A FEDERAL HOLIDAY THANKS TO OPAL LEE

Known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” Opal Lee has spent all her life in Texas where the retired teacher, counselor and social activist experienced segregation growing up. But she’s said that one experience she had at age 12 has been the impetus for her to make people understand that Juneteenth is more than just a festival.

At age 10 Miss Opal and her family moved from the city of Marshall to Fort Worth where, after two years the family moved to a mainly white area of the city. Then on Juneteenth day – June 19, 1939 – 500 white rioters wrecked their house and burned it down. Her father came home from work with a gun but the police, who weren’t able to control the crowd, told him that if he tried anything they’d “let this mob have you.” When the family moved further into the Black area they no longer had any problems since they knew to follow the segregated rules.

As the divorced mother of four, Miss Opal eventually went to Wiley College and earned a Batchelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and eventually a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Guidance by working as a cook, hotel attendant and as a ladies room attendant in a nightclub. And when her teaching salary wasn’t enough to feed her family, she also worked as a maid at an aerospace manufacturer.

President Joe Biden talks with Opal Lee after signing the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act Bill, Thursday, June 17, 2021, in the East Room of the White House.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS YEAR ENACTED EFFECT ON U.S. BLACK POPULATION & JIM CROW LAWS

1863 Emancipation Proclamation: Freedom for All Enslaved Blacks in Confederate States

1863-1877

Reconstruction Era intending to integrate former slaves into their new status as free individuals

Amendment XIII 1865 Freedom for All Enslaved Blacks - Current & Former

Amendment XIV

1868 Citizenship for All Black Individuals

Amendment XV 1870 Voting Rights for All Black Individuals

Jim Crow Laws

Civil Rights Act

1870-1964 Local and State Laws Enforcing Racial Segregation in southern states – “Separate but Equal”

July 2, 1964

Prohibits discrimination in public places, provides for integration of schools and other public facilities, makes employment discrimination illegal

Voting Rights Act

August 6, 1965 Outlaws discriminatory voting practices adopted in many southern states post-Civil War; also includes literacy tests as voting prerequisite

Juneteenth Becomes

June 17, 2021

President Joseph Biden declares Juneteenth a Federal Holiday a Federal Holiday with Opal Lee in attendance

Official White House Photo by Chandler West

But in addition to her teaching career, she’s also spent her adult life helping others, including being head of a food bank and starting a 13-acre farm on which to grow food (known as Opal’s Farm) and so many more there’s no room here to list them all. According to granddaughter, Dione Sims, “She’s always thinking about how to better someone’s life. She never pigeonholed herself to one specific area. It was just whatever needed to be done.”

Realizing that many people either didn’t know about Juneteenth or thought it was just a Texas holiday, Miss Opal spent decades trying to make people aware of it as a celebration of courage, freedom and the ongoing journey to equality for everyone since she believes that “None of us are free until we are all free.”

So at the young age of 86, Miss Opal decided to put her full attention on making Juneteenth a national holiday by walking from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., saying “I just knew somebody would notice a little old lady in tennis shoes, and they did.”

She left in September 2016 and arrived in Washington in January 2017 with an online petition shared by rapper/ producer P. Diddy with over 1.5 million signatures. Adding significance to this arduous journey was her decision to walk only 2.5 miles a day to symbolize the 2.5 years it took for all slaves to learn they were finally free. Although she wasn’t able to speak with newly elected President Obama, in 2019 Miss Opal relaunched her walking campaign; unfortunately it was cut short by COVID-19.

SUCCESS AT LAST!

Finally, on June 17, 2021 President Joe Biden signed the bill making Juneteenth a national holiday with 94year old Miss Opal at the White House for the signing. The President presented her with a pen, even whispering something in her ear which she has refused to share with others. He also presented her with a personal check in the amount of $6.19, symbolizing the date of the Juneteenth holiday, as one of the first contributions toward the new Juneteenth museum that’s expected to be completed in Fort Worth by 2025. In 2022 Miss Opal was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and this year was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education from her Alma Mater, the University of North Texas.

When asked in 2021 how she felt about the fact that it took the protests following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, naming just a few, for so many to finally learn about Juneteenth, she replied that she was delighted so many people now know and understand more about it even though it was “a pity … because people lost their lives.”

She continued to say that there’s now a new normal for those who want to come together to fix what’s wrong with our society. “It took Quakers and John Brown and Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth and all of those people that worked in concert to get those slaves free. Now we have the pandemic, job disparities, health system needs, climate change – these are the things we ought to be working on together.”

EPILOGUE

Since her epic journey to have Juneteenth recognized as a national holiday in 2021, Miss Opal hasn’t taken to a rocking chair to just read or watch TV. Just days ago she attended the White House’s first big Juneteenth celebration and had this to say: “If people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love.”

Thank you Miss Opal for reminding us that as individuals of any age, we can all make a difference!

For more information on all aspects of Juneteenth, go to: Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture. •

• The five-point star: According to CNN, flag creator Ben Haith said the five-point star represents the state of Texas, where, in 1865, Union soldiers told the last remaining enslaved African Americans that they were free, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It also represents the freedom of African Americans in every US state, Haith said.

• The bursting star: Haith told Capital B Atlanta the outline of the star was inspired by a nova — an explosion in space that produces what looks to be a new star. It also represents a “new beginning” for the African American people who were freed in Galveston, per CNN.

• The arc: The curve that divides the red and blue colors of the flag represents a “new horizon,” Haith said. It also represents the “opportunities and promise” in the futures of Black Americans, according to CNN.

P e l l u c i d T r a v e l i s a f u l l - s e r v i c e s p o r t s h o u s i n g a g e n c y w i t h e a s y p r o c e s s e s , c l e a r a n d t r a n s p a r e n t c o m m u n i c a t i o n , a n d t h e k n o w l e d g e a n d e x p e r i e n c e t o f i n d y o u t h e r i g h t h o u s i n g s o l u t i o n s .

V i s i t P e l l u c i d t r a v e l c o m

Premier Specialized Medical Care in Your Community through outreach, advocacy, education, and research.

RUGBY PLAYER & SPORTS MANAGER VERITY SMITH

MY NAME IS VERITY SMITH and my pronouns are he/him. I’m a trans man, a rugby player and the Mermaids’ sports manager for trans inclusion, a charity that supports families with young gender-diverse children. Through the Mermaids we build support groups, conduct surveys, campaigns and have a Youth Network to connect to young trans individuals. We work within the community to support young people and ensure their voices get heard.

I play wheelchair rugby for the Leeds Rhinos in the U.K. now, but prior to my accident I played professional women’s rugby for 26 years. Unfortunately, in my last game my spinal cord was crushed during a tackle. It’s not always been an easy shift as I started playing rugby when I was 11. Back then I was bigger than other girls my age but couldn’t get any game time for under 16 or 19. The officials said if they could speak to my paramedic dad, and he agreed, I’d be allowed to play an open age. My dad said, “Well, if she can hold her own, then go for it!” In my first game, my own coach had to play for the opposition since it was one short. With my first tackle I absolutely wiped her off her feet and never looked back.

I played under age for a very long time (there wasn’t much concern for health and safety back then). I played League and Union in Yorkshire County, North of England and played all over Super League as well. I’m back in the Super League again, just in another version of the game.

I had to decide between my gender identity and my athletic identity. I was told if I came out as trans I wouldn’t be able to play. It’s hard because being a rugby player is the one thing that I had. I lost my parents when I was very young and rugby was my go-to. So it would be hard to lose that, too.

When I started to transition I got beat up on the pitch. A team took umbrage to me playing, saying that “there’s a man on the team,” making all sorts of comments with lots of swear words. At one point I went in for a tackle, handed the girl off and she split her lip. While we were down on the floor, I called a shout out to the ref because she wouldn’t release the ball. As I opened my mouth to shout, she spat blood in my mouth and then her whole team went for me.

We had a lot of younger players on my team who didn’t know what transgender meant but every single one of them took a step forward and supported me. They didn’t need to know what trans was; to them I was just their teammate. My coaches then decided we either needed to let them win or we’d fight this. There were no policies then for me to join a men’s team. People asked, “if you’re really a guy, why do you want to play women’s rugby?” And it’s like, does it matter where I play? I just want to

play, and I’ve been with these women for 26 years.

I’ve been doxed and had my personal information put on the dark web. But if everything I’m going through now saves one adult or child, then it’s absolutely worth it. The best thing you can do in sport is to play as your authentic self. It’s not having to hide who you are and having your name and pronouns respected without being dragged off the pitch because another team tells the referee that you’re dangerous and shouldn’t be playing.

I’m 42 now and I’ve only just started being able to be myself as a trans gay man. I’m happy. I’ve got a partner, two dogs and some red goldfish. We’re nothing exciting. We just want a normal life the same as anybody else. It’s about finding those teams, finding your tribe.

Wheelchair Rugby League welcomes all genders, all abilities and disabilities and able bodied players – it’s absolutely for everybody. But the sport only supports my disability; it doesn’t support my gender identity and it doesn’t support my agenda, so I’m making sure that we have conversations around what’s actually happening.

We’re seeing change within our sport at the moment; it’s inclusive and we’re thriving. But we need to be able to recreate that within other sports, especially when we’re talking about trans women. People think they’re going to be bigger and better. But imagine having a Land Rover with a one-liter engine – people don’t talk about the effects of HRT – Hormone Replacement Therapy; they don’t assess these terms. While we’re going through this research, why aren’t we going out there, meeting these people and seeing them play? Most are simply not the biggest on the team nor are they the best players. We need to start using common sense and actually working with the community while continuing to have these conversations.

If a cis man decided he wanted to transition to a trans woman to come into rugby and take over, that simply wouldn’t happen. Cis men go through the same process as every other trans woman. They’d have to be on the hormones for an extended period of time and have to reduce their size, the same as anybody else. So you can’t just decide you’re going to transition to take over the sport. It’s something that’s been pushed by the gender critics on social media despite there being no evidence or cases of it ever actually occurring.

Please follow the wheelchair rugby league. Anyone who wants can get in touch through Mermaids or get in touch with me on social media. If you’re thinking about getting involved with the team and you’re struggling to take that first step, get in touch. We’ll have that conversation and find those teams for you. •

“The best thing you can do in sport is to play as your authentic self.”

An Updated History of the SPORTS

BY CONNIE WARDMAN, M.A., SDLT • SHE | HER

In 2019 Pride celebrated its 50-year anniversary and our Pride issue that year featured my story of that tumultuous time. It set the foundation for today’s sports diversity movement that Compete Sports Diversity and its members are currently working to further.

Even though only four years have gone by since this fiftieth anniversary issue, it seems prudent to include some of those stories in this year’s PRIDE issue. Given the current extremely polarized political climate, the Human Rights Commission has issued its first-ever Emergency Declaration after more than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been signed Into law this year (more than double last year’s number), creating what it calls an “Imminent Threat to the Health and Safety of LGBTQ+ People and Families Nationwide.” It behooves us all to pay attention to HRC’s historic warning (shown in part below)!

“There is an imminent threat to the health and safety of millions of LGBTQ+ people and families, who are living every day in uncertainty and fear. Our number one priority will always be ensuring that LGBTQ+ people are safe and have the tools they need to defend and protect themselves against acts of hostility, discrimination and — in the most extreme cases — violence. It’s also incumbent on our allies across the country to stand with us and make it clear that they won’t sit idly by while extremists attack and malign LGBTQ+ people and our families. We’ll fight tooth and nail to ensure the safety and dignity of every LGBTQ+ person is respected and protected — without exception.”

50 Years of PRIDE and Sports Diversity

Happy Anniversary for 50 years of PRIDE for the LGBTQ+ community! It’s time to celebrate; a time for parties, parades and rainbow-themed gear of all kinds. But it’s also a time for deep reflection and appreciation for the people and events that moved us to this 50-year mark. It hasn’t been all unicorns and glitter! It’s been cycles of resistance, sweat and tears as well as joy for forward movement in a struggle for LGBTQ+ civil rights. It began one night at New York City’s Stonewall Inn when members of the LGBTQ+ community finally rose up in a demand for equality that has now encircled the globe.

We’re Mad as Hell and We Won’t Take it Anymore

In an eternal struggle for power and control, members of so-called “polite society” have always devalued those they considered beneath them. That marginalized group has always included a varied mix of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, queers, people of color, women and those with disabilities. Having the least amount of power, as a group they have long been preyed upon in a variety of ways by those who do.

At the time of the uprising, being gay was illegal in New York as well as many other places. Can you imagine a legal entity decreeing that your sexual orientation and gender identity – something you’re born with is against the law – like those born with blue eyes, black skin or a club foot? Yet being identified as “gay” at this time could not only send you to jail, it could end your family, your career, even your life.

On June 28, 1969 a riot begun by gay patrons of

DIVERSITY MOVEMENT

the Stonewall Inn in New York City’s Greenwich Village ignited a fire under the city’s gay community that turned into a unifying moment. The Stonewall Inn sat on Christopher Street near the Cristopher Street wharf. It was a mafia joint owned by the Genovese crime family that trafficked in blackmail and prostitution under bar owner Ed Murphy. It operated without a liquor license, fire escapes or even running water – dirty glasses were simply rinsed in a tub of water.

But the Inn was a relatively safe haven for gay people, particularly for people of color; drag queens and trans women, for sex workers and homeless youth. It was a place where they could come together and be their authentic selves. While police from the Public Morals Squad would regularly stop by for ID checks to hassle and arrest gay bar

patrons, payoffs to the crooked cops allowed the club to continue business as usual, always at the expense of the LGBTQ+ patrons.

On that night, however, the gay community’s pent-up anger and frustration erupted – they declared they were mad as hell and not willing to take it anymore. That night’s raid was the tipping point that galvanized the gay community nationally and is widely acknowledged as the start of the modern gay rights movement.

From Riots to Pride

While details remain lost in the chaos, it was reported that patrons and locals attracted by the commotion were throwing bricks, bottles, Molotov cocktails, even pennies at the police. And when police retreated inside the Inn for protection, the rioters tried to burn it down. It was a full-blown riot!

Despite conflicting information on who threw the first brick or bottle, two trans women of color are always mentioned as important figures in the ongoing call for equality and acceptance that night and in the years following – Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Both were drag queens and known then as transvestites rather than transgender women; today, knowing they identified as women, we honor them as such. They co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR).

Rivera, a Latina American who died in 2002 was the vocal, in-your-face activist. Johnson, an African American who died in 1992 was known for her acceptance of everyone. She was always known for the response, “pay it no mind” since she never seemed to let things get to her, also for wearing flowers in her hair. Both women have long been overlooked for their efforts to gain social and economic justice for the LGBTQ+ community and they’re now being honored by a number of businesses and organizations during this 50-year anniversary celebration.

PRIDE Movement Is Launched

As a movement, Pride grew out of the Stonewall Uprising and proclaimed to the world at large that:

1. people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity

2. diversity is an important gift

3. sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent

To mark the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, three cities held parades: New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles where members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies marched together in support of gay rights. By the next year the number of Pride Parades began to spread across the U.S. and eventually took on a happier party face. But the root cause still wasn’t fixed, causing many to remain closeted for years.

Athletes Coming Out – A Timeline

While this list isn’t complete, it’s an important reminder of how long it’s taken to get LGBTQ+ athletes the ability to come out today without fear of losing family, friends, jobs, even their lives.

Real Progress But Far to Go

In 1999 on the thirty-year anniversary of the riots, President Bill Clinton issued Proclamation 7203 marking June as Gay & Lesbian Pride Month and had the National Park Service add the Stonewall Inn as well as “the nearby park and neighborhood streets surrounding it to the National Register of Historic Places.” And when the U.S. Supreme Court passed the Marriage Equality Act on June 26, 2015 there was a groundswell of happiness and gratitude for all the people involved in helping LGBTQ+ people have some real control over their lives.

Then in 2016 President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation that declared that June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month – here was recognition that also included the bisexual and transgender communities. At the same time he

Out Olympic decathlete Dr. Tom Waddell founds Gay Games based on Olympic Games; 1982 1st Gay Games held in San Francisco; torch carried from Stonewall Inn to San Francisco

early 1970s

1975

Dave Kopay 1st out NFL player outed in newspaper with unnamed NFL player as source

Tennis professional Renée Richards comes out as transgender woman; Glenn Burke, Dodgers outfielder, is 1st openly gay with family & team but MLB management keeps it secret & finally lets him go

1981

The White House lit with the LGBT rainbow flag in celebration of the passing of the Marriage Equality Act on June 26, 2015. Photo: White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

also designated the Stonewall Inn and its surrounding Christopher Street Park as the first national monument to the reflect the LGBTQ+ struggle for civil rights. He had this to say about it:

I’m designating the Stonewall National Monument as the newest addition to America’s National Park System. Stonewall will be our first national monument to tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights. I believe our national parks should reflect the full story of our country, the richness and diversity and uniquely American spirit that has always defined us. That we are stronger together. That out of many, we are one.

This was a genuine move toward inclusion, equality and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people. But a horrific hate crime shocked the country on June 12 when a lone gunman killed 53 people at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. This attack came right before the New York City Pride Parade on June 26, tragically showing that there is a long way to go in changing people’s hearts and minds to recognize and accept that people are people and love is love!

World Pride in NYC – Celebrating the Big 50!

This year WorldPride 2019 is holding its celebration at the home of the Stonewall Uprising – New York City. There is a packed schedule of over 50 events throughout the entire month of June that reveal the growth of today’s gay community. There will be NYC’s traditional Pride March and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies featuring

Olympic gold medal diver Greg Louganis outed as both gay & HIV+ when he hits head on dive & bleeds into water at Seoul Olympics; 2016 poses for ESPN’s Body Issue

1988 1990

British soccer star Justin Fashnau comes out publicly as gay in tabloid press interview; 1st widely known Black person in Britain to come out; 1998 he commits suicide by hanging

After retiring from NFL, pro player Roy Simmons comes out as gay

headliners like Whoopi Goldberg, Cindi Lauper, Ciara, Toderick Hall and Melissa Etheridge to name just a few. There will also be a human rights conference, arts and cultural events that feature LGBTQ+ film screenings, a Pridefest street party, live music on Pride Island and of course, lots of parties to dance the night away. But there will also be a family-friendly movie night and interactive experiences and entertainment as part of Youth Pride. And the gamechangers of tomorrow will be celebrated as the spirit of Stonewall is commemorated.

And in the Stonewall spirit, the Yankees baseball club, the last Major League Baseball (MLB) club to hold a Pride Night, has finally gone all in this year to honor NYC’s LGBTQ+ community. They have awarded five scholarships to honor graduating high school students, one from each of the City’s five boroughs, who have made important contributions to LGBTQ+ equality. The Yankees-Stonewall Scholars Initiative is to commemorate the Stonewall Riots and on May 22 the Yankee Stonewall recipients were presented their awards in front of the Stonewall Inn by members of the team’s front office, the City’s first lady and Billy Bean, MLB vice president and special assistant to the commissioner. Bean is the first MLB player to come out following his retirement from the game. The students also will be acknowledged on the field at a pre-game ceremony at Yankee Stadium on June 25.

Since this is the only sports reference made so far, you may be wondering where the Sports Diversity Movement comes in. But that’s the largely hidden history of gay sports yet to follow.

Retired MLB player Billy Bean comes out in TV interview with Diane Sawyer; 2nd pro baseball player to come out; 2014 hired by MLB as its 1st Ambassador for Inclusion; 2015 Compete presents dual Pioneer Award to Bean & MLB; 2016 named MLB VP & Ambassador for Inclusion; currently MLB’s Senior VP & Special Assistant to the Commissioner

1992 1995

1999 2002 2003

Rugger Ian Roberts comes out as gay in New Weekly

Retired NFL player Esera Tualolo comes out as gay on HBOs “Real Sports;” becomes active advocate with Vikings NFL for LGBTQ+ community inclusion; 2014 awarded Compete Sports Diversity’s Legacy Award

WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes comes out as lesbian while active player; 2011 gets engaged to a man & marries in 2017 but never admits to being bisexual

2005

Trailblazing pro soccer player Joanna Lohman comes out while active; 1st female sports envoy for U.S. Dept. of State; works with empowering women & girls through soccer; 2019 retires from pro ranks; continues local/worldwide advocacy work

Athletes Coming Out – A Timeline

John Amaechi, OBE becomes 1st NBA player to come out following retirement

Triathlete Chris Mosier comes out as transgender man; 2013 honored as Compete Sports Diversity’s Athlete of the Year; 2015 becomes first openly trans man to earn spot on Team USA in his identified gender & represent U.S. in international competition; 2016 first trans man to appear in ESPN’s Body Issue; 2018 becomes first trans man to appear in Nike’s Unlimited Courage ad premiering during NBC’s primetime coverage of Sochi Olympics & 1st trans athlete to get endorsement deal from Nike; 2020 becomes 1st trans athlete to qualify for Olympic trials; Kye Allums comes out as transgender man & becomes 1st trans athlete in NCAA Div. 1 basketball history

Attorney & pro bowler Scott Norton kisses soon-to-be husband at PBA tournament & it’s shown on ESPN; WBO pro boxer Orlando Cruz comes out as gay; Megan Rapinoe, Olympic gold medalist & pro soccer player for OL Reign, comes out in 2012 Out Magazine interview; 2018 she & girlfriend WNBA superstar Sue Bird become 1st same-sex couple on cover of ESPN’s Body Issue; 2019 rallies for equal pay with male counterparts; becomes first lesbian featured in Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue; Wade Davis comes out after retiring from NFL play & becomes strong LGBTQ advocate

Michael Sam comes out to University of Missouri team & drafted by NFL as 1st openly gay active player on live TV; retires in 2015 for mental health reasons & becomes LGBTQ+ advocate; 2015 played 1 season for Montreal Alouettes; 2022 originally becomes defensive coach with Barcelona Dragons & shortly thereafter a player; NBA umpire Violet Palmer comes out while still active to marry partner of 20-years; NFL umpire Dale Scott comes out & becomes 1st openly gay umpire in pro football

Brian Sims, captain of Div. 1 football team at Bloomsburg University comes out as gay to teammates, coach & administration; 2012 becomes first openly gay elected legislator in Pennsylvania history; Welshman Gareth Thomas comes out as gay while still playing pro rugby

Oregon State University

Women’s Softball Coach Kirk Walker comes out as gay when he & partner adopt baby

Jason Collins, 1st active NBA player comes out in Sports Illustrated; he & twin brother Jarron (also NBA player & straight) honored with Compete Sports Diversity Legacy Award; Pro soccer player Robbie Rogers retires from British league to come out; then hired by MLS LA Galaxy & becomes 1st pro athlete hired as gay man; Brittney Griner No. 1 pick in WNBA draft; plays for Phoenix Mercury as open lesbian & team in Russia; 1st out player to receive endorsement deal from Nike; 2022 detained in Russia on drug charge; released Dec. 2022 in prisoner exchange; 2023 resumes pro career with Mercury; Stephen Alexander, 1st openly out transgender high school coach; State-champion Colorado high school coach Micah Porter comes out as gay; Trans woman Fallon Fox, MMA pro fighter comes out in Sports Illustrated to beat story being leaked; Lesbian Liz Carmouche becomes 1st openly gay athlete in UFC; Olympic gold medal diver Tom Daley comes out; 2017 marries screenwriter Dustin Lance Black; have two children via surrogacy in 2018 & 2023

Olympic silver medal skier Gus Kenworthy kisses boyfriend in front of live cameras during Sochi Olympics; seen as major step forward in visibility of gay athletes; Figure skater Adam Rippon, Olympic silver medalist at Pyeongchang becomes 1st U.S. openly gay athlete to win a medal at any Olympic celebration; Long retired NFL player Jeff Rohrer comes out after meeting partner; 2018 they marry

Candace Parker, WNBA star comes out as lesbian & announces 2-year marriage to Anya Petrokov & they’re expecting a baby; Australian soccer star Josh Cavallo lauded as 1st top flight pro soccer player to come out; Kieran Lovegrove, MLB minor league pitcher comes out as bisexual during ESPN interview with Joon Lee; Independent pro wrestler Rolando Perez, aka Miami Ice comes out to fans as bisexual; MLB minor league player & country music singer-songwriter Bryan Ruby comes out as gay in USA Today interview; Former NFL player & “The Bachelor” star Colton Underwood comes out as gay; 2023 marries political strategist Jordan Brown; Nikki Hiltz, American middle-distance runner comes out as trans and nonbinary; BMX rider & Vans spokesperson Corey Walsh comes out as gay on Instagram; Olympic champion long track speedskater Conor McDermott-Mostowy comes out publicly as gay; Retired WWE superstar Gabbi Tuft comes out as trans; Active Swiss pro basketball player Marco Lehmann comes out as gay in article for FIBA; Pro wrestler Chris Lewis, aka Mr. Grim & Hitman for Hire announces on Twitter he’s pansexual

Patricio Manuel comes out & becomes 1st transgender boxer to compete at pro level & 1st to win a match; becomes 1st trans man featured in ad campaign for popular fitness equipment brand, Everlast; Rio de Janeiro Olympic track & field hurdler Trinidadian-American Kerron Clement comes out in 2019; 2020 becomes only out gay man at Beijing Summer Olympics; NFL free agent Ryan Russell comes out as bisexual in letter published by ESPN

Daniel Jervis, British distance swimmer & Olympian comes out following World Championships in Budapest; Australian pro rugby player Toby Rudolf comes out as sexually fluid in interview with Sydney Morning Herald; British soccer player Jake Daniels comes out on Sky Sports News; Solomon Bates, MLB minor leaguer comes out as gay on Instagram; Ellia Green, Australian Olympic gold medalist & rugger comes out as trans man in video for Bingham Cup’s International Summit Tackling Transphobia and Homophobia in Sport event; Scottish pro soccer player Zander Murray comes out as gay on social media & posts on club’s official website; Aussieborn NBA player Isaac Humphries comes out as gay in CNN op-ed; French tennis player Fabien Reboul seems to come out as gay by posting Instagram picture of him kissing fellow French player Maxence Broville captioned “I did not fall in love with you, your love pushed me to it.”; Olympic gold medal artistic gymnast Laurie Hernandez comes out as lesbian on Instagram with picture of girlfriend celebrating 2nd anniversary; TJ House, former MLB player comes out on Facebook as gay & announces engagement to Ryan Neitzel

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Retired NFL player Ryan O’Callaghan comes out & establishes Ryan O’Callaghan Foundation supporting talented LGBTQ youth with scholarships; Active WNBA star Elena Delle Donne & Amanda Clifton are first samesex couple chosen for TV’s highly popular “The Knot’s Dream Wedding,” a landmark in LGBTQ+ visibility

Collin Martin, pro soccer player for MLS’ Minnesota United comes out publicly at team’s Pride Night celebration, then posts picture of himself wrapped in Pride flag; 2020 current team San Diego Loyal walks off pitch in support when Martin is called homophobic slur by Phoenix Rising player; Professional golfer Tadd Fujikawa comes out, making announcement on World Suicide Prevention Day to address depression and anxiety

Olympic silver medalist & 4-time world champion, French ice dancer

Guillaume Cizeron comes out on Instagram; Canadian soccer star Quinn comes out as trans on Instagram & becomes 1st openly trans & nonbinary athlete to win Olympic medal at 2020 Tokyo Olympics; Curdin Orlik, swing wrestler makes history coming out as Switzerland’s only openly gay professional athlete; English rugger Levi Davis comes out as bisexual; Daniel Arcos, player in Chile’s top pro basketball league comes out as gay on Instagram; Snowboarders Jill Perkins, Chad Unger & Kennedi Deck all came out as queer within one week. Unger, who’s also deaf, especially feels like outsider; Sebastian Vega makes history as 1st out gay pro basketball player in Argentina’s history; some team members apologize for past insensitive locker room talk; Denis Finnegan, one of Ireland’s most decorated track & field star, has slow drip coming out, reveling to some friends, then family, then others over few years; Olympic silver & bronze medal Cuban-American gymnast Danell Leyva comes out but doesn’t care for stereotypes associated with being queer; says hasn’t figured out whether he’s bisexual or pansexual; Retiring from Australian rugby, Dan Palmer comes out; says staying closeted took toll on his health & emotional wellbeing; Zach Sullivan, member of United Kingdom’s Elite Ice Hockey League comes out on social media to coincide with league’s first PRIDE weekend; he’s believed to be first openly out bisexual man to play pro hockey; Canadian swimmer Markus Thormeyer comes out casually to teammates who respond without judgment; Luke Strong, 5-time British trampoline gymnast comes out as bisexual; Swiss pro volleyballer & Puerto Rican native Dennis Del Valle, comes out as gay; Thomas Beattie, international soccer player comes out as gay; only 3rd man in British pro sports to come out; History making WNBA All-Star Layshia Clarendon comes out as gender non-conforming in podcast interview & they & their wife had baby on Christmas Day without releasing name or gender to raise “Baby C” with gender expansiveness

Retired New Zealand rugger Campbell Johnstone comes out as gay in interview with TVNZ, making him 1st All Black national team member to come out; Jakub Janto, Czech soccer player comes out as gay in Twitter video; Dominican-born Anderson Comas, MLB minor leaguer for Chicago White Sox comes out as gay on Instagram; Jeff Molina, UFC fighter comes out as bisexual on Twitter after being outed by linked video of him having oral sex with a man appeared online; Spanish soccer player Alberto Lejárraga comes out on Twitter without mentioning how he identifies but shows picture of him kissing boyfriend

Compete Sports Diversity – A Timeline

Compete recognized the power of sports to unite the gay sports community.

• Eric Carlyle and David Riach participate in International Gay Rugby’s Bingham Cup in New York and agree to start a magazine focused on covering LGBTQ+ sports

• Media Out Loud is formed in Tempe, Arizona to publish Sports Out Loud magazine

• Sports Out Loud launched at Phoenix Pride

• Sports Out Loud garners nationwide media attention causing so much traffic its official online subscription page goes down for 12 hours

• Carlyle and Riach claim runner-up in Planet Out’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” contest

• Sports Out Loud announces first-ever Sports Out Loud “Athlete of the Year” contest

• Sports Out Loud changes name to Compete

• Compete launches 1st website and social media page

• Compete hosts 1st Sports Diversity Awards in Los Angeles; Greg Louganis hosts

• Compete Radio launched nationwide on QTalk Radio & in syndication

• Compete distributed nationwide at Barnes & Noble, Borders & Target

• Compete partners with World Rugby Champion Ben Cohen, MBE to form Stand Up magazine, world’s 1st anti-bullying magazine

• Compete partners with National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) to publish Rebound magazine & approved by National Basketball Association (NBA), Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) & Harlem Globetrotters

• Lexus & Microsoft both title sponsors of 2012 Compete Sports Diversity Awards

• Recently out athletes Jason Collins and Robbie Rogers accept awards at 2013 Compete Sports Diversity Awards Engineered by Lexus

• Compete starts what’s to become Compete Sports Diversity Council (CSDC)

• Compete Sports Diversity Council hosts 1st event in partnership with Sin City Shootout (now Sin City Classic)

• Compete begins printing official guide of Sin City Classic

• Founding members of Compete Sports Diversity Council include Athlete Ally, Federation of Gay Games, Greater Los Angeles Softball Association (GLASA), National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL) & North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA)

• Online readership surpasses print readership

• Compete Sports Diversity Council hosts its first conference in partnership with Sin City Classic

• Compete begins limited printing official tournament guides

• Major League Soccer (MLS) joins Compete Sports Diversity Council

• National Football League, Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Coyotes and Arizona Diamondbacks join Compete Sports Diversity Council

• Compete officially becomes Compete Sports Diversity

• Compete Sports Diversity adopts motto: “The Global Leaders in Sports Diversity”

• Compete Sports Diversity publishes tournament guides for both ASANA & Softball World Series, Gay Bowl XIX, Gay Softball World Series (GSWS), Sin City Classic, World Gay Rodeo Finals (WGRF); now offers this service to tournaments nationwide

• Compete Sports Diversity hosts Sports Diversity Jubilee in Richmond, Virginia

• Compete Sports Diversity hosts first Sports Leadership Influencer in Overland Park, Kansas

• Compete Sports Diversity hosts its 10th Compete Sports Diversity Awards (aka the Peteys for Compete - get it?) in partnership with Sin City Classic at 2020 Sin City Classic in Las Vegas

• PGA of America joins Compete Sports Diversity

• Compete hosts its first Compete Sports Diversity Summit in Partnership with the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.

• Even during COVID-19, the Petey’s go on in Tempe, Arizona.

• The Compete Sports Diversity Awards are broadcast for the first time by the SVTV Network.

• Compete Sports Diversity hosts its first Women’s Conference, this time in partnership with the Arizona Coyotes and Tempe Tourism Office.

• Compete partners with the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Kraken, Seattle Sounders, Seattle Storm and the OL Reign for a sports diversity Summit in Seattle, Washington.

• Compete Sports Diversity hosts its second Sports Diversity Summit in Partnership with the Arizona Cardinals.

• Compete Sports Diversity names Greg Lee, Arizona Cardinals CFO, as its first Person of the Year in partnership with TEAMS Conference and Tempe Tourism Office.

• Both USA Diving and United States Tennis Association (USTA) join the Compete Sports Diversity Council.

• Compete Sports Diversity starts the new year with a new COO, Connor Shane, SDLT.

• Compete Sports Diversity announces partnerships with TEAMS Conference and Express Conferences.

• Compete Sports Diversity hosts its most successful Summer Membership Conference to date.

• Compete Sports Diversity announces a business and tourism-focused podcast in partnership with Visit Mesa.

BY DIRK SMITH, M.SC., SDL • HE | HIM PHOTOS BY DARREN THOMPSON

FLAGSTAFF PRIDE Goes High And Celebrates First LGBTQ+ Pride Parade

As Flagstaff, Arizona gears up for its 27th annual Pride in the Pines Festival, unfortunately it’s had to contend with anti-LGBTQ+ hatred and prejudice directed toward it from right wing extremists who have targeted the annual event. Sadly, this is hardly unique as LGBTQ+ pride festivals, events, bars, clubs and other cultural gatherings all over the U.S. have experienced a rise in bigotry, prejudice and hatred against the LGBTQ+ community from religious conservatives. These attacks and threats on our community have been a sobering reminder of what “Pride” represents and is uniting the LGBTQ+ community once again to stand up together against hatred and discrimination.

Flagstaff Pride has planed for a fun and familyfriendly LGBTQ+ pride event on June 17th that’s dubbed “Pride in the Pines.” The 27th edition of the festival will feature a wide array of events, entertainment, shows, local community vendors and businesses as well as Flagstaff Pride’s first ever LGBTQ+ pride parade.

Compete’s managing editor David “Dirk” Smith sat down with Deb Taylor, President of Flagstaff Pride to learn more about the festival and help people learn more about what to look forward to if this is their first time attending.

Dirk Smith (DS): Wow, this is the 27th year for Flagstaff Pride; that’s really exciting! I just did an interview with Downtown Tempe Authority, and they just had their first ever pride this year. That’s quite a difference. But for Flagstaff, even after 27 years this is your first year holding a pride parade as well?

Deb Taylor (DT): And honestly, it took us 27 years to have a parade. We’re super excited to have it and

we have 36 entries for our first parade with about 400 people marching/walking which we feel is super successful. So we’re super excited to be able to offer this for the first time.

DS: Thirty-six entries? That’s a lot for the first one! DT: Indeed! For the first one we weren’t sure what we would get with everything going on. But we got a lot of support and people wanting to be involved. Our parade is following the same route that our holiday Christmas parade follows up here in the winter time. We recently had our meeting with participants and everybody is super excited and really supportive. It’s going to be colorful, too; we’ll have a sea of rainbow flags, trans flags and other pride flags waving all over.

DS: Pride is all about being colorful and being fabulous! DT: It is going to be colorful and fabulous. It’s about the visibility. Our theme is “together, we march,” which is our theme for everything; “together, we dance” and similar type themes. It’s about visibility for the LGBTQ+ community because our family, coworkers, business owners are part of that community. What the LGBTQ+ community brings to Flagstaff is momentum, experience and wisdom. Flagstaff is a border town where we sit on the largest reservation, the Navajo Nation and we’re excited to have them come celebrate Pride with us in Flagstaff as well.

DS: It’s especially important to have representation from indigenous communities that have been vastly underrepresented at pride, but they’re a huge part of our culture.

It’s about the visibility.

DT: It’s about building that inclusive pride; While we’ve been guilty of that in the past ourselves, we’re focusing on how we can build that inclusion now. This year we have our very first strategic plan to bring a Northern Arizona Alliance which includes everybody in Northern Arizona – the reservation and communities within greater Flagstaff – and we’re going to make sure they all have a chair at the table. We did over 40 hours of interviews with stakeholders and community members that we’ve listened to and learned from, both good and bad. As a result, we have started implementing those results and making changes, such as hosting our first pride parade. People wanted to have a parade, so we applied for a grant which made it possible for us to have one. Overall, it’s a three-year plan and I’m confident we will succeed.

It is going to be colorful and fabulous.

DS: That sounds awesome and it’s great to see ya’ll working to adapt and grow right into the future! What else can people look forward to at the festival after the parade?

DT: Following the parade, from noon-to-9 p.m. on Saturday is the festival at Thorpe Park Sports Complex. Our headliner is Nina Sky and we’re excited to have two RuPaul’s Drag Race queens coming to entertain; Kerri Colby, and Salina EsTitties. We have local bands performing, including Black Lemon and The Pübes, a three-piece lesbian rock band. We also have for the very first time a dedicated drag stage where we will have 36 performers throughout the day. We’re a family friendly pride, including a kids area and three bouncy houses. We’ll also have games, crafts and tie dye stations. The Public Library is coming in with their bookmobile as well. On Friday night we’re doing a free movie night for the first time. We got the license from Disney to show Luca and it’s free to our families and our community. One of our food vendors will be there with popcorn, cotton candy and non-alcoholic drinks as well.

DS: Nice! That’s going to be a lot of fun! Will there be an afterparty as well?

DT: Yep! It’ll be at Orpheum theatre with five Queens

coming from Phoenix and some of our local Queens all performing. That show starts at 10 p.m. and we’ll have a 21+ dance party as well. Then on Sunday we do a big brunch from 11 to 2 at Collin’s Bar, one of our sponsors. So we have a whole weekend of events going on. We have some family stuff going on Friday, we have the festival, the after party, which is an all-age event, which it has always been for years but if you’re under 16, you have to have a guardian with you. Then we close it out with a brunch which is a perfect way to sit down with everybody and break some bread. Then we take a break, and we start all over again.

DS: So, we do have to address the elephant in the room, which is all this bombardment of negativity from antiLGBTQ+ bigots who want to “cancel culture” pride. As much as I don’t want to bring up their drama but the one question I do have is because it is the whole drama about drag shows for all ages. You and I have been to drag shows; we know exactly what to expect. So a lot of this comes from the ignorance of people who don’t even know what drag is. What can families and parents look forward to in terms of all ages drag show in regard to the performances.

DT: They can expect an amazing show wardrobe, amazing dancing and lip-syncing, maybe some real

singing. All the performers from Phoenix have titles and raise money for charities. Desiree DeMornay just entered her reign as Miss Phoenix Pride. Maya McKenzie was Miss Phoenix Pride in 2017. We have the current reigning Miss Gay Arizona. I think that’s her title. Janae Starr and Gray Matter are in the Imperial Court. I don’t know if Kim has a title, but she is very involved and very talented as well. These are professional performers who know it’s a family friendly event; there’s no nudity, no sexual overtones, nothing like that.

DS: It sounds like it’s going to be a great show!

DT: Back on June 2nd, we had a First Friday Artwalk. For the first time we did a public drag show in Heritage Square, and it included a drag story time. She read “‘Twas the Night Before Pride” and she dressed up like the mushroom in the storybook. The kids were dancing and having a lot of fun. The parents enjoyed it and we had people crossing the street coming over to see what was happening. People were very supportive. Flagstaff is the kind of town that is diverse and inclusive. Flagstaff was the very first city in Arizona to fly the rainbow flag on city grounds. It goes up June 1 and stays until June 30. The current mayor is walking in our parade and they were even at the drag queen story

time where they presented us with a proclamation for Pride Month. I was nervous initially; I’m not going to lie. I was nervous about the public because of all the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, the hatred and everything. But the community has been so supportive, inclusive, welcoming and engaged, it’s great.

DS: We’re making a statement because this legislation and anti-LGBTQ+ prejudice is a reminder of why pride exists. We must show everybody that love trumps hate. DT: Flagstaff Pride has been going on for 27 years. It started as a small picnic and since has evolved to where we are today. We’re advocates for more resources for LGBTQ+ people. Our end goal of the festival and everything we’ve been doing for 27 years has been to establish an LGBTQ+ Resource Center. We’re working towards that in northern Arizona but it takes money and time. A Resource Center is made of a village, so we’re reaching out to all of our partners and we’re going to get there. We’re getting there. Northern Arizona is very grateful for our community partners, their ally ship and the community in which we serve. We’re very proud to be a part of it.

DS: Wonderful! Learn more and support Flagstaff Pride at www.flagstaffpride.com •

SDL SPOTLIGHT

Entrepreneur Arion Herbert, SDL: OWNER OF MARS

Meet Arion Herbert, SDL, Compete Sports Diversity’s new executive committee chair. If you haven’t met him yet, put it on your To Do list; he’s a staunch ally to the LGBTQ+ community and absolutely filled with infectious energy.

Arion and his wife Erica cofounded MARS (Main Attraction Recreational Sports) in 2016 after moving to Charlotte, North Carolina from Long Island, New York. In 2013 Arion’s high school friend had taken him to a kickball game where he was surprised by the sport’s exciting, electric energy. He was immediately hooked! That was the spark that ignited the couple’s passion to create something that was fun, healthy and offered positive community engagement while still giving them the work/life balance they were looking for.

Filled with entrepreneurial energy, he’s the league owner and tournament director but he’s also the stay at home parent to their two boys, ages two and four, while Erica is still in the mainstream workforce for now (emphasis on the “for now” part).

MARS began its first year by offering only kickball and then the second year added dodgeball, softball and basketball. But its specialty, and what the league is best known for is kickball, according to Arion, saying that it’s the sport that always has the most engagement with both athletes and spectators.

During the 2016-17 season MARS had a one day kickball event with the winning team getting a $1,500 cash prize. Twelve teams showed up with players coming from Tennessee, Georgia and Washington, D.C. Through the use of lots of ongoing face-to-face and social media outreach, the success of this event led MARS to create a series of events, most notably TURF WARS, a series of destination kickball tournaments that, according to Arion have grown to become the largest, most exciting adult kickball tournaments in the U.S.

In 2019 the league held a TURF WARS tournament that was featured on ESPN and was sponsored by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Equitable and Dave & Busters. This tournament was a go big or go home moment for MARS – it had 32 teams and a winning purse of $10,000. “MARS,” said Arion, “now leads the industry in total cash payouts, total teams, social media views and engagement, national press releases and major brand sponsors.

“I believe that the quality of our events,” he continued, “along with the relationships that we’ve established with local businesses in the community truly set us apart from others.” And SportsEvents just released its 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Live or Virtual Sports Event Planner, naming Arion as the #2 winner.

Although North Carolina does have a “bathroom bill,” the league is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and a healthy lifestyle. Arion says that no matter what lifestyle an individual lives or how they self-identify, it’s “OK to play.”•

BY CONNIE WARDMAN, M.A., SDLT • SHE | HER

NO MATTER WHAT LIFESTYLE AN INDIVIDUAL LIVES OR HOW THEY SELF-IDENTIFY, IT’S “OK TO PLAY.”

DO MORE!

MORE TO CRAVE

With 1,600+ restaurants, even the pickiest eaters will find something to enjoy in Montco, check out our dining guide (free for groups!) to plan ahead.

MORE TO EXPLORE

Enjoy nature with a side of history at Valley Forge National Historical Park. Extend your walk, run, hike or bike ride with our 60+ miles of trails. Or, get wild with a trip to the Elmwood Park Zoo!

MORE TO FIND

Great shopping awaits here in Montgomery County, PA at the Philadelphia Premium Outlets, the King of Prussia Mall, or one of the many boutique shops along our charming Main Streets. Your next great find is waiting!

CSDC COMMUNITY + CORPORATE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

AARP BENEFITS EVERYONE

BY CONNIE WARDMAN, M.A., SDLT • SHE | HER

One of the newest groups to join the Compete Sports Diversity Council is AARP, a national 501(c)(4) nonprofit and nonpartisan organization. Recently I spoke with Joseph P. Marquart, volunteer president of the Arizona AARP chapter which has 900,000 members. Not only was our conversation enjoyable, it was also an eyeopener.

Advocating for older individuals, AARP also provides a number of member services. However, as it turns out, there’s no longer a minimum age to join and the cost to belong is between $12-$16 a year. But can a Millennial or Gen X or Z individual benefit from belonging to an organization for middle-age and elderly individuals? The answer? Absolutely! AARP has exclusive member discounts covering a wide variety of areas going far beyond the travel, dining and entertainment discounts the organization has long promoted on television.

According to Marquart, an openly gay and proud retired human resources and organizational development executive, AARP is involved in bettering communities on both a large and small scale. With chapters in all U.S. states plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, it has over 38 million members, making it one of the most diverse, inclusive and welcoming organizations in operation today.

AARP is a recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award that recognizes companies and organizations that successfully implement quality management systems. As the highest presidential honor an organization can receive for performance excellence, it’s something Marquart says is his North Star when involving himself as a volunteer.

With a long history of volunteering and serving on numerous non-profit boards, following his retirement he originally became active with AARP as a member of the Iowa Executive Committee before moving to Arizona with his husband; they’ve been together for 17 years. Now 74-years old, Marquart not only has served as a facilitator for Fraud Watch presentations and Life Reimagined sessions but also testified on behalf of AARP before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on fraud and

financial abuse of senior citizens. Additionally he has met with congressional members discussing Social Security and the Caregiver Act, all part of AARP’s advocacy arm.

Through its Livable Communities initiative, AARP grants enable communities to create and/or enhance a wide variety of projects that serve its residents of all ages. Grant money can be additional support for a current need or a new project that can include parks and recreational needs, a community garden or a suicide prevention program. Marquart shared that 21 different Arizona organizations have received AARP community grant monies.

Also good for all ages is the SkillsBuilder at Work program. It offers a job board with filters for both full and parttime work and online career fairs. There also are workshops offering topics such as how to create a good resume, interview tips and how to create and maintain a healthy work/life balance. •

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE MARQUART

CSDC TRAVEL + TOURISM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

VALLEY FORGE SPORTS

Helping to create an amazing experience in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Valley Forge & Montgomery County, Pennsylvania provide a great destination experience for athletes and their guests alike! Besides quality tournament venues, there’s so much to do with 1,600 restaurants, family-friendly attractions, world-class shopping and more than 200 arts and culture venues.

The region is also great value for those staying over with more than 9,400 hotel rooms in 80+ hotels. The hotel tax in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania is one of the lowest in the region, and parking is always free! Located just outside Philadelphia, our suburban destination provides convenient access to major roadways, the Philadelphia International Airport, public transportation and regional attractions:

King of Prussia Mall (below) is one of America’s most iconic shopping malls, attracting visitors from around the world. With seven department stores and a collection of luxury retailers, the mall is the largest retail space in the country and a premier shopping and dining destination.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center is the ultimate indoor LEGO® play experience. Families can enjoy a world of hands-on creativity, color and building fun which features build-and-play areas, including local landmarks made from more than a million LEGO bricks, to a fun and exciting LEGO-themed ride.

The Valley Forge National Historical Park is known nationally and internationally for its history, recreation and family fun! One of the most visited sites in Montgomery County (more than two million people a year), the site was created to preserve our nation’s history and tell the story of the Continental Army during the winter of 1777-78. Visitors can take tours of the huts and Washington’s Headquarters as well as enjoy almost 30 miles of trails, and hiking, biking, running, picnics and fishing.

The Elmwood Park Zoo features up-close encounters with some of nature’s most amazing creatures, including giraffes! Get a bird’s-eye view at the Treetop Adventure Park ziplining and ropes

course or take a ride on the carousel – you can even bring your dog! There’s something for the whole family to enjoy at the Elmwood Park Zoo, which is also the nation’s first zoo to become a Certified Autism Center.

Valley Forge & Montgomery County regularly host a variety of sporting events as we are a yearround destination. Some recent notable examples include US Youth Soccer Eastern President’s Cup 2023, USA Wrestling 14U Duals 2023, USA

Taekwondo East Grand Prix 2023, US Quadball

Cup 2023, USA BMX Nationals 2022, USA

Weightlifting’s Nike Series, USA Climbing Youth & Collegiate Nationals, NXT Cup Lacrosse, FC Delco Player’s Cup Soccer, MADE Hoops Middle School Nationals and Beast of the East Flag Football.

Our quality facilities make hosting a diverse range of sports possible; here is just a sample list:

The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (below) at Oaks has up to 240,000-square-feet of space on one level with five distinct halls. The facility can accommodate various layouts, including the capacity to fit 16 full-size basketball courts and 30+ volleyball courts. In addition, the entire facility has recently been upgraded to 10G Commercial grade internet and has more than 5,000 FREE on-site parking spaces. This location also offers indoor go-karts, laser tag and an onsite arcade at Arnold’s Family Fun Center, located just across the parking lot from the Expo.

The Proving Grounds is the premier Mid-Atlantic multi-sport tournament complex located in Conshohocken. The facility now features nine oversized linear turf fields with lights striped for men’s and women’s lacrosse, soccer and field hockey.

The Valley Forge Casino Resort offers close to 100,000-squarefeet of total event space in the heart of Valley Forge and King of Prussia. The overall casino property offers 45 total meeting rooms, four ballrooms, a 55,000-sq-ft Event Center, seven dining and entertainment venues and more than 400 guest rooms.

Competitive Edge is the Mid-Atlantic region’s premier court venue, offering five hardwood courts with a 6,000-square-foot SAQ area, facility rentals, catering and a café in King of Prussia. Two premier events coming to this venue in 2023 include Stonewall Sports 2023 Dodgeball and Volleyball competitions and USA Dodgeball Premier Tour Philadelphia.

Reach Climbing and Fitness (above) is a 23,000-square-foot indoor rock climbing facility in Bridgeport, built and operated by lifelong Montco residents. The unique and versatile facility has hosted several USA Climbing events since opening and is a regular host of USA Climbing competitions. There are dedicated teaching and training walls, advanced competition walls and the Northeast’s only Olympic-sized speed wall. The site also includes a weight room, fitness areas with cardio equipment and a training room.

Whatever your sport, the team at Valley Forge Sports is looking forward to helping you create an amazing experience here in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Visit www.valleyforgesports. org or contact us today to learn more! •

CSDC CORPORATE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

ALLIANZ PARTNERS Dedicated to Fostering Safe Journeys

An insurance industry leader, Allianz Partners spans 70 countries across six continents. Our United States business, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, focuses on travel and specialty insurance. We partner with many of the top brands in the travel and event industries — including AAA, Delta, Marriott, Ticketmaster — to protect over 120 million people each year.

While we’re known for travel insurance, we offer protection for shorter journeys, too. Our event registration protection helps protect customers’ investments when signing up to participate in different types of events—whether they’re competing in an ultramarathon or signing up for summer camps.

Care is at the heart of what we do: our products provide support for customers as they set out on

new adventures. But our commitment to safety doesn’t stop with our customers. We work to foster well-being abroad, among our employees, and around our communities, too.

As an international brand that works with businesses worldwide, we understand the value of diversity. Varied perspectives make for a better business — statistics show that companies with greater diversity outperform competitors and generate higher revenue. A diverse workforce brings fresh ideas, a richer company culture, and new ways to connect with partners and customers. In the words of Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Wright: “Fostering a culture focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical to the success of our business. For me, it’s about loving people for being people, celebrating our differences but also

seeking out threads that connect us all. By recognizing the unique backgrounds and experiences of our associates, we are stronger as an organization.”

A diverse, inclusive workforce starts at the beginning of the employee experience: recruitment and hiring. Our Talent Acquisition team actively works to create a welcoming, equitable experience for traditionally marginalized groups. By standardizing inclusive interview processes, training interviewers on unconscious biases, and more, we hire for heart and potential — not “fit.”

Of course, we can’t reap the benefits of a diverse workforce without a culture where employees feel comfortable speaking up, celebrated in their differences, and afforded access to advancement opportunities. After all, true inclusion means representation at every level. Our ongoing initiatives include establishing and supporting

employee resource groups and networks like our DEI Council; hosting educational DEI awareness events; and developing resources for employees, managers, and top leaders. It’s good for business, but it’s also good for our coworkers and community.

But it’s not just about employees — we want to do right by the community at large. While we focus our support on local organizations like Virginia Pride, the Autism Society of Virginia, and others, we also partner with national organizations like Tourism Cares and, of course, Compete Sports Diversity.

As our business grows, we know that there is more to be done. Our efforts are ongoing and we’re learning along the way. Nevertheless, we have faith that, together, we can enact meaningful change. We champion safe journeys — for customers, company, and our communities. •

The 2023 Compete Sports Diversity Summer Conference

Hosted by Visit St. Pete/Clearwater and Presented by Valley Forge Sports and Tampa Bay Rays

If you had the chance to join us for the weekend in St. Petersburg, for the 2023 Compete Sports Diversity Summer Conference hosted by Visit St. Pete/ Clearwater and presented by Valley Forge Sports and Tampa Bay Rays; we couldn’t be more appreciative of you. You all are catalysts for the important change that is coming in sports. If you weren’t able to join us this weekend, please know that you were missed and we were thinking of you. Below is a fully summarized recap of the weekend.

It’s important that we continually build on this. But it’s equally important for us to take what we learned and share as well as implement it not only in the industry but in our daily lives as well. •

Whoever you are.

Allianz Partners is proud to support LGBTQIA+ organizations—in the States and across the globe—to further our mutual goals of visibility and equity.

We are driven to ensure safety, security, and well-being for everyone—whether you’re one of the over 55 million travelers, event-goers, and students we help protect every year; part of our workforce; or simply our neighbor.

→ Learn more about our commitments to our customers and our community at AllianzPartners.com.

JUNE

PRIDE CUP FLAG FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

Orlando, Florida

June 3-5

CROSSROADS OF THE WEST REGIONAL RODEO

Salt Lake City, Utah

June 16-18

SECOND CITY OPEN BOWLING TOURNAMENT

Chicago, Illinois

June 16-18

PRIDE BOWL FLAG FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

Chicago, Illinois

June 23-24

KICKBALL WORLD GAMES

Panama City, Panama

June 24-25

HOUSTON INVITATIONAL BOWLING TOURNAMENT

Houston, Texas

June 30-July1

LIBERTY BELLE INVITATIONAL BOWLING TOURNAMENT

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

June 30-July 2

PHOTO COURTESY PRIDE BOWL CHICAGO

PHOTO ©SECOND CITY OPEN TOURNAMENT VIA FACEBOOK

UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS

2023 COMPETE SPORTS DIVERSITY SUMMIT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GAY BOWL XXIII

Seattle, Washington

September 28-29

2023 COMPETE SPORTS DIVERSITY SUMMIT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WITH THE ARIZONA CARDINALS

State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

3 Day Summit October 9-11

Summit Schedule:

October 9-10 Women’s Conference with LLF Sports

October 11, LGBTQ+

2024 COMPETE SPORTS DIVERSITY WINTER MEMBERSHIP CONFERENCE AT SIN CITY CLASSIC

Las Vegas, Nevada

January 12-14

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION

John Deffee, SDLT • john.deffee@competediveristy.com

Trayer Martinez, SDLT • trayer.martinez@competediversity.com