Hockey isn’t the first sport you think of when you hear the word “diversity,” but the sport has been taking positive steps forward to change that.
Under NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and his diversity lead Kim Davis, and with programs like The Carnegie Initiative led by Bernice Carnegie and Bryant McBride, inclusion, acknowledgment and growth have become “must do” rather than “like to do.” That effort has trickled down to many NHL clubs, whose Diversity and Inclusion work has substantially ramped up across the board.
One of those teams is the New York Islanders.
The Islanders’ 16-month-old home, UBS Arena, sits in Elmont, New York, which borders Queens and Nassau County in one of the most racially and ethnically diverse areas of any professional sports arena in the country. When the location, right by legendary Belmont Racetrack, was chosen, co-owners Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky worked with their staff and community leaders to make sure that the area, and all the components of the team, would be inclusive and reflective not just of the Islanders faithful, but for all in the area.
Out of those discussions came a unique program that could involve young people in the area who had never seen a game and were not yet familiar with all things NHL and the Islanders.
Meet The Black History Month Patch Program Design Contest.
The program, led by Tania Lawes, the club’s Director of External Affairs & Community Engagement, began in the 2020-21 season. Fifth graders in the Elmont, Hempstead and Uniondale School Districts got to share their definition of what Black History means to them and incorporate the New York Islanders’ history in their artwork. Winning patches were then given to the schools for the students to choose a worthy cause to give back to.
This year, seven patch designs were selected and they have become part of Isles Nation. They are sold at UBS Arena in the team’s state-of-the-art shopping experience, Isles Lab, with all proceeds donated to an organization in need.
“We wanted to find a program that could be unique to the organization tied to young people that would have the ability to grow over time, and the patch program has been an amazing success well beyond what we first envisioned,” Lawes said. “The program is open to all fifth graders in the area and we quickly saw that their artwork was a personal reflection of them, expressing their creativity on how to incorporate the team into their vision. It was very impressive in year one and expanded in year two and will continue to grow into the future as a cornerstone for inclusion for us in the community.”
The results from the two-year-old program have been amazing.
Young people from diverse backgrounds who may not have known of the Islanders and their fifty-year-old history have suddenly become engaged fans. Now they want to know more about the team and its roots in the community, which has piqued their curiosity about hockey and the NHL.
It’s a win for all.
Young people get exposed to the sport and are celebrated for their accomplishments and creativity. All participants also get a chance to expound on their artistic creativity and self-expression in a legacy program that will live on for years within the walls of UBS Arena.
“The Islanders’ Black History Month Patch Program had two universal languages: art and sports. This experience reminded my students, their families, and the school community that art and sports can bring people together, no matter what their origin, background, religious beliefs or economic status,” said Akiko Hanratty, Art Teacher in the Uniondale School District. “Uniondale has so many hockey and Islanders fans all of a sudden!”
“The Black History Month Patch Program has allowed our Elmont elementary scholars to unleash their creativity through digital art while simultaneously being agents of change. They enjoyed seeing their art come alive physically, and in turn, are more confident as learners, designers, and art contributors. The BHM Patch Program also highlights and reflects the unity within our school community while celebrating its diversity.” added officials at The Elmont School District.
While D & I efforts in hockey are still in their infancy, efforts like the Islanders’ patch program are both encouraging and sorely needed. The combination of artistic license with team history will help all grow and build a new fan base that doesn’t resemble the traditional. That’s important for a team that wants to make sure its audience is a mosaic, not just a bland palette.
So props to the Islanders for thinking broadly and acting wide. The sport, and the community, need the boost and hopefully other teams following suit. Patches for everyone!
