Black Lives Matter

In light of the ongoing #GeorgeFloyd protests, The Win Column team recognizes that it is no longer acceptable to use silence as a position. We are a hockey blog that aims to uphold values of diversity, and it is clear that sticking to sports was never and will never be a valid excuse to overlook the systemic oppression that is happening right in front of us.

For far too long and still far too often, police brutality, violence, and racism continue to hold unjust power in today’s landscape. These actions must be condemned, and accountability must be held.

We stand in solidarity with all the people that are fighting for their lives. Their pain, grief, sorrow, and anger persists, and they are owed the space to be seen and be heard. These protests are the results of countless injustices that Black people have repeatedly endured. The injustices in the undue deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other will not be forgotten; the injustices in the treatment of Christian Cooper, and countless other Black people who have been racially carded and targeted will not be forgotten.

In the world of hockey, deep-rooted racism will continue to exist at all levels unless more people speak up and take action. We will use our platform to amplify the voices of Black players and Black members of hockey. We thank Akim Aliu, Willie O’Ree, J.T. Brown, Evander Kane, K’Andre Miller, and many more current and former Black players for offering their voices and using their platforms to educate. We owe it to them to listen. We also thank other players who have used their platforms to speak up and stand up in solidarity, including Matt Dumba and Ryan Reaves, and implore more to do the same.

No longer will we let inaction be a substitute for acceptability. #BlackLivesMatter

June 1, 2020