HDA: 5 Years of Fighting for Diversity in Hockey and its Achievements

The Hockey Diversity Alliance: Five Years of Impact in Hockey

Five years ago, what began as a chat group among NHL players of color, focused on addressing civil rights issues and obstacles to equality in the sport, has transformed into a significant force. This Saturday, the Hockey Diversity Alliance (HDA) will hold its Summer Fest at Canoe Landing Park in Toronto, a community event for more than 2,200 people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. The main goal of the event is to bring hockey closer to diverse communities, allowing attendees to interact with NHL players and sports celebrities. The HDA seeks to expose more people to hockey, a sport that has been the core of its mission since its inception.

“We just want to keep showcasing the incredible work we’re doing. None of us get anything from this personally, financially, or in any way. It’s just the families and the communities that continue to flourish and grow through our program. And that’s something that, I think, the world should see,” said Akim Aliu, former Calgary Flames player and founding member of the HDA.

Akim Aliu

Wayne Simmonds, with 15 seasons in the NHL and also a founding member of the HDA, described the Summer Fest as “a wonderful culmination of the last five years of all the work we have been doing.” The event, branded HDA, will offer roller hockey, food, and activities for children. Among the NHL players who support the HDA and are expected to attend are: Aliu, Simmonds, Nazem Kadri (center for the Calgary Flames), Anthony Duclair (forward for the New York Islanders), Matt Dumba (defense for the Pittsburgh Penguins), and retired players Chris Stewart, Joel Ward and Trevor Daley. In addition, the presence of Marshawn Lynch, former NFL player, and Colin Kaepernick, who has had a long relationship with the HDA, is expected. Kaepernick participated in video conferences with the founding members before the launch of the initiative.

“He’s someone we trust at the beginning. It was good to know his opinion on how his battle was and how he went through it. He said that if we were going to do this, we obviously had to stick together no matter what,” commented Simmonds on Kaepernick, now a civil rights activist.

Wayne Simmonds

The HDA was founded in June 2020, amidst civil unrest in the United States following the murder of George Floyd. What began as an online conversation between current and former players turned into an unprecedented coalition, led by Aliu and Evander Kane. In a cover letter, the six current and former NHL players announced their intention to “eradicate racism and intolerance” in hockey. The organization had a presence during the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, which were held in Toronto and Edmonton due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NHL acknowledged the national protests by displaying “We Skate For Black Lives” advertisements on the video screens around the rink. Matt Dumba, a founding member of the HDA, gave an emotional speech against racial injustice before kneeling during the U.S. national anthem. He was wearing an HDA sweatshirt.

The HDA pushed for changes in its first few months. In August 2020, it published an eight-point commitment that it wanted the NHL to sign, with requests ranging from hiring goals for hockey-related personnel to funding for grassroots initiatives. After months of negotiations, the HDA announced that it would “operate separately and independently” from the NHL, which created its own Player Inclusion Coalition to address inequality issues.

“The first route for us was to try to partner with the league, but we really didn’t agree on some of the issues,” Simmonds said.

Wayne Simmonds

In the early months of its founding, debates arose about the motivations and effectiveness of the HDA. Aliu stated that the most rewarding thing about the last five years was feeling that the controversy surrounding the existence of the HDA diminished.

“There was controversy. There were reactions and opposition. You can see where we are now. When you’re on a once-in-a-lifetime journey like this for something that is much bigger than us… to see how timid we were on the first day to even associate with this organization, to now be so proud and wear clothes. We are very proud of what we have built and what we continue to do,” expressed Aliu.

Akim Aliu

The biggest challenge for the HDA in the last five years?

“That, unfortunately, is an easy question to answer,” Aliu replied.

Akim Aliu

Aliu explained that, although there was initially strong corporate support in North America for the HDA, that support has waned.

“That simply means we have to turn away kids because we have a waiting list to get into our programs. We would like to keep expanding, but obviously this is a difficult sport to expand without money,” added Aliu.

Akim Aliu

Despite these obstacles, the HDA is having a substantial impact on its history.

“We are thriving, and I think that’s because we’ve shown who we are and what we are. I think our character has shone brightly. The people who were against us now largely see that we are in this for the right reasons. They have seen the impact we have had on children, on families, on young people in general,” Aliu stated.

Akim Aliu

Hockey Diversity Alliance Post

An emphasis on the foundation has always been fundamental to the HDA’s mission. Its introductory statement from 2020 included a passage that stated: “We will promote diversity at all levels of the game through community outreach and engagement with young people. We will strive to make the game more affordable and accessible.” Simmonds noted that, after the HDA’s initial clashes with the NHL and coalition critics, the focus was renewed on grassroots efforts.

“We realized that everything starts at the beginning. If you can affect change from the beginning, then you save yourself more problems in the future,” he said.

Wayne Simmonds

The HDA’s first successful youth hockey program was in the Greater Toronto Area in 2022: free hockey clinics for children aged 6 to 15 from diverse communities. The HDA has held clinics for the past three years. Their initial pilot programs involved about 220 young athletes. Aliu estimates that the HDA has 1,500 young players involved in its programs “playing hockey completely free,” with programs lasting 22 to 26 weeks.

“The numbers speak for themselves. Around 45 to 50 of those players have gone on to play conventional competitive hockey as well. These are kids who develop more passion for the sport. The initial hurdle was just the introduction to hockey, and that’s what we’ve provided,” Kadri said.

Nazem Kadri

The HDA supports programs in the Greater Toronto Area, Montreal, and Halifax, and is launching one in Vancouver. Aliu mentioned that conversations have also been held about launching one in Chicago. The HDA reported that it has an 80% retention rate in its programs. Aliu explained that, although the HDA is dedicated to promoting “people of color, because I believe they have been largely overlooked for a long, long time,” the organization focuses on breaking down all barriers to entry for disadvantaged young people, especially economic ones.

“We just wanted to help kids who couldn’t afford to play hockey. Our programs have 40% girls. Our programs have 30% white kids. White kids can be poor, black kids can be poor, brown kids can be poor, Asian kids can be poor and not be able to access the game of hockey because of how financially demanding it is,” Aliu indicated.

Akim Aliu

Kadri indicated that his most rewarding experience with the HDA was listening to the families who have gone through the program.

“I’ve had people tell me that the HDA has helped their children make friends because of the camaraderie aspect of playing a sport they love. Just seeing the emotion on the faces of the parents when they tell us these stories, you realize: ‘OK, this is why we’re doing it’,” he said.

Nazem Kadri

What Does the HDA Seek to Achieve in the Next Five Years?

“We’re just trying to bring hockey to the world. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here. We’re trying to take a game that we love, but that has had some problems, and our game has problems and everyone knows it, and expand the game. The more we can expand the game, the better we can do it,” said Simmonds. Aliu acknowledges that “much is out of our control” regarding the future of the HDA.

“All we can do is keep pushing, keep growing, keep looking for financial opportunities. That’s really what it comes down to: people want to support a cause to help communities that have been largely overlooked,” he added.

Akim Aliu

Could some of that support come from the NHL? Currently, there is no formal relationship between the league, the Player Inclusion Coalition, and the Hockey Diversity Alliance.

Aliu acknowledged that it would be a “dream” for the HDA and the NHL to partner someday, but believes their goals can align.

“We are leveraging a lot of different demographics. It will increase the audience, it will increase the talent, it will increase all the things that matter to them. The hockey establishment is huge for us. If we are doing this together, I think we can get to a place where everyone feels welcome and safe in that space,” he explained.

Akim Aliu

Kadri, who is entering his 16th season in the NHL, stated that he has never experienced any friction with the league regarding his role in the HDA. He believes that both organizations have common goals and that a partnership is not impossible.

“Although we could do it in different ways, I think the end goal is very similar. One of these days, it could come true, but as of now, we are completely independent. And what a long road we have traveled,” Kadri concluded.

Nazem Kadri