A prominent National Hockey League personality hopes to inspire young people to learn how their voice can make a difference in the sport and beyond.
Kim Davis, the NHL’s executive vice-president of social impact, growth initiatives and legislative affairs, addressed a crowd of more than 100 young people at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights on Wednesday in Winnipeg.
The theme of the conference was “Raise Our Voices,” and that’s exactly what Davis encouraged all the young people in attendance to do, even though it can be scary to do so.
“The concept of being fearless is not that you are not afraid, but…even though you are afraid, you still persevere,” Davis said.
With scandals in Soccer and hockeyIt has been a difficult year for young athletes.
Davis says young people speaking out on previously untouchable topics such as racial and sexual inequality, as well as sexual assault, are brave and will only help shape the future.
That comes with more diversity and inclusion, which she says forms a symbiotic relationship that produces dignity, something everyone wants.
“I think we’re always better when we have more diverse voices in any room,” Davis said. “We often hear people talk about the importance of representation and it’s not just because we want to have diversity, because inclusion means different perspectives from people’s lived experiences.”
Young people are the future leaders of Canada and around the world. The need to shape their views and expectations, while minimizing cynicism around what is possible, will only prepare organizations, institutions and society more broadly for the future, says Davis.
“If you create representation without worrying about inclusion, you put people at risk of failure,” she said.
Many of the young people present came from a variety of backgrounds and practiced sports.
Sanveer Singh came to Winnipeg two years ago from the United Arab Emirates.
The 16-year-old plays a multitude of sports, including hockey and soccer, and he feels the event provided him with a good opportunity to learn more about hockey and his background.
“I learned that leadership isn’t just about playing a sport and leading a team,” Singh said. “It’s about respecting everyone’s opinion and the decision they make for the team and how they play for the team.”
Haley Bennink, 13, plays volleyball on a team made up of diverse athletes.
Bennink understands how important it is for sports to be safe.
“I know for myself that if I’m not comfortable I can’t play to the best of my abilities and things, so if I’m comfortable I’ll play better,” he said. she declared. “It’s good for you to have a team that you can rely on for things.”
Congratulations Jets Ownership Group
Although Davis said the NHL is a work in progress, she applauded the work True North Sports and Entertainment – which owns the Winnipeg Jets – has done to promote diversity and inclusivity.
“I think they’ve learned a lot about how they need to make sure they’re culturally available in different communities, and I see them leaning into that in a much more intentional way,” Davis said.
Kevin Chief, co-founder of the Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre, which helped organize Wednesday’s event with the True North Youth Foundation, says True North has sought advice from the Aboriginal community and other cultural groups in Winnipeg.
Celebrating the importance of diversity is also essential.
“We’re at our best when we do that through the voices and talents of children, youth and our elders. And I think that’s the approach True North has taken,” Chief said.
He believes that young people cannot simply be told that anything is possible. You have to show them that it is.
And the chief said Davis did this for the kids at the Museum of Human Rights.
“It doesn’t even really matter what her answers are because she’s sitting here talking to them…she’s really become the face of the National Hockey League, it’s really impressive.”
“We have to make sure that we put these things on the agenda, that we feature people like Kim Davis,” Chief said.
“We have the opportunity to bring out people like [Winnipeg Jets co-owner] Mark Chipman in the business community to be able to highlight this so that young people know that their lived experiences, the struggles they go through, whether it’s racism or struggles against poverty, that they know they can overcome these things, and that there are people who have their backs.”
WATCH | Young people learn how they can make a difference in sport:
With scandals in football and hockey, it has been a difficult year for youth sport. Still, some hope to inspire young people to make a difference in the future.
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