Each June, the Capital Pride Alliance produces the annual Capital Pride Parade here in Washington, and for the second consecutive year, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, and our teams, were incredibly proud to be a part of this community celebration this weekend. The Capitals’ Braden Holtby and the Mystics’ Natasha Cloud and Ivory Latta joined about 100 MSE staff in walking in the parade and handing out beads and team giveaways. The players and the MSE contingent were sporting special edition Capitals, Mystics and Wizards Pride t-shirts for the occasion – and if you hurry, you can get one, too, at https://represent.com/store/msepride. The shirts feature rainbow team logos and are available for $24.99 each until June 30th. Proceeds benefit the You Can Play Project (And anyone who purchases a Mystics T-shirt will also receive a voucher redeemable for four tickets to a 2017 Washington Mystics regular season home game!)
You Can Play is an organization dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, coaches and fans, without regard to sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It works to guarantee that athletes are given a fair opportunity to compete, judged by other athletes and fans alike, only by what they contribute to the sport or their team’s success. You Can Play seeks to challenge the culture of locker rooms and spectator areas by focusing only on an athlete’s skills, work ethic and competitive spirit. For more information on You Can Play, go to http://www.youcanplayproject.org/. The Monumental Sports and Entertainment Foundation is proud to have already donated more than $30,000 to You Can Play in the past year, and last year we raised over $17,500 for the group through our t-shirt sales. We’re hoping to beat that number this year!
Our employees and players had a blast on Saturday. ““I’m proud to work for an organization that is so connected to the community,” said Liz Pace, Executive Director of the Monumental Sports and Entertainment Foundation. “I loved participating in the parade, feeling the energy of the crowd and walking side-by-side with MSE staff, athletes and fans. On behalf of MSE Foundation, we are thrilled to continue our support of You Can Play, an organization working to make sports an inclusive experience for everyone who plays. We’ve already donated $30,000 to You Can Play and look forward to raising more for the organization this year through the sale of Capitals, Mystics and Wizards Pride T-shirts.”
This was Holtby’s second year walking in the parade, and he again this year received the Ally Award from the Capital Pride Alliance committee for his efforts to promote respect and equality for all people.
This event is a highlight for us every year as a company, and we look forward to continuing to work with Capital Pride Alliance and You Can Play to advance our belief that sports is a place where everyone is welcome.
