The Black Girl Hockey Club (BGHC) has been awarded $29,000 worth of scholarships for the summer of 2022 by the NHL, demonstrating the franchise's desire to make hockey a more inclusive sport. The $29k was split between nine young players who were selected based on how their hockey careers would most benefit from a financial boost.
BGHC was established in 2018 by Renee Hess, the Associate Director of Service Learning at La Sierra University. Hess has established herself as a leader in efforts against racism. In a point-based document written in June of 2020, Hess shares, "Class, privilege, racism, and homophobia exist in our community and we must challenge this."
According to the NHL, the winners of the previously mentioned scholarship fund include Lincoln Brown, with a decorated history of playing a Forward position for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings. Another winner is Camille Patterson, who once played a Forward and Defenseman for the Anaheim Lady Ducks. A few of the winners, including Brown, are two-time awardees for scholarship funds like these.
