The Hockey Diversity Alliance began as a group chat five years ago among NHL players of color discussing civil rights and equality in hockey. It is now hosting Summer Fest in Toronto, attracting over 2,200 attendees from diverse backgrounds. Founding member Akim Aliu emphasized that the efforts are not for personal gain but focused on benefiting families and communities. Wayne Simmonds noted the event is a culmination of five years of grassroots efforts. The event will feature ball hockey, food, and carnival activities for kids, with many NHL and sports figure attendees.
"We just want to continue to show off the amazing work that we're doing. None of us gain anything from this personally, financially, or in any type of way. It's just the families and communities that continue to blossom and grow through our program."
"Obviously, it was a struggle at the start for us, trying to gain traction and everything like that. But I think we've really been able to sink our teeth into the grassroots level, and that's kind of where we really wanted to start."
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