Colorado Avalanche Work with Local Teens to Design Jersey for Pride Night

For Pride Night, the Colorado Avalanche partnered with the Museum of Contemporary Arts Education Programs to have two teen interns design a jersey that represented Pride in their eyes.

"I thought it was really cool for us to have this opportunity as teenagers to work on a jersey for this big hockey team,” Maddy explained.

The teens approached the jersey with the goal of shining a light on LGBTQ+ figures and history. On the front of the jersey, there are green and purple flowers, used to represent the flowers that were used to quietly communicate sexuality among gay men and women in the late 19th century.  Down the sleeves, there are felt mountains in the colors of the Progress Pride Flag. The back features a fabric painting of a swan, in honor of William Dorsey Swann, the first Drag Queen. The back of the jersey also prominently displays names of less-known queer figures, including people in their own community.

When discussing the importance of Avalanche Pride Night to them and their community, Sally said, "I think it's really important that a big sports team is acknowledging our existence, really, and how that can affect so many things." She continued, "A lot of people might think, 'Oh it’s a sports team, why are y'all getting into this, it's something that should be kept separate.' But I think what a lot of people don't realize, is queerness is something that affects every aspect of our lives."

Madelyn (Maddy) is an artist who currently lives in Denver. They love to experiment with different art mediums, with their favorites being Digital Art, murals, and jewelry design. They also enjoy using their art as a form of activism. You can find their work on Instagram @planetartbymadelyn. 

Sally is a 17-year-old artist from Colorado. Her work mostly consists of drawing, oil painting, and poetry. You can find her work on Instagram at @sockssula.