Pens recognize Hockey is for Everyone

The Penguins were originally set to host their first-ever Pride Night tonight (March 24) at PPG Paints Arena as part of their season-long 'Hockey is for Everyone' initiative.
And though the NHL season is currently paused, we still wanted to take a moment to salute the LQBTQIA community as the Penguins and other NHL teams promote safety and inclusion for all who participate in the sport - athletes, coaches and fans.

Penguins goaltender Matt Murray did just that by auctioning off his unique game-used mask, pads, glove and blocker from the 2018 Stadium Series to benefit the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh - which is dedicated to improving the quality of life and visibility of the LGBTQIA community in the area. His hope was that by auctioning off his Stadium Series gear, he could provide extra assistance to the Delta Foundation.
"I've been the team's ambassador for 'Hockey is for Everyone' for a while, so I've gotten to spend a little bit of time with some of the people from the Delta Foundation," Murray said earlier this season.
"It's just another great cause and something that I'm passionate about. I just want everybody to feel like they're included and part of something bigger. I know hockey has done a lot to progress that mindset, but there's still a long way to go, I think. I just want to help in any way I can."
The NHL's "Hockey is for Everyone" initiative uses the game of hockey to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, disability, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. In addition to honoring the LGBTQIA community, we also wanted to take a look back at some of the other highlights from the season-long initiative.
The Penguins were set to host "Her Hockey Day" on Sunday to honor all girls and women in hockey, from the littlest Penguins fans to the inspiring women forever changing the game. I took a look back at some of the great achievements and events that have happened on that side of the game over the past year. The full story can be read here.
The Penguins also hosted 'Black Hockey History Day' on Jan. 31, which consisted of a full day of activities highlighted by the NHL's Black Hockey History mobile museum stopping at Miller African Centered Academy in the Hill District.
"As the NHL has said, 'Hockey is for everyone,'" said Tracey McCants Lewis, the Penguins' deputy general counsel and director of HR. "So, we just wanted to expose children in the African-American community to hockey and to let them know that they can play hockey. Exposure builds interest, and then from that interest - seeing black players in that museum and seeing that representation - those kids are going to look and see black hockey players."
That day, the Penguins also hosted special guests that included members of the national Black Girl Hockey Club. The two organizations teamed up to co-host a special screening of "Soul on Ice: Past, Present and Future," a 2016 documentary that tells the history of black hockey players in the U.S. and Canada at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center.
"We have female black hockey players here," McCants Lewis said in January. "A little girl can look and say, 'I can play hockey too! If she plays hockey, I can do it.' That's what we want to build. We want to build momentum. At the end of this weekend kids will see that they can play hockey, be a hockey fan and even work for a hockey club. Representation matters."
The full story can be read here.
The Penguins also hosted "Hockey Day in America" on Feb. 16, which was a celebration of all levels of Pittsburgh amateur hockey - including sled hockey, special hockey, blind hockey and the Pittsburgh Warriors Disabled Veterans Hockey Team.