‘The conversation needs to happen’ Documentary spurs discussion of racism in hockey By: Joshua Frey-Sam Posted: 7:00 PM CST Friday, Feb. 17, 2023 Last Modified: 11:09 PM CST Friday, Feb. 17, 2023 Updates

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It was a night on which Black history was celebrated and past atrocities were acknowledged, earmarked by hope for a brighter future in sport.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights hosted Canada’s Game for All, Thursday evening.

The event was anchored by the screening of Black Ice, a 2022 documentary about the extensive history of anti-Black racism in hockey, and capped by a panel discussion with local Black athletes and professionals in sport.

The film, directed by Canadian Hubert Davis, is littered with eye-opening stories from past and current pro and minor hockey players, who document their experiences with overt and systemic racism in the sport, and spotlights the crucial role Black players had in shaping the game we watch today.

Included in the post-screening discussion was 15-year-old Adinah Sheppard, a hockey player with the Winnipeg Storm.

Sheppard, whose father was born in Trinidad, said she was called the N-word for the first time while on the ice as a 10-year-old. She’s had just one Black teammate in her seven years playing hockey and has never had a Black coach.

“I’ve never had a coach that looks like me,” Sheppard told the Free Press. “You sort of doubt yourself saying, ‘Can I really get to the next level? Can I get better? What are they thinking about me? Am I getting judged off my race or my ability?’”

Sheppard explained her experiences with racism aren’t as blatant anymore, often coming in the form of micro-aggressions. She said she resonated with many stories told by the women in the film, adding she’s had some awkward and difficult conversations with teammates about her being a person of colour in a white-dominated sport. Sheppard’s hope was Thursday’s discussion would help spark a change.

“I’ve never had a coach that looks like me… You sort of doubt yourself saying, ‘Can I really get to the next level? Can I get better? What are they thinking about me? Am I getting judged off my race or my ability?’”–Adinah Sheppard, Winnipeg Storm player

“When I was younger, I didn’t realize how I was supposed to talk to my teammates and how I needed to stick up for myself. But now I’ve been realizing that this is what I need to do for the problem to stop for the next generation,” Sheppard said. “This is a start because I think the conversation needs to happen, and it can’t be behind closed doors. I think it’s great to see this being broadcasted and this problem being brought up.”

Educator Michelle Jean-Paul served as Thursday’s moderator while Dr. Leisha Strachan, one of the top 100 Accomplished Black Canadian (ABC) Women in 2022, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, the Haitian-born captain of Valour FC, Winnipeg’s Canadian Premier League side, and Craig Brown, a Jamaican-born performance assistant with Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba, rounded out the panel.

Brown, who represented Anti-Racism in Sport Winnipeg at the event, has aided athletes with mental performance since 2018.

He explained a local study that was conducted by the organization, which examined the experiences of Black people in sport through focus groups (athletes, officials, coaches and administrators). The results yielded evidence of detachment from sport, trauma and psychological scars that have inhibited some peoples’ ability to enjoy sports.

“One of the good things that have happened with our campaign is the fact that we actually have tangible, empirical information that documents the experiences of racism in sport here in Winnipeg,” Brown said. “Events like this help to bring across the notion that this is not a fad. This is not just something that happened because of George Floyd.

“This is the reality that many people experience and go through, and to have the ability to have these discussions and see how we can chart a way forward for everyone so we can make sport a safe space for everyone, it’s monumental, in my mind.”

Jean-Baptiste said he didn’t think the film “was going to hit such a hard place at home for (him).” He shared experiences of growing up in a town dominated by a Hispanic population, where saying the N-word had become commonplace. He admitted to biting his tongue in many instances of racism that occurred on the pitch out of fear for the possible ramifications it could have on his career.

In a final statement on the panel, Jean-Baptiste acknowledged the diversity among the audience members at the event. He said his teammates rallied around him during times he experienced overt racism and that the atmosphere at the event drew similar feelings of support.

“I loved it because in the fight (against) racism, Black people are still a minority,” Jean-Baptiste said. “It’s naive to think that we will make the progress by ourselves so we need everybody from different ethnicities to help fight this battle. “In every great war, there were allies. This is probably one of the biggest ones right now for us, and we’re going to need allies.”

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jfreysam

Joshua Frey-Sam
Reporter

Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh.

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