Program	Target Audience	Keywords	School/Conference
#BEOREGON initiative	student-athletes; campus community	awareness; campaign; inclusion; visibility	University of Oregon
The Male Success Initiative	students of color; student-athletes of color	men of color; minority athlete engagement; campus organization	Central Washington University
Not In Our Kittco: Promoting Inclusive Communities	campus community; community	organization; campus outreach; community; anti-bullying; hate-crimes	Central Washington University
Chavez-King Leadership Institute	students; student-athletes	leadership development; advocacy; social justice	Central Washington University
We Are One Team (WA1T)	campus staff and administrators; faculty; athletics administrators; coaches	student organization; student-athlete involvement; campus	Bowling Green State University
WA1T Our Voices Speaker Series	student-athletes; campus community; community	speaker series; awareness; student-athlete development	Bowling Green State University
WA1T Team Player Program for Inclusive Leadership	student-athletes	student-athlete leadership development; certificate; programming	Bowling Green State University
WA1T Photo Campaign	student-athletes; campus community; community	photo campaign; awareness; visibility	Bowling Green State University
WA1T Sporting Days	student-athletes; international students; campus community	campus connection; campus outreach; international student-athletes	Bowling Green State University
Student-Athlete Multicultural Reception	campus staff and administrators; faculty; athletics administrators; coaches	campus outreach; partnerships	Bowling Green State University
You Can Play Project	student-athletes; campus community; community	awareness; campaign; video; lgbtq; lgbt	Various
Athlete Ally	athletics department; athletics administrators; governing bodies in sport	organization; lgbt; lgbtq; inclusion training; inclusion policies	Various

 

#BEOREGON initiative

The #BEOREGON initiative, a partnership between the University of Oregon and Nike, is a call to action for all student-athletes at the university to be their most authentic selves. The initiative, which was inspired by the Nike BeTrue campaign, includes game nights for various athletic teams and supports workshops and trainings for staff, coaches and student-athletes. People at games and in the department are also invited to complete BEOREGON pledge cards, defining what BEOREGON means to them personally.

• #BEOREGON Game Nights
• #BEOREGON Panel Discussions (e.g., "Being a Student-Athlete of Color at UO")
• Pledge Cards

Resa Lovelace
Director of Student-Athlete Developet, University of Oregon
rlovela9@uoregon.edu
541-346-5740

 

The Male Success Initiative

The Male Success Initiative (MSI) is a collaborative partnership between the following offices and areas at Central Washington University: Campus Life, Africana and Black Studies, The Center for Latino and Latin American Studies, President's Office, Chief Diversity Office, Office of Public Affairs, Student Medical and Counseling Clinic, Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, and Intercollegiate Athletic Department. The MSI is a student success initiative aimed at improving the educational outcomes of men of color at Central Washington University. The initiative's goal is to make a significant improvement in male students' satisfaction, academic performance, campus engagement, and retention and graduation rates with qualitative and quantitative measures of program success. The MSI hosts a number of programs, events, and activities designed to provide men of color with the skills that are necessary for success in the Academy.

Dr. Dennis Francois
Director of Athletics
Central Washington University
francoisd@cwu.edu
509-963-1945

 

Not In Our Kittco: Promoting Inclusive Communities

Central Washington University Athletics has been actively involved in Not In Our Kittco. Not in Our KittCo (NIOKC) formed in fall of 2016, following the distribution of KKK fliers on campus and in the community. The group is comprised of CWU students, faculty and staff, and the community, with a steering committee and strong following through a listserv and social media. It is affiliated with the national Not In Our Town movement, which aims to "Stop Hate. Together." The purpose of NIOKC is to find ways to serve all members of our communities in Kittitas County, inclusive of schools, the university, and residents as well as visitors to our valley. The work aligns specifically with CWU's core themes of Inclusiveness and Diversity and Public Service and Community Engagement. The University, through its involvement and support of NIOKC efforts, has received positive coverage in the media and with those affected by the constantly shifting political and social landscape. Commitment and attention to respect, inclusivity and safety serves our changing demographics at the university, which includes more than 30% students of color. NIOKC's work directly addresses CWU's core themes of inclusiveness and safety and contributes to student success, engagement and access by demonstrating that this is a place where ALL are welcome and valued.

• November 14, 2016: CWU students, student-athletes, and NIOKC organized a peace march that was attended by over 600 people.
• November 29, 2016: NIOKC sponsored a community forum attended by about 300 people. Topics included the history of white supremacy in the US and Pacific Northwest (led by scholar from WSU), tipsfor responding to racism (led by outreach director from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)), and local issues addressed by a city government and law enforcement panel who answered questions from the audience.
• February 13, 2017: NIOKC hosted Lecia Brooks from the SPLC. The event included a discussion with students, one with faculty, and an open forum for the community that drew about 400 people.
• June 2 to July 1, 2017: NIOKC co-sponsored an exhibition by Guggenheim Fellow Paul Rucker, and developing a community discussion at its close.

Dr. Dennis Francois
Director of Athletics
Central Washington University
francoisd@cwu.edu
509-963-1945

 

Chavez-King Leadership Institute

The Chavez-King Leadership Institute seeks to foster a generation of active and engaged leaders who will collaborate in meaningful community service opportunities to address issues that threaten the well-being of our community. The institute will provide student leaders with education, resources, training, and
experiences that instill a commitment to civic responsibility and cultivate the necessary skills for effective leadership, professional development, and personal enrichment. Embracing the legacy and philosophy of civil rights activists, members will continue the vision of connecting leaders to their communities while broadening their knowledge base related to advocacy, policy and public support.

Focus Areas:

• Skill Building: Identify and strengthen individual and group leadership skills through self-assessment, servant leadership opportunities, and active engagement on campus and in the community.
• Servant Leadership: Understand the philosophy, and set into practice, the concept, ideas, and principles of serving and leadership with a primary focus of building individuals and community.
• Mentoring: Serve as a role model to college peers and the community through developmental relationships of guidance and knowledge, while benefiting from positively influencing others, exposure to new and diverse environments and opportunities, and enhancement of communication, leadership, and social skills.
• Team Building: Build meaningful relationships with peers, leaders, and community members, while developing skills to perform and lead in group settings. In addition, develop and implement leadership and community service opportunities in collaboration with clubs, organizations, and community partners to produce constructive change.
• Commitment to Social Justice: Construct an awareness and understanding of the meaning of social justice, while developing a commitment to service.

Dr. Dennis Francois
Director of Athletics
Central Washington University
francoisd@cwu.edu
509-963-1945

 

We Are One Team (WA1T)

We Are One Team (WA1T) is an umbrella initiative for multiple  projects that promote diversity, inclusion, and social justice through sport, including but not limited to projects addressing gender inequality, LGBTQ+ issues, racism & racist assumptions, sexism & sexist assumptions, body & body image, disability, religion, and stereotypes in general. We Are One Team (WA1T) is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the United States.

The following four core goals guide the work of We Are One Team (WA1T) at BGSU:

1. Use sport to create a dialogue on diversity, inclusion, and social justice issues by highlighting marginalized voices and by creating awareness of social injustice in our community
2. Use sport to promote friendship between stereotyped groups on campus
3. Use sport to facilitate an environment that values inclusion, diversity, and acceptance
4. Use sport to create a strong network of partners, collaborators, and supporters to collaboratively create positive social change at BGSU and beyond

As a truly interdisciplinary and interdepartmental initiative, it brings together more than 25 different offices, departments, schools, activist groups, and student organizations at BGSU. For its pioneering work, the initiative was honored with the 2017 NCAA Award for Diversity and Inclusion.

Since its launch in the fall of 2015, We Are One Team (WA1T) has launched a speaker series focused on social justice issues in sport, has created a social media photo campaign for people to take a stand against injustice and discrimination, has developed the WA1T Sporting Day series bringing together two of the most isolated groups on campus (student-athletes and international students), has held its inaugural WA1T Team Run/Walk, and has created the WA1T Team Player Program, which is an inclusive leadership certificate program specifically designed for student-athletes.

Chet Hesson
Assistant AD for Academics and Student Services
chesson@bgsu.edu
419-372-0435

 

We Are One Team (WA1T): WA1T Our Voices Speaker Series

The "WA1T: Our Voices" speaker series is an educational series that features speakers from the BGSU community, the Bowling Green community, or outside guests who have experience with social justice issues in sport. The goal of each "WA1T: Our Voices" event is to provide a space for critical dialogue on diversity, inclusion, and social justice by using sport as a platform to create awareness of social injustice and to highlight marginalized voices in the sports community.

Past "WA1T: Our Voices" speaker series events include:

"Robbie Rogers: Coming Out to Play"

The event's speaker was Robbie Rogers, a former member of the U.S. men's soccer national team who made history by becoming the first openly gay male athlete to compete in one of the five major North American sports leagues. During the presentation, Rogers shared his story of becoming a trailblazing, out and proud professional soccer player.

"Jessica Long: The Story of a Paralympic Prodigy"

The event's speaker was Jessica Long, the second most-decorated Paralympian in U.S. history. In her presentation, Long shared her experience from being born with fibular hemimelia to becoming a 13-time Paralympic gild medalist.

"What Does it Mean to be a Transgender Athlete? The Story of an Athlete in Transition"

The event's speaker was Brent Darah, member of the BGSU cross country team, who made history as the first transgender cross country athlete in the NCAA. Brent's presentation aimed at increasing awareness of transgender identity and was attended by over 160 members of the BGSU and Bowling Green communities.

"Celebrating the Legacy of Muhammad Ali at BGSU"

The event featured speakers from the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky, who shared strategies on how members of the BGSU and Bowling Green community can honor the legacy of Muhammad Ali to truly make a change in their community.

Chet Hesson
Assistant AD for Academics and Student Services
chesson@bgsu.edu
419-372-0435

 

We Are One Team (WA1T): WA1T Team Player Program for Inclusive Leadership

In the fall of 2017, We Are One Team (WA1T) launched the WA1T Team Player Program, a first-of-its-kind inclusive leadership certificate specifically designed for student-athletes at the university. The program was developed by  members of WA1T in collaboration with the university's Office of Multicultural Affairs and Center for Leadership. The WA1T Team Player Program is a certificate program designed specifically for student-athletes to gain valuable skills to become inclusive leaders in their respective teams, the BGSU and Bowling Green community, as well as their future careers. The program is designed to encourage and prepare student-athletes to utilize sport as a platform to promote diversity and inclusion. The year-long program consists of nine sessions and WA1T Team Players will meet on a monthly basis throughout the academic year.

Topics for the nine sessions of the WA1T Team Player Program focus on student-athlete identity, team dynamics, social norms, inclusive  media literacy, privilege, and social justice.

Chet Hesson
Assistant AD for Academics and Student Services
chesson@bgsu.edu
419-372-0435

 

We Are One Team (WA1T): WA1T Photo Campaign

The We Are One Team (WA1T) photo campaign features BGSU and Bowling Green community members who share the initiative's vision and want to join its efforts to promote diversity, inclusion, and social justice through sport at BGSU. The campaign allows BGSU students, athletes, faculty, administrators, staff, and Bowling Green community members to share messages that highlight diversity, inclusion, and acceptance through the use of sport ideals, metaphors, language, or contexts.

All campaign pictures features the campaign's theme "... because WE ARE ONE
TEAM" at the bottom of the picture. Photo campaign examples include:

• Abbie, Alex & Juli (BGSU Women's Soccer Players) shared the message "We kick out bad stereotypes ... because WE ARE ONE TEAM"
• Kayla & Mandy (BGSU Swimmers) shared the message "We don't exclude others because of their differences ... because WE ARE ONE TEAM"
• Laura (BGSU Women's Soccer Player) shared the message "Let's show discrimination the red card ... because WE ARE ONE TEAM"

To date, the photo campaign includes more than 35 pictures, all of which can be accessed on the We Are One Team (WA1T) Facebook page (www.facebook.com/WeAreOneTeamBG).

Chet Hesson
Assistant AD for Academics and Student Services
chesson@bgsu.edu
419-372-0435

 

We Are One Team (WA1T): WA1T Sporting Days

On each WA1T Sporting Day, a BGSU team invites international students to their facilities to learn about their sport, have them try out the sport, play with student-athletes, do some sample practice drills, socialize, and get a "behind the scenes" look about the sport. As such, the Sporting Days are specifically designed to bring together two of the most isolated groups on campus: international students and student-athletes. The Sporting Day series had its kick-off with BGSU Football during New International Student Orientation in August 2015 and was very successful -- with over 70 international students attending the event. Since then, We Are One Team (WA1T) has continued to partner up with BGSU Athletics and International Student Services to host a variety of Sporting Days throughout the academic year. Among the teams that have participated in the We Are One Team (WA1T) Sporting Days series are BGSU women's and men's soccer, gymnastics and the swim & dive team.

WA1T Sporting Days were held with the following sports:

• BGSU Football during new international student orientation
• BGSU women's Swim & Dive and women's gymnastics as part of the annual Women's History Month celebrations
• BGSU women's and men's soccer

Chet Hesson
Assistant AD for Academics and Student Services
chesson@bgsu.edu
419-372-0435

 

Student-Athlete Multicultural Reception

Each year, BGSU Athletics hosts a Student-Athlete Multicultural Reception as a venue for student-athletes to embrace diversity and celebrate differences, connect with campus resources related to diversity and inclusion (e.g., Office of Multicultural Affairs, LGBTQ Resource Center, etc.), and get to know student organizations that have a focus on diversity and inclusion.

In the past, the reception has featured keynote speakers such as Jay Mulucha, transgender basketball player and activist from Uganda.

Chet Hesson
Assistant AD for Academics and Student Services
chesson@bgsu.edu
419-372-0435

 

You Can Play Project

You Can Play is a non-profit organization that works to ensure safety and inclusion for all who participate in sports, including LGBTQ athletes, coaches, and fans. You Can Play believes sports teams should focus on an athlete’s skills, work ethic, and competitive spirit, not their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Education & Resources:

• Speaking events about diversity and LGBTQ inclusion
• Curriculum development and customized Playbooks

Programs & Events:

• You Can Play Nights at professional, collegiate, and community games
• Professional partnership programs, such as the Hi-Five Initiative
• International and regional events (Pride parades, community fairs)

Communications & Media:

• You Can Play videos posted on website and social media
• Crisis communication management
• Media talking points for leagues and partners

Example videos can be accessed here:
http://www.youcanplayproject.org/videos/index

 

LGBT SportSafe

LGBT SportSafe Inclusion Program was developed to create an infrastructure for athletic administrators, coaches and recreational sports leaders to support LGBTQ inclusion in college, high school, and professional sports. LGBT SportSafe Inclusion Program utilizes a new benchmarking framework, the 3-Peat Model, to help athletic leadership champion a culture of respect and inclusion. The 3-Peat Model addresses the importance of Programming, Policy and Public Awareness at all levels of sport, while offering incentives to institutions, teams and leagues that reach inclusion goals.

• Programming: Inclusion training for coaches and administrators
• Policy: Help in researching/drafting LGBT inclusive policies
• LGBT SportSafe Medallion to show the community you are a champion of LGBTQ equality. Medallions are awarded based on reaching specific inclusion goals.
• All members listed in the LGBT SportSafe National Registry of inclusive athletic communities.
• Exclusive access to Coaches Corner: A comprehensive online resource for LGBTQ inclusion in college, professional, club and youth sports.
• Subscription to the quarterly e-newsletter with exclusive content, interviews, and best practices.

Nevin Caple
LGBT SportSafe Co-Founder
nevin@lgbtsportsafe.com
917-445-2014

 

Athlete Ally

Athlete Ally believes that everyone should have equal access, opportunity, and experience in sports — regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The mission of Athlete Ally is to end the rampant homophobia and transphobia in sport and to activate the athletic community to exercise their leadership to champion LGBTQ equality. Athlete Ally educates athletic communities at all levels — sport governing bodies, teams, and individual athletes — to understand obstacles to inclusion for LGBTQ people in sports and how they can build inclusive communities on their teams or within their organizations.

Education

Athlete Ally holds trainings across the country on college campuses, with front office staff of major sports leagues and institutions like the NBA, NCAA and the MLB and with individual athletes. The organization has partnered with teams in major cities like Seattle, New York, and Washington D.C., to host Pride Nights and raise awareness about LGBTQ issues. In 2018, Athlete Ally will be launching an online curriculum so coaches and athletic departments will be able to learn about critical issues facing LGBTQ athletes and build concrete skills on how to create an inclusive environment for all.

Policy

Athlete Ally works to ensure athletic communities are as LGBTQ inclusive as they should be. It works closely with teams and institutions like the NCAA to develop clear and accessible policies around LGBTQ inclusion. In 2012, Athlete Ally co-authored with Dr. Pat Griffin the NCAA’s first LGBTQ equality guide — Champions for Equality — for college coaches, athletes, and administrators. In 2017, Athlete Ally launched the Athletic Equality Index (AEI) to measure LGBTQ inclusion policies and practices in the NCAA’s Power Five conferences.

Advocacy

Athlete Ally incubates athlete activism through its Ambassador Program and organizes platforms for athletes and sports institutions to advance LGBTQ civil rights, including mobilizing athletes and teams to voice their opposition to laws and policies that discriminate against LGBTQ people.

Hudson Taylor
Founder, Executive Director & Board Member