NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Harvard Athlete Ally Campus Chapter was honored at the 2023 Annual Athlete Ally Action Awards on Friday night at the Chelsea Piers in New York City. Athlete Ally is a nonprofit organization focused on fostering inclusive athletic environments and mobilizing the athletic community to champion LGBTQI+ equality.
From coordinating Pride Games to leading a powerful Trans+ Community event to its regular chapter study breaks, the Harvard Athlete Ally chapter has built a strong, welcoming, and engaged community. In addition, they have inspired other chapters to host regular chapter study breaks and other casual hangouts to foster community for LGBTQI+ athletes on their campuses.
"I couldn't be prouder of the work the Harvard Athlete Ally Campus Chapter has put in to ensure their campus athletic community has the education and resources to effectively champion LGBTQI+ inclusion," said Hudson Taylor, Founder and Executive Director of Athlete Ally, when the initial announcement was made in June. "Student athletes are on the frontlines of athlete activism, and our Harvard chapter members are leading the way forward for athletes and fans across the country."
"On behalf of the Harvard Athlete Ally Campus Chapter, we feel extremely proud to accept this Action Award," said Harvard College Athlete Ally Campus Chapter President Gabby DelPico in June. "This chapter would not be here without the work of my fellow founders Lara Schenk, Kaitlin Lampson, Keely Moy and our adviser, Erin West.
"Harvard's Athlete Ally Chapter has provided a much-needed sanctuary for queer athletes, creating a transformative space that challenges prevailing gender and sexuality stereotypes within athletics. We have strived to increase pride games and acceptance across all teams as well as support our trans community with our trans community event led by Kris King."
"Witnessing the remarkable growth of our community and the progress our chapter has allowed so many students to feel proud to be out at Harvard, including myself," DelPico added. "Not only has this club empowered me to fully embrace my identity as a queer athlete, but it has led me to realize being queer is my favorite thing about myself. By amplifying our presence and fostering inclusivity, we aspire to create a more welcoming environment where others can feel this large sense of pride as well.
"Our unwavering commitment to advocating for LGBTQ+ athletes will continue as we strive to create bigger and better events on our campus. Lastly, we extend our deepest gratitude to Athlete Ally and our dedicated advisors at Harvard for equipping us with the necessary support and resources to continue this fight."
About Athlete Ally and the Action Awards
Athlete Ally believes sport will change the world when it welcomes and empowers all people. As a leading national nonprofit working at the intersection of sport and LGBTQI+ equality, Athlete Ally works to end the structural and systemic oppression that isolates, excludes and endangers LGBTQI+ people in sport. We educate individuals and institutions to understand obstacles to inclusion for LGBTQI+ people and how they can build an inclusive culture within their athletic communities. We work to ensure sport governing bodies, teams and leagues adopt policies that reflect the diversity of their constituents. We incubate athlete activism to advance LGBTQI+ equality in and through sport.
The Action Awards celebrate the groundbreaking actions of organizations and individuals that help create LGBTQI+ inclusive athletic environments and eliminate anti-LGBTQI+ discrimination at large.The generous philanthropy of our dedicated Corporate Sponsors, Host Committees, and Board of Directors make this event possible.
