Patriot League Announces 2022 Pursuit of Anti-Racism Weekends

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Story Links BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Patriot League student-athletes, coaches and staff will show their commitment to the pursuit of Anti-Racism during contests held on consecutive weekends beginning on Saturday, Feb. 5. During contests over the two weekends, more than 1,600 student-athletes, coaches and staff on nearly 50 Patriot League programs will wear special warm-up shirts adorned with a Black fist surrounded by 10 stars to represent each of the League’s member institutions and the phrase “Pursuing Anti-Racism.” The back of the shirt will feature the words “Unity, Respect, Activism” to signify the values ​​under which the League will continue to pursue the goal of Anti-Racism. Patriot League men’s and women’s indoor track and field and swimming and diving programs, along with wrestling teams from American and Bucknell, will commemorate the League’s Pursuit of Anti-Racism during the weekends of Feb. 5 and Feb. 12. Men’s and women’s basketball teams will observe the commitment during the weekend of Feb. 12. “These weekends represent the continuation of our shared commitment toward the pursuit of Anti-Racism and dedication to social justice,” Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel said. “We are proud to support the voices of our student-athletes, coaches and staff members and the daily work being done to influence change on our campuses and in our communities.” Several Patriot League swimming and diving programs and the Lafayette and Lehigh track and field teams previously showed their support for the League’s pursuit of Anti-Racism during competitions on Saturday, Jan. 29. The unified message from the student-athletes, coaches and staff is the League’s continued widespread support for the cause of Anti-Racism. The effort began in February 2021 with the League’s men’s and women’s basketball programs and continued to include all teams competing during the spring in April of 2021. The League’s commemoration of this goal continues to be advocated by the Patriot League’s Student-Athletes of Color (SAOC ) Leadership Council, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and the League’s Anti-Racism Commission. “I am very proud that the Patriot League is continuing to support people of color and the pursuit towards Anti-Racism,” said Mikajah Hayes, a Boston University women’s track and field student-athlete and the chair of the League’s SAOC. “This work is a continuous cycle of education and self-evaluation, and the Pursuit towards Anti-Racism weekend is another representation of the Patriot League’s commitment to learning and bettering our community.Having over 1,600 student-athletes, coaches, and staff members take part in this effort is a testament to how dedicated we all are for providing equity and respect for all people regardless of how they identify.” “There is an amazing strength in the power of uniting all of our institutions under the pursuit of Anti-Racism,” said Jamie Zamrin, a Lehigh women’s track and field student-athlete and the chair of the Patriot League SAAC. “We are telling all of my fellow Black and Brown student-athletes that they are heard, they are appreciated, and that we will continue fighting for equality on our campuses. These shirts represent all of the combined efforts of my fellow student-athletes in making our campuses more equitable and inclusive for all within our shared pursuit of Anti-Racism.” In addition to the warm-up shirts, messaging from the Patriot League Anti-Racism Commission will be displayed in competition venues, voiced during game broadcasts and on the League’s social media channels. ABOUT THE WARM-UP SHIRT AND ANTI-RACISM LOGO The decision to develop the logo and the warm-up shirt in 2021 was based on widespread support from the Patriot League’s men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes as a symbol of their dedication to supporting Black and Brown communities. The design was a collaborative effort that originated with former women’s basketball student-athletes Mary Clougherty (Lehigh), Katie Rice (Lehigh) and Abby Kapp (Bucknell) on behalf of the Patriot League Basketball Social Justice Coalition, a group comprised of Patriot League men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes. The student-athletes worked with the League office staff members and the Patriot League Anti-Racism Commission to design the logo and warm-up shirt that the student-athletes wore during the weekends of Feb. 20-21 and April 9-11 in 2021. ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUEThe Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.

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