A New Playbook for Inclusion
The Hockey Diversity Alliance (HDA) is turning its annual SummerFest in Toronto into a multi‑sport celebration this weekend, adding a football component to its usual mix of ball‑hockey and community activities.
Former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch will serve as a special guest, taking the field for a celebrity ball‑hockey match and running a hands‑on football clinic for young participants.
Founded in 2020 by current and former NHL players of color, the HDA has built a national network that provides free equipment, runs clinics and rents ice time to bring hockey to minority and underserved youth, spending roughly $1.1 million each year on these grassroots efforts.
SummerFest itself will feature live performances, carnival rides, and a fundraising gala, with a roster of athletes that includes sprinter Andre De Grasse, tennis star Bianca Andreescu, actor Luke Wilson and NBA veteran Serge Ibaka, all expected to mingle with fans.
HDA chairman Akim Aliu, a Nigerian‑born former pro hockey player who moved to Toronto at age seven, says the event reflects the organization’s growing impact, noting that its programs have already reached more than 2,000 lives; a 2022 graphic novel titled “Akim Aliu Dreamer: Growing Up Black in the World of Hockey” further chronicles his journey.