The Humber Polytechnic women's basketball team dedicated their home opener on October 30 to raising awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Two-Spirit individuals (MMIW2S+).
The initiative was led by Kalani Thomas, an Indigenous student-athlete at Humber.
"I wanted to dedicate our home opener to MMIW2S+ because it's a critical issue that Indigenous communities have been facing for generations," Thomas shared.
MMIW2S+ is an urgent and ongoing crisis and the disproportionate rates of violence and systemic neglect faced by Indigenous people, particularly by law enforcement, call for immediate and meaningful action.
The significance of this initiative lies in its ability to raise awareness within the broader community. It's a way to honour the lives of Indigenous people who have been murdered or gone missing as well as the families who continue to feel the impact.
"Beyond just raising awareness, I wanted this game to educate and advocate for my people," Thomas explained.
The women's basketball team will wear special warmup jerseys honouring MMIW2S+ at select home games throughout the season. Last year, the Humber Hawks men's and women's rugby teams started wearing jerseys designed by a youth-run Indigenous streetwear brand.
Thomas also shared the personal connection she feels to this cause.
"I've been surrounded by Indigenous people all my life. I grew up on a native reserve not far from Humber and sometimes I still feel homesick because of the close-knit community I come from. It's comforting to have other Indigenous people such as Teija Wareham and my assistant coach Amber Bechard around me on the court. They provide a sense of comfort, knowing I'm not alone on this journey. Both have great insight, on and off the court. I'm so grateful to have people who understand where I come from and who I can share my stories with."
Bechard, assistant coach of the Humber women's basketball team, shared how the entire women's basketball program fully supported Thomas' initiative from the moment it was proposed.
"When Kalani came forward with this idea, the entire team was on board. In addition, Quazance Boissoneau and the Indigenous Education and Engagement team immediately supported the initiative, promoting the event and attending the game to cheer us on from the front row. It was truly an impactful event that gave our home opener even more meaning, bringing awareness to the MMIW2S+ crisis," said Bechard. "Coaching at Humber goes beyond just being a basketball coach. I understand the platform that coaching at Humber Polytechnic provides and, together, we plan to continue using it to make a difference and bring awareness to important issues."
The Hawks are next in action when they host the St. Clair Saints on November 30.
Find out more about the Humber Hawks women's basketball team by visiting the Humber Athletics website.
