Agent of Change

For JT Brown, making hockey an inclusive space has long been a priority and something that he's invested in. Starting this month, he'll contribute that energy to the NHL's newly launched Player Inclusion Coalition (PIC).

"(Joining the PIC) is just another way to continue to grow the game and to make the game that I - and so many people - love as inclusive as possible," Brown said.

Brown grew up playing hockey in Minnesota where he was often the only person of color on his team. The impact of that otherness reared its ugly head from time to time, most notably during a game where an opponent directed a racial slur Brown's way. The young forward was lucky to have an ally in his coach who first demanded the other team's player be ejected and when officials didn't agree due to not hearing the slur, Brown's coach removed his team from the contest, choosing to forfeit the game rather than endorse racist behavior.

And while incidences of overt racism declined for Brown as he advanced to the highest levels of the game, he watched as fellow NHL players like Wayne Simmonds and Devante Smith-Pelly faced hateful acts directed at them purely because of their race. And with so few players of color in NHL locker rooms, there were still uncomfortable moments for Brown.

"There's different times in locker rooms and different situations where you may see something completely differently just based on your background," Brown said. "You're thinking to yourself 'do I laugh? Do I not laugh?' You get into those kinds of situations."

Brown was always one to do what he could to make hockey a more inclusive space, but it was the birth of his first child (he now has two) that really catalyzed his efforts. He thought back to the challenges he faced at points of entry to the sport and didn't want his daughter and son to have to deal with the same should they choose to play.

"I want to continue to grow the game for them and to make it a safe and inclusive space for them," Brown said. "(As a kid) I have felt left out or that hockey wasn't my game. I know there's tons of kids around the world feeling that exact same way. So, whether it's on social media speaking out or doing whatever I can to support them or to have a voice for them…I want to show that people do care about what's going on.

"I want to do anything I can do to see more players of different backgrounds feeling welcome in the game."

In addition to individual projects and contributions, Brown, who

was the first NHL player to raise a fist in protest of social inequality

, joined the NHL's fan inclusion committee in 2020 and now is one of 20 men and women on the PIC.

The committee first formed in 2020 and is now honing in its focus on "advancing equality on and off the ice." The league earmarked $1M-plus for programs aligned with this mission, and Brown expects to see the committee not just execute ideas the league brings to them, but to amplify projects each member may bring to the table.

To that end, Brown and other PIC members are in Nashville this week to formally kick off the committee and host an on-ice clinic and panel for the Predators' program "Creating Opportunities for Racial Equality" that brings hockey to children ages 4-9 - a key entry point in Brown's opinion.

Brown thinks back to his youth teams often and believes that bringing in more diverse players as early as possible doesn't just help alleviate the burden for children from underrepresented communities, it also sets the precedent for what the game of hockey should look like.

"I feel like if we just start talking about (diversity) when we are kids to be accepting, that's where you start to create change," Brown said. "There's going to be more and more people and everyone's going to be more accepting of everything. Whether we're talking about your race, religion, or your sexual orientation."

Another part of the PIC launch was to allocate funds for each player to grant to a cause that is meaningful to them.

Brown earmarked his $5,000 for the

Seattle Pride Hockey Association

, a Seattle-based organization that focuses on inclusivity efforts for the LGBTQ+ community and hosts their "Seattle Pride Classic" hockey tournament every year.

"I skated in the tournament this year and I had a ton of fun. It was incredible to be able to see people flying from Canada from California, all over the United States to come to this event here in Seattle trying to continue the work of creating a safe space within hockey.

"I can't understand completely what everyone's going through, but I can try to put myself in people's shoes and understand that they may not feel safe playing this game. And that's hard for me to truly answer because I love the game, right? I would never want to have an unsafe feeling walking into hockey and that's what so many people feel right now within the LGBTQ+ community. Just looking at what this event can do and has continued to do, I wanted to help in any way possible."

Brown says he's excited to get started with the PIC. Looking at the roster of members was inspiring to him and while there's plenty of work to do, he's optimistic about the ability to keep change happening.

"We'd love to snap our fingers tomorrow and have the game be perfect," Brown said. "But I do think that overall, steps are being taken in the right way. Sometimes it might be a good jump, sometimes it might just be a baby step. But any step towards progress is a good one."