MLB, Athlete Ally Partner to Promote Inclusion

At this year’s MLB All Star Game FanFest, Athlete Ally and Major League Baseball announced their strategic alliance, designed to increase LGBT inclusion in baseball.  Alyson Footer wrote about the historic partnership for MLB.com.

“Athlete Ally will work not only with players, but also with front office personnel on these issues,” MLB Chief Operating Officer Rob Manfred said.

Additionally, MLB and MLBAM will work with Athlete Ally and various groups involved in the LGBT community to develop an internship program. Interns will work in both the Commissioner’s Office and Major League Baseball Advanced Media.

Athlete Ally, which has been working with MLB for the past year at the Winter Meetings, the Rookie Career Development Program and the Diversity Summit, will assist MLB in targeting and hiring qualified intern candidates.

“We’re in a time that people are realizing the LGBT community is part of the athletic community,” said Hudson Taylor, founder of Athlete Ally. “For a period of time we didn’t talk about it, we didn’t address it. It really went unmentioned and undiscussed. The fact that athletes are coming out, the fact that allies are speaking out and the league has passed a non-discrimination policy … sport is on the front lines of social change, and I think we’re seeing that intersect in a really fascinating way.”

You can read the full article here.