Patriot League Release

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Patriot League has partnered with The Inclusion Playbook, a sports justice consulting group led by civil rights advocate and sports equity advisor Ashland Johnson.
 
The League will collaborate with The Inclusion Playbook to examine and develop recommendations that will promote Anti-Racism, and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts for the League and its member athletics departments. 
 
"The Patriot League is committed to seeking actionable solutions for long-term sustainable change," said Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel. "The partnership with The Inclusion Playbook is an important initiative that will enable the League and its member institutions to continue to advance the goals of the League's Anti-Racism Commission. We look forward to the work ahead, knowing the important responsibility we all have to promote and create equitable and inclusive communities."
 
"Now more than ever, sports leaders have the opportunity and responsibility to promote Anti-Racism in and through athletics," Johnson said. "We are excited to be working with the Patriot League to build and strengthen their work in this area, and build a more inclusive and equitable sports community."
 
In their role with the Patriot League, The Inclusion Playbook will be conducting a comprehensive process designed to evaluate, benchmark, and improve upon the League's Anti-Racism efforts. The process will include, but is not limited to, an assessment of stakeholder sentiments and experiences, a League-wide mission review process, member school policy and practice equity audits, and League-wide mentorship program development. The Inclusion Playbook will incorporate and encourage stakeholder participation and feedback throughout all phases of this project. 
 
Johnson, an attorney, equity and inclusion strategist and former NCAA Division I student-athlete, has more than a decade of civil rights experience working with social justice communities, advising sports leaders, and serving in leadership roles in advocacy organizations. She has worked as the Director of Public Education & Research for the Human Rights Campaign in addition to serving as the Policy Director for Athlete Ally, a non-profit LGBTQ athletic advocacy group. 
 
Johnson founded The Inclusion Playbook in 2018 intending to unite leaders and social justice advocates to amplify the impact of diversity, inclusion and social responsibility efforts of sports communities. With the evolving relationship between sports and social justice and the increased engagement of sports leaders in community programming and local organizing, Johnson and The Inclusion Playbook have provided their expertise to better leverage the power of sports and increase their social impact. 
 
Partnering with The Inclusion Playbook is an initiative of the Patriot League Anti-Racism Commission and a component of the group's commitment to seek actionable solutions for long-term sustainable change within the League and its member institutions. 
 
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING…
Tavaras Hardy, Loyola Maryland Men's Basketball Head Coach
"The work done by the Patriot League's Anti-Racism Commission identified specific areas we can improve upon as a conference in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion. However, identifying the issues and opportunities is not enough. We need real action to create real change. Ashland Johnson and the Inclusion Playbook will help us dig deeper and guide us forward with specific solutions to become a more inclusive and anti-racist conference. 
 
Mikajah Hayes, Boston University Women's Track & Field
"I am incredibly excited about the Patriot League's decision to partner with Ashland Johnson and The Inclusion Playbook. The Inclusion Playbook's work with professional sports leagues and the NCAA, is a testament to how dedicated they are to helping transform athletic spaces into equitable and inclusive environments for all. Ashland and her team presented a comprehensive proposal that combines the opinions of athletes, coaches, and administrators as well as data to create an all-encompassing plan to help aid us on our journey. I'm looking forward to seeing how this partnership will help us reshape the Patriot League into one that allows future athletes of all backgrounds to flourish and grow as individuals as well as athletes."
 
Joe Jones, Boston University Men's Basketball Head Coach
"I am personally very excited to have the opportunity to work with Ashland Johnson and The Inclusion Playbook. They bring a wealth of knowledge and experience that will make a significant impact on the overall experience of our student-athletes."
 
Juliana Smith, Colgate University Deputy Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator
"Over the last year, through the work of the Patriot League Anti-Racism Commission, I've had the opportunity to engage with colleagues across League campuses who are committed to developing, sustaining, and advancing a more accessible and inclusive environment for student-athletes and staff. I look forward to working with Ashland and Liam (Miranda) of The Inclusion Playbook who will lead our conference office and individual member institutions in assessing our current policies and practices and developing meaningful strategies to continue this important work for our student-athletes and staff members - past, present, and future."
 
Billy Walker, American University, Director of Athletics and Recreation
"It's a tremendous opportunity for all of us in the Patriot League to be able to partner with Ashland Johnson and the Inclusion Playbook. This partnership will help us complement work we've done through the Patriot League Anti-Racism Commission, ensuring League policies and practices foster an inclusive environment for student-athletes, coaches and staff."
 
ABOUT THE INCLUSION PLAYBOOK
The Inclusion Playbook is a sports impact consultancy that empowers sports leaders to transform their communities in and through sports.  They work with teams and leagues at every level of sport including the NBA, NCAA, NFHS and USOPC to elevate and execute their diversity, equity, and inclusion work, specifically in the areas of racial justice, gender equity, and LGBTQ inclusion. The Inclusion Playbook was founded by Ashland Johnson-- a civil rights lawyer, sports equity strategist, and former Division I basketball player, who has over a decade of experience working at the intersection of sports and social justice.
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athlete 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.