Washington Football Team to host ‘pride night out’

"We had tried reaching out in the past but eventually made the decision that we would not engage until the name was changed," said Brent Minor, founder and executive director of Team DC. "We don't want these community nights just to be a monetary transaction. We want to build bridges and encourage inclusion."

In addition to celebrating pride, the event will celebrate "Latinx Heritage Month" and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell. Mitchell was a trailblazer for equality and civil rights when he was a player. Frontline workers from the LGBTQ community will also be recognized, alongside a performance by the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington's gospel ensemble of "Lift Every Voice."

These new changes are a result of cultural competency training given to the team. "We spoke with about 75 members of their staff, and it wasn't just a window dressing exercise — people were engaged," said Minor. "During the training, Night OUT came up, which led to a discussion on corporate perspective regarding the LGBTQ community."

"We went through a leadership change when Jason Wright was hired, and the direction of our outreach will be much broader than it was in the past," said Joey Colby-Begovich, vice president of the guest experience. Jason Wright is a former NFL player and now President of the team.

"We want to be intentional in celebrating our communities beyond the traditional football fans, and that includes people of colour and marginalized communities," added Colby-Begovich. "Football is for everyone."

This week's game is the Washington Football Team's Week 2 matchup against the New York Giants and will be televised on Thursday Night Football. Washington lost its season opener to the San Diego Chargers 20-16.