Anthony's Story
ANTHONY DUCLAIR
Professional Ice Hockey player
A child of Haitian immigrants, growing up as a black hockey player was never easy. Anthony’s difficult path has motivated him to knock down barriers and provide equal access and safe environments for people of color to play hockey.
Growing up playing the game, Anthony was typically the only black player on his team and often the only black person in the arena. Not a season went by where he didn’t have to face racial slurs from opposing players, discrimination from coaches and even racist remarks from opposing team’s parents. Luckily for him, he always had a strong support system in place and was able to persevere to the highest level of professional hockey and become an NHL All-Star.
Unfortunately, most children are not as fortunate as Anthony. The lack of visibility of colored players in the sport continues to stigmatize hockey and create a harmful environment for minorities. As a role model for minority athletes, Anthony takes on the responsibility of making yearly phone calls to children who are suffering from racism and have no one to turn to.
Forming the HDA in 2020 with fellow NHL players was a first step in a long battle to combat racism in hockey. Now, Anthony looks to inspire a new and diverse generation of hockey players in the US by giving them a safe opportunity to play the game.
Sponsors & Partners
As featured on
