This Saturday, Braden Holtby will participate in the Capital Pride Parade for the second straight year. Leveraging the attention he received last summer, Holtby expanded his support for the LGBTQ community during the season, becoming one of the most visible and prominent athletes in the area to support equality in sports.

Holtby was named the Caps’ LGBTQ-inclusion ambassador by the NHL in February, serving as a leader in the locker room and in the community on diversity, equality, and inclusion. Holtby also raised thousands of dollars for You Can Play after wearing a custom-designed mask during Hockey Is For Everyone month.

For his dedication to the cause, Holtby received the DC Pride Ally Award.

To celebrate the parade, the MSE Foundation is selling Capitals’ Rock The Rainbow shirts for $24.99.

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Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby and Mystics players Natasha Cloud and Ivory Latta will participate in the Capital Pride Alliance’s 2017 Capital Pride Parade presented by Marriot International, on Saturday, June 10, at 4:30 p.m. in Washington, D.C.

The parade’s theme is Unapologetically Proud! and is part of the Capital Pride Celebration Weekend, Pride in the Nation’s Capital. Pride in the Nation’s Capital is comprised of more than 50 events celebrating the spirit and strength in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) communities in Washington, D.C. and the national capital region.

Holtby, Cloud and Latta will walk with 100 Monumental Sports & Entertainment staff members, who will be distributing team giveaways and beads. Monumental Sports & Entertainment also will have a presence at the Pride Festival on Sunday, June 11.

Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation is selling Washington Capitals, Mystics and Wizards Pride T-shirts online at https://represent.com/store/msepride for $24.99 each with proceeds benefitting the You Can Play Project. The shirts feature rainbow team logos and are available for purchase through June 30. T-shirts are available in sizes XS through 3XL. Anyone who purchases a Mystics T-shirt will also receive a voucher redeemable for four tickets to a 2017 Washington Mystics regular season home game (all tickets are based on availability and good for one-time use only). MSE Foundation has already donated more than $30,000 to You Can Play in the past year.

You Can Play is an organization dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, coaches and fans, without regard to sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It works to guarantee that athletes are given a fair opportunity to compete, judged by other athletes and fans alike, only by what they contribute to the sport or their team’s success. You Can Play seeks to challenge the culture of locker rooms and spectator areas by focusing only on an athlete’s skills, work ethic and competitive spirit. For more information on You Can Play, go to http://www.youcanplayproject.org/.

The 2017 Capital Pride Parade marks the second year Holtby has participated in pride festivities, having marched in last year’s event with the MSE contingency. In addition during February’s Hockey is For Everyone Month, Holtby wore an equality-themed mask and select players used rainbow-colored ‘Pride Tape’ in celebration of the LGBTQ community. The items were signed and auctioned off by MSE foundation, raising more than $14,000 for You Can Play. In addition to having a presence at the 2016 Pride Parade, the Mystics hosted two auctions benefitting You Can Play and One Orlando Foundation last season and hosted LGBTQ groups during the team’s Pride Night.

The annual Capital Pride Parade draws 150,000 spectators, travels 1.5 miles through segments of the city important to the LGBT community, and this year will include more than 150 contingents. The celebration is produced by the Capital Pride Alliance, a nonprofit entity incorporated in the District of Columbia with the purpose of supporting, celebrating and inspiring our diverse communities with the annual Capital Pride events and related activities throughout the year. For more information on the Capital Pride Parade and the complete schedule of events during the 2017 Capital Pride Celebration Weekend, visit CapitalPride.org.

WHO: Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby, Mystics players Natasha Cloud and Ivory Latta
WHAT: Participating in Capital Pride Alliance’s Pride Parade in support of the LGBT community
WHEN: Saturday, June 10
4:30 p.m. – Parade Begins
6 p.m. – Parade Concludes
WHERE: Dupont Circle – Parade Begins
14th & S Street – Parade Concludes

Headline photo: Washington Capitals