Indigenous NHL Star Ethan Bear Opens Up About How The League Should Fight Racism Moving Forward: ‘It’s Everyone’s Job To Support Each Other’
28.09.2023 - 19:23
/ etcanada.com
Cree-Canadian NHL defenceman Ethan Bear wants to see some changes in the league when it comes to dealing with racism.
Bear — who most recently played for the Vancouver Canucks — previously spoke out to condemn racism in 2021 after dealing with racist comments himself while on the Edmonton Oilers after the team was swept from the playoffs.
The athlete spoke to ET Canada’s Carlos Bustamante as part of our special for National Truth and Reconciliation Day, sharing, “That was still to this day one of the hardest things I had to do… I just feel like if I think about myself back then, like, I wouldn’t want to do something like that alone.
“I’ve dealt with it in the past and stuff. But, you know, when you’re on the biggest stage and all eyes are on you and you have social media these days, people are putting everything everywhere. You see it and your family sees it, you know, my fans see it. And as [an] Indigenous person, like it hurts, right?”
Bear admitted the support he got was “very nice,” but obviously it was a “really hard” thing to have to go through.
He added, “It’s not something I want other kids to go through anymore,” insisting racism needs “to end.”
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Talking about inspiring the next generation to also speak up, Bear continued, “Absolutely. Like, you know, I have a daughter and she’s going to grow up and… she’s not going to grow up in the native community fully.
“Like, yeah, she’ll have her cousins or friends. We can go home whenever we want. But like, she’s going to grow up in this community because this is where, you know, myself, her dad, has to train and give