Saroya Future Movement
Pro hockey player Saroya Tinker’s had ice in her veins since she was three. “It's Canada, everybody says you're born with skates on.”
The self-proclaimed “small town girl” grew up outside of Toronto, in Oshawa, Ontario with her parents and siblings. Her father, who is Black, passed down his love of hockey to the young skater, along with some guidance and encouragement regarding the racially-charged antagonism she would eventually face.
Saroya recalls the painful day her 12-year-old teammate taunted her with a racial slur, and while that tested her spirit, it also sparked her passion for driving diversity and inclusion efforts within the sport.
By the time she was drafted into the Premier Hockey Federation, she was already building her mentorship program for girls between the ages of 8 and 19. The Saroya Strong Mentorship Program stretches across North America, offering individual and communal support, along with funding to help more girls of color play the sport.
She’s also partnered with the Black Girl Hockey Club for their ‘Get Uncomfortable’ campaign, making it her personal mission to ensure that no Black girl gets cold treatment from her teammates again.
Learn more about how Saroya’s reshaping the future of hockey.
See how she’s celebrating Black History with Future Movement in the latest Nike BHM By You collection.
