While baseball season has yet to begin, the New York Yankees are staying active and looking out for the community’s high school students.
In recognition of Pride Month, the Yankees announced today that for the second straight year, the Yankees-Stonewall Scholars Initiative has awarded scholarships to five New York City public school seniors who have demonstrated academic achievement, a commitment to equality and impactful support for the LGBTQ community.
The initiative provides $50,000 worth of scholarships through five $10,000 college scholarships to be presented to one student from each of the five boroughs of New York City. The scholarships are intended to allow these students the resources to fulfill their educational and career goals.
In lieu of an on-field pregame ceremony at Yankee Stadium, the 2020 Yankees-Stonewall Scholars were congratulated via Zoom by Yankees SVP and GM Brian Cashman, Yankees SVP Brian Smith, @DOEChancellor, and Stonewall Inn Co-Owner & Gives Back Initiative CEO Stacy Lentz. #PrideMonth pic.twitter.com/HCfxsL5Sk9
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 10, 2020
“It was an honor to meet with so many bright young people, and it gave a lot of hope to me, especially with what is going on in the world today,” said Yankees General Manager Brain Cashman. “It’s clear that our five scholarship recipients will be agents of change as we continue along the path of making the world a safer, more accepting and inclusive place. Congratulations for standing out among a truly inspiring group of individuals. We also want to thank the Stonewall Inn for paving the way for so many. We hope to connect what it stands for with the voice of the Yankees organization to empower young people toward lives of meaningful action and change.”
The New York Department of Education spearheaded the selection process for the second consecutive year, in partnership with representatives from the Yankees, Stonewall Inn, New York City Mayor’s Office, Major League Baseball and Athlete Ally.
The recipients of the 2020 Yankees-Stonewall scholarships are Bronx resident Tamia “Tee” Barnard who attends the High School for Law, Advocacy and Community Justice, Lauren Hidalgo of Francis Lewis High School in Queens, Cole Neufeld of Bard High School Early College Manhattan and non-publicly identified students from Brooklyn and Staten Island.
“I am in awe of and inspired by these young people,” Carranza said. “This scholarship recognizes and celebrates our students for their contributions to their school communities and a commitment to a brighter, more inclusive future. Thank you to the New York Yankees and Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, who are helping us honor these students who demonstrate the power of embracing your identity and using your voice to create change.”
The Yankees-Stonewall Scholars Initiative was created in September 2018 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn Uprising and celebrate the achievements of New York City Public School students.
