- published: 04 Mar 2015
- views: 8153
You Can Play is a social activism campaign dedicated to the eradication of homophobia in sports, centered around the slogan, "If you can play, you can play." The campaign was launched on March 4, 2012, by Brian Burke, President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and his son Patrick Burke, a talent scout for the Philadelphia Flyers. Brian Kitts and Glenn Witman of GForce Sports are also founding members. The campaign was precipitated by the death of Brendan Burke, son of Brian and brother to Patrick. You Can Play has earned support from a number of well-known current and former National Hockey League players, including Henrik Lundqvist, Zdeno Chára, and Ryan Kesler.
Prior to his death, Brendan Burke was known for his efforts to combat homophobia in hockey. Brendan, a student manager for the Miami University RedHawks hockey team, was openly gay. His father, Brian Burke, and brother, Patrick Burke, supported him and began speaking out publicly against homophobia in sports after Brendan came out in 2009. Brendan died in a car crash on February 5, 2010. Brian and Patrick continued to combat homophobia in the NHL after Brendan's death, and founded You Can Play as a tribute to him.
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Nelly Kim Furtado (born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and its single "I'm Like a Bird", which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Her second studio album, Folklore, was released. It was less commercially successful in the US but produced three international singles: "Powerless (Say What You Want)", "Try", and "Força" (the theme of the 2004 European Football Championship). Her third studio album, Loose was her biggest success worldwide. It produced the number-one hits "Promiscuous", "Maneater", "Say It Right" and "All Good Things (Come to an End)". After a three-year break, she released her first full-length Spanish album, Mi Plan. For Mi Plan, Furtado received the Latin Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Album. Furtado's fourth English-language studio album, The Spirit Indestructible, is set for release on September 18, 2012.