George Washington University

Aug. 21, 2012

WASHINGTON - The George Washington Department of Athletics and Recreation launched today a video campaign supporting inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender athletes in all facets of GW's 23 intercollegiate varsity athletics programs and campus health and wellness initiatives. (YouTube: http://youtu.be/u_kCbUOk5lM).

The video features 18 current GW student-athletes and Director of Athletics and Recreation Patrick Nero. A national media outreach campaign promoting the video was also launched today, and it is featured at YouCanPlayProject.org

"We are committed to celebrating and supporting LGBT student-athletes," said Director of Athletics and Recreation Patrick Nero. "Our student-athletes will be judged by the spirit they bring to the game, their support of the teammates and their dedication to GW, not by sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. At GW, if you can play, you can play."  

The George Washington University has embraced an ambitious agenda to move us forward in becoming a more diverse and inclusive community. By incorporating a broad range of human experiences and a rich variety of human perspectives, GW seeks to enlarge its campus communities' capacity for learning, enrich the quality and texture of campus life, and better prepare all students and student-athletes for life and leadership in society.

"The George Washington University's commitment to diversity and inclusion fully embraces the unique contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, staff, faculty and alumni," said Timothy Kane, director of the GW LGBT resource center. "The `You Can Play' video created by our Athletics Department showcases that commitment and affirms GW's status as a leader in celebrating and supporting LGBT athletes and students everywhere."  

Individuals appearing in the video include (in order): Seth Rudolph (men's soccer), Amanda Zakeri (softball), Sara Mostafa (women's basketball), Phillip Graeter (men's swimming), Katherine Berry (women's water polo), Nefertiti Roy (gymnastics), Julia Weir (women's cross country), Juliana Stern (women's cross country), Nicole Lacey (lacrosse), Tara Booker (women's basketball), Kayla Carto (gymnastics), Will Ellingson (men's rowing), Siddhi Salvi (women's cross country), Zakeri, John Kopriva (men's basketball), Dwayne Smith (men's basketball), Abdul Shaban (men's soccer), Roy, Patrick Nero (director of athletics and recreation), Patricio Garino (men's basketball), Zakeri, Nemanja Mikic (men's basketball), Graeter and Stern.