SPORTS
Marking Pride Month, Yanks Unveil Stonewall Scholars
Team distributes scholarships to fi ve LGBTQ students across the city
BY MATT TRACY
The fi ve recipients of the
Yankees’ third annual
scholarship initiative
were announced at Yankee
Stadium on June 18 prior to
the team’s game against the Athletics.
The Yankees-Stonewall program
awards $10,000 scholarships to
fi ve students — one in every borough
— who have excelled academically
and made a difference in the
LGBTQ community. The recipients
were acknowledged during a ceremony
in the stadium’s Monument
Park, where the Yankees installed
a plaque in 2019 to commemorate
Stonewall 50. Photos were also
taken on the fi eld.
The winners of this year’s scholarships
are Vivian “V” Sakura
Benzan of the Bronx, Christine
Cabusay of Staten Island, Ryan
Heesemann of Queens, Skye Mayo
of Manhattan, and Daniil Tagaev
of Brooklyn. The students were
notifi ed during a Zoom call earlier
this month that they were awarded
the scholarship opportunity.
“This is honestly one of the biggest
honors,” Benzan said during
the Zoom call. “I wasn’t even expecting
this at all. I’m so happy
and fortunate to be able to receive
this opportunity.”
Many of the students expressed
shock and excitement upon learning
that they would be receiving
the scholarship.
“Is this even real?” Mayo asked.
“I am just so happy. I have no
words.” Tagaev echoed those
words, saying, “I’m just speechless
completely.”
Cabusay explained that she was
“happy and grateful” and Heeseman
said the honor was especially
satisfying given that he does not
always get noticed for his work.
The Yankees-Stonewall scholarship
program launched in 2019
after the Yankees faced pressure
to join the growing list of Major
League Baseball teams in hosting
a Pride night. Instead of a regular
Pride night, though, the team opted
to launch the scholarship initiative
Scholarship recipients Ryan Heesemann, Christine Cabusay, and Sakura Benzan on the fi eld ahead of
the Yankees-Athletics game on June 18.
Scholarship recipients Christine Cabusay, Ryan Heesemann, and Sakura Benzan with Yankees manager
Aaron Boone during pre-game.
that would be unveiled during
pre-game festivities every year.
The New York City Department
of Education facilitates the selection
process and reviews applicants
from across the city, while
the Yankees, the Stonewall Inn,
the mayor’s offi ce, Major League
Baseball, Pride Live, and Athlete
Ally provide input.
Billy Bean, MLB’s out gay vice
president and special assistant
YANKEES
YANKEES
to the commissioner, spoke with
the students during the Zoom call
ahead of the game and joined them
in attendance during the pre-game
ceremony.
“It has been such a privilege to
support the Yankees Stonewall
Scholarship Initiative,” Bean said.
“The Yankees are providing this
amazing group of young adults an
opportunity to continue their education
and realize their potential.
I’m truly inspired by the courage
and talent of today’s recipients.
They are tomorrow’s infl uencers,
and I can’t wait to see it.”
Yankees general manager Brian
Cashman, Stonewall Inn co-owners
Kurt Kelly and Stacy Lentz, assistant
general manager Jean Afterman,
senior vice president of corporate/
community relations Brian
Smith, and New York City Department
of Education offi cials appeared
on the Zoom event to congratulate
the students. Eric Vaughan, the
Department of Education’s manager
of LGBTQ programs, also helped
to lead that effort.
In a written statement, Cashman
predicted that the students
would go on to make a mark on the
LGBTQ community as they continue
to grow.
“These young leaders represent
the future of the LGBTQ community,
and they deserve every opportunity
to pursue both their personal
aspirations and their dreams to
create a more inclusive world,”
Cashman said. “The Yankees’ respect
for the LGBTQ community is
deep and enduring, and our Yankee
Stadium home will always be a
place of tolerance and acceptance.
We look forward to recognizing the
contributions of LGBTQ individuals
for years to come and growing
the ranks of future Yankees-
Stonewall scholars, whose impact
— even at their young age — cannot
be understated.”
City Schools Chancellor Meisha
Porter commended the annual
scholarship program, saying
“there is no better way to celebrate
Pride Month than by honoring fi ve
incredible young people for their
contributions to their school communities
and their commitment to
creating inclusive spaces for LGBTQ
youth.”
“I am deeply grateful to the New
York Yankees and the Stonewall
Inn Gives Back Initiative for spending
the time to get to know these
students and for providing them
with scholarships that set them up
for bright futures as they continue
fi ghting for justice in every part of
their lives,” Porter said.
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