Pride Night

Bulls.com

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Bulls and BMO Host 5th Annual Pride Night at the United Center

On Saturday, January 7, the Bulls and BMO will partner to host their 5th annual Pride Night – a celebration of the Bulls’ year-round initiatives to support the LGBTQIA community in Chicago and beyond. The partnership between the Bulls and BMO on Pride initiatives stretches back to 2016, the first year the two marched together in Chicago’s annual Pride parade. This season’s Pride Night will take place at the United Center during the Bulls’ home game vs. the Utah Jazz.

The night will tip off with a private pre-game event for the members of the BMO Pride Employee Resource Group (ERG), including dinner and a performance by world-renowned drag performer Aria B. Cassadine. The Bulls will continue working with BMO’s Pride ERG throughout the season. On January 13, they will partner to host a panel featuring executives from organizations across Chicago to share their personal coming out journeys with students from the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) at Foreman College and Career Academy and Back of the Yards, George Washington and Chicago Academy High Schools.

The ball presenter for the game will be a representative from the Lighthouse Foundation of Chicagoland – a Black and queer-led, multiracial social justice organization that works toward advancing justice for Black LGBTQIA people across Chicagoland through empowerment, education and entertainment. Last summer, the Bulls partnered with Lighthouse to provide its members with professional development opportunities, including professional headshots, a promotional video for the nonprofit filmed and edited by BullsTV – the team’s in-house film production crew – and a workshop on web analytics led by Bulls Digital Partnership Manager Serena Yeh.

Before the game, fans will enjoy a National Anthem performance by the Windy City Gay Chorus and Treble Quire from Windy City Performing Arts – a local nonprofit whose performances aim to inspire change, celebrate diversity and honor the dignity of the LGBTQIA community.

Fans will also enjoy an in-game video highlighting Bulls’ community partner Swish Queer Basketball Club, founded in 2020 by Jamiece Adams. Swish, Chicago’s first queer, trans, BIPOC-centered basketball league, began its partnership with the Bulls in 2021 when the team sponsored a space for Swish members to play and build community throughout the winter. The Bulls also funded Swish’s anniversary dinner last May, gifted members with Bulls gear and invited them to compete in the Bulls Fest 3v3 basketball tournament. At Bulls Fest, Swish members also met and connected with one of the festival’s headline performers – Chicago-native, rapper and member of the LGBTQIA community Da Brat.

A highlight of the night will be a special Pride Night halftime performance – “Bulls Entertainment Celebrates Pride,” created by Broadway producer JT Horenstein. The performance, which will feature Benny the Bull, the Luvabulls, 312 Crew and Incredibulls, will commemorate the LGBTQIA community’s contribution to pop-culture, music and fashion and will include appearances from Aria B. Cassadine as the show’s “Fairy Drag Mother” and local trans performer Angelica Grace.

In addition to the halftime show, Bulls Entertainment will offer the stage to The Happiness Club, a local nonprofit that provides free performing arts education programming for Chicago youth ages 8-18 to empower them to pursue their passion for performance and become positive activists in their communities through art. On Saturday, youth from The Happiness Club will perform an original song “Shake That Stress Off” and dance for fans.

Saturday also marks the giveaway of the second hat of the BMO Artist Hat Series – a collection of six hats designed by local artists, showcasing their unique interpretation of the Bulls brand. While supplies last, fans will receive the featured hat of the night designed by LGBTQIA designer Katie Lukes. On Pride Night and beyond, the Bulls are dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQIA community and their right to be who they are. Through community investment, connecting with queer youth across Chicago and ensuring basketball is accessible and welcoming for all, the Bulls will continue to support and celebrate Pride.

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The Bulls and BMO Host 5th Annual Pride Night at the United Center

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Bulls Host Second Annual Pride Night

The Chicago Bulls will host the organization’s second annual Pride Night in partnership with BMO Harris Bank on Saturday, Jan. 4 when the team takes on the Boston Celtics at the United Center. The night will feature special national anthem and halftime performances by the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, along with Pride-themed in-game graphics and entertainment, a pregame player address, a Pride-inspired BMO Artist Hat Series giveaway by local artist and LGBTQ advocate, Nina Palomba, and an “Inspire With Us” shirt and tote, designed in collaboration with BOY MEETS GIRL® for purchase in the Madhouse Team Store.

“At the Bulls, we celebrate diversity and inclusion and aim to create a culture of appreciation for who you are,” said Michael Reinsdorf, Chicago Bulls President and Chief Operating Officer. “Hosting Pride Night is an in-season highlight of our year-long Pride efforts with the LGBTQ community in Chicagoland and a great way to get the whole organization involved from our players and coaches to front office and fanbase.” 

As part of the night’s celebration, the Bulls will host 100 people from community partner Center on Halsted (COH), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of LGBTQ individuals in Chicagoland. Center on Halsted provides resources and support to 1,400 people per day and 45,000 people per year.

This year, Pride Night will tip off a month-long effort with COH where Bulls front office employees will volunteer serving lunch and playing Bingo with seniors and serving dinner to COH youth. As part of the team’s season-long NBA All-Star 2020 community initiative, the league will also support these COH programs with All-Star branded gear and giveaways.  

"Center on Halsted is honored and proud to partner with the Bulls on the second Pride Night, as we continue to advance full equality and celebrate diversity within our communities," said Modesto Tico Valle, CEO Center on Halsted.

The Bulls are again partnering with BMO Harris Bank on this year’s Pride Night. Since June 2016, the Bulls and BMO Harris Bank have partnered on a float in the city’s annual Pride Parade, with Benny the Bull, the Luvabulls, the Incredibulls, and Bulls and BMO Harris Bank staff marching alongside the parade. The Bulls have participated in the Chicago Pride Parade since 2013.  

"At BMO we focus on the importance of diversity and inclusion for our customers and our colleagues,” said Paul Dilda, Head of Deposits, Segments and Customer Acquisition, BMO Harris Bank and U.S. Employee Resource Group Pride Executive Sponsor. "In December we became the first bank to implement the Mastercard True Name feature that enables individuals to use their true first name on their debit and ATM cards. We are proud that our customers can be at ease knowing that the card they use daily reflects their authentic identity.”

New this year, the Bulls partnered with Chicago born Stacy Igel’s NYC brand, BOY MEETS GIRL®, a purposeful, edgy and contemporary athleisure brand on a Pride-inspired t-shirt and tote, which will be featured as the Pride Night Item of the Game. The “Inspire With Us” collaboration is available exclusively under the Chicago Bulls Private Label, 1966 in the Madhouse Team Store with a portion of sales benefitting Center on Halsted. 

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Chicago Bulls Host Second Annual Pride Night In Partnership With BMO Harris Bank

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Chicago Bulls Host Inaugural Pride Night in Partnership with BMO Harris Bank

Sam Smith

The Chicago Bulls will host the organization’s inaugural Pride Night in partnership with BMO Harris Bank tonight when the team hosts the Miami Heat at the United Center. The night will feature special national anthem and halftime performances by stars of the Broadway hit, Kinky Boots, Alan Mingo, Jr. and American Idol winner, David Cook, along with a Pride-themed warmup shirt, lapel pins for staff, pregame player address, rainbow flag presentation and more.

“We are proud to be part of the NBA, a league that prioritizes diversity and inclusion, and at the Bulls we aim to promote a culture of acceptance for who you are,” said Michael Reinsdorf, Chicago Bulls President and Chief Operating Officer. “Tonight creates an opportunity for the team and our fans to celebrate and embrace diversity, inclusion and acceptance alongside members and allies of the LGBTQ community here in Chicago.”

As part of the night’s celebration, the Bulls will host 200 people from Center on Halsted, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of LGBTQ individuals in Chicagoland. Center on Halsted provides resources and support to 1,400 people per day and 45,000 people per year. The Bulls brought Pride Night into the community earlier this week, hosting a basketball skills clinic at Center on Halsted for 70 students from neighboring schools who COH engages throughout the year. Bulls front office volunteers along with ambassador Horace Grant ran basketball drills while Benny the Bull, the Luvabulls and the Incredibulls provided entertainment. 

Longtime Bulls partner BMO Harris Bank is the official sponsor of Pride Night. Since June 2016, the Bulls and BMO Harris Bank have partnered on a float in the city’s annual Pride Parade, with Benny the Bull, the Luvabulls, the Incredibulls, and Bulls and BMO Harris Bank staff marching alongside the parade. The Bulls have participated in the Chicago Pride Parade since 2013. 

"At BMO we support efforts that foster inclusion in the workplace and we proudly celebrate diversity with our employees, customers and communities,” said Paul Dilda, Head of Deposits, Segments and Customer Acquisition, BMO Harris Bank and U.S. Employee Resource Group Pride Executive Sponsor. "We’re excited to unite with the Chicago Bulls on Pride Night to share the positive impact diversity and equality has in our local LGBT communities.”

As part of the Bulls’ ongoing front office speaker series designed to bring in diverse perspectives, Jason Collins, NBA Cares Ambassador and the first male active player to come out amongst U.S. professional sports leagues, will speak to Bulls players and staff next month around the theme of acceptance and inclusion in sports.

Chicago Bulls host inaugural Pride Night in partnership with BMO Harris Bank

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