Yankees-Stonewall Scholars Initiative Selection Process Announced

Yankee Stadium. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Yankees announced the details regarding the selection process for the Yankees-Stonewall Scholars Initiative.

The initiative, which was announced in September 2018, will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn uprising and celebrate the achievements of New York City Public School graduating seniors who have demonstrated academic achievement, a commitment to equality and impactful support for the LGBTQ community.


On April 10 at Yankee Stadium, a Yankees-Stonewall Scholars panel consisting of representatives from the New York City Department of Education, Stonewall Inn and New York Yankees Foundation will begin their review of submitted applications and narrow the candidate pool to 25 total students, with five from each of New York’s five boroughs.

On April 29-30, these students will meet with the panel, which will select one scholarship recipient representing each borough.

In May, the recipients will be announced to the public and introduced to media at an event at the Stonewall Inn. Representing the Yankees at the announcement will be Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Cashman and Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager Jean Afterman.

Yankees-Stonewall Scholars recipients will be publicly recognized at Yankee Stadium during a pregame ceremony on June 25, prior to the Yankees’ 7:05 p.m. game vs. Toronto. This ceremony, including representatives from the LGBTQ community, New York City Department of Education, New York City government and Stonewall Inn, will also recognize the legacy of the Stonewall Uprising and WorldPride 2019, which is taking place in New York in June. Additional details regarding this event will be announced in the coming months.

Each summer, New York City hosts NYC Pride, which includes its famed Pride March. In 2019, New York will simultaneously be the home of WorldPride 2019, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. This sixth edition of WorldPride will be the first held in the United States and the second held in North America. The event, also branded "Stonewall50," is headlined by the theme "Millions of Moments of Pride," representing the invaluable and countless experiences every person encounters during annual celebrations and commemorations around the world.

The Yankees-Stonewall initiative will provide $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. The selection process was conducted by the New York City Department of Education with each public high school being able to nominate one graduating senior for selection.