Richmond’s commitment to diversity and inclusion was on show at last Sunday’s Midsumma Festival launch at Alexandra Gardens.

The launch marked the official opening of the month-long, LGBTQI arts and culture festival that is Midsumma.

The club announced its partnership with Midsumma in November of 2017, a history making move as Richmond became the first AFL club to sponsor the festival or any LGBTQI organisation like it.

Richmond’s stall at the launch was part of the ‘Sports Precinct’, and saw festival goers handballing and leaping for specky’s, all part of Richmond’s engagement with festival goers.

Richmond pair Kane Lambert and Jayden Short bolstered the Club’s presence by signing autographs, taking pictures with fans, and handballing with children. 

Richmond’s presence at Midsumma Festival was supported by the Golden Tigers, an LGBTQI supporter group committed to shaping safe spaces and experiences for Richmond fans to attend the football.

The move to support Midsumma Festival comes off the back of the Club’s growing commitment to reaching out to those communities often overlooked in the football arena.

Alongside LGBTQI communities, the Club is working towards further engaging and supporting multicultural and all abilities communities, as well as working on gender equity. This is in line with, and an extension of, the work the Club’s Korin Gamadji Institute has undertaken with Aboriginal youth for the past eight years. The Midsumma Festival partnership, and the Club’s broader commitment to diversity and inclusion, is an example of the Club’s embodiment of its vision to be a Strong & Bold football club.

The Club will continue its support of Midsumma Festival by having a presence at the Pride March on Sunday, January 28.