As part of the goal for "Hockey Culture", Carter and Thomas talk about the unacceptable and unfortunate incidents of growing up Black.
Thomas addresses the racial inequalities he experienced growing up on the ice and how he internally utilized it both emotionally and to his advantage. Thomas opens up about his past when it came to living and dealing with racist billet parent.
Watch: Youtube Video
Thomas, who averaged well over a point-per-game in last year's OHL season with both the Niagara IceDogs and the Peterborough Petes over 49 games (24-60=84), talked about the mental fortitude he endured before and after he scored the game-winning goal during the Championship game against Russia in the 2020 World Junior Hockey Championships.
"I was trying to stay positive that game. I had a feeling that when the 10 minute mark came in the third, there is probably a 50% chance that I would get another shift... I kept telling myself 'I'm going to score. I'm going to score.' I probably told myself that 30 times," Thomas said.
After not having had much ice time in the gold medal game, Thomas was going to make the most of his shift. "Coach called my name, I got out there and have no recollection of the the shift at all. I just remember jumping up and had a feeling like I'd never had before," he said.
Watch: Youtube Video
Carter and Thomas also covered the NHL's decision to protest their scheduled games in the bubble's after police shot a Black man, Jacob Blake, in Kenosha, Wisconsin in August.
"It definitely felt good to feel the NHL players support something that hit home for me and my family. It felt good and good on them. It's going to change some things and it definitely got people thinking a little bit more," Thomas said.
Lastly, the duo talks about the birth and purpose of Akil Thomas's podcast "Soul on Ice" with Kwame Damon Mason and Elijah Roberts, which can be found
here
.
