Delumpa designs ceremonial warm-up jersey for Black History Night

When Brian Delumpa was given the task of designing the Stars ceremonial warm-up jersey for Saturday's Black History Night game, he kept coming back to the same theme.
Togetherness.
The 33-year-old graphic designer and photographer for the Stars dug into African research and found the symbol "Akoma Ntoso," which means "linked hearts." It led Delumpa to a design he hopes will inspire fans to both embrace and learn about one another.

"As an objective for myself, I wanted to create something that evokes unity, something that resonates with Black culture, the hockey community and Stars fans, and I wanted something that acknowledges Black history, particularly Texas Black history," Delumpa said.
That's a big job, but the jersey hits the mark.
The black sweater has green and gold trim, colors that are traditional in African culture, but also familiar to Stars fans. On the front is a logo that draws inspiration from the symbol for Akoma Ntoso, and on the back in the nameplates for each player is the actual phrase. It embodies a message that it's not about the individual, but the group. Players still have their numbers on the sweaters, but it's clear there is bonding and unity among "community" at several levels.
"It's the symbol of understanding, agreement, harmony and community and the notion that unity is vital to a positive outcome or any success," Delumpa said. "I searched through many symbols, but that was the one that kept coming back to me and really conveyed what I wanted."
The designer also wanted to make sure that there was Texas History included. The shoulder patches draw inspiration from the flag for "Juneteenth," (June 19, 1865), the day enslaved African Americans in Texas were notified of the abolition of slavery. It is now celebrated as a national holiday, and Delumpa said it not only brings the state's history to mind but also highlights the struggles and resilience of Black Americans.

Al Montoya, the team's Director of Community Outreach, said he's impressed by all the elements and excited for fans to see the jersey.
"It's on us to tell these stories," Montoya said. "We have this platform here that really allows us to share this wonderful community and everything they've done for hockey."
Montoya recently had lunch in California with Willie O'Ree, the first black player in the NHL, and heard of the stories of the Colored Hockey League in Nova Scotia in 1895.
"You're reminded how far we've come, but how much further we have to go," Montoya said. "We have to continue to tell these stories. It's a chance to inspire and celebrate."
The project has done just that for Delumpa, who grew up in Cupertino, California as a San Jose Sharks fan and a fan of all manner of artistic expression.
"I have been an artist and a hockey fan my entire life, so the fact these two things would converge in my career was probably inevitable," he said.
Delumpa said the process was educational for him, and he hopes fans feel the same. By learning about our shared past, he said we can move forward together. Often, "celebration nights" can become controversial in sports, but Delumpa said he feels this is an opportunity to use the power of hockey.
"It's a little frustrating to see that topics or nights like these become divisive for some people when those of us who are celebrating it, that's all we're trying to do," he said. "Everyone has the right to celebrate who they are. I'm honored to do this."
Montoya echoed a similar message, stating the "night" is just one step in the process.
"It's not just the day on February 18th," Montoya said. "It's got to be on different layers. It can't just be, This is a great month, thanks for coming.' No, we really have to be actively pushing it, and that's what we're doing."<br>Delumpa will have his mother and several family members in attendance and said he's excited to see the response from the fans.<br>"I don't think it happens with every project, but this was one where I got to grow as an artist, I got to grow spiritually, I got to grow as a black individual," he said. "I put pride and passion into this, and I can't wait to see it be celebrated."<br>Montoya said he's happy that Delumpa was tasked with designing the sweater. He said at the lunch with O'Ree was former NHL player and current broadcaster Anson Carter, an advocate for diversity in hockey. Montoya said he sent a photo from the luncheon to Delumpa and was surprised by the reply.<br>"He said,Al, Anson Carter is the reason I got into hockey.'" Montoya said. "And I'm thinking to myself: That's fantastic, because there's somebody who is going to connect to this jersey that Brian Delumpa made and there will be a kid who says, `That warm-up jersey is the reason I got into hockey.'"
"That's what it's about," Montoya added. "It's about telling these stories and amplifying these messages."
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.