• Athletes and Fans Pledge to Shred Hate and Choose Kindness During Bullying Prevention Month

ESPN and X Games announced today that this Thursday, October 22 will be X Games Shred Hate Day, which focuses on engaging fans, athletes and partners across the world through social and digital engagement in order to raise awareness about choosing kindness during Bullying Prevention Month.

Host of X Games, Jack Mitrani, and host of Brando’s World of X Games, Brandon Graham, will moderate a panel on X Games YouTube at 2 p.m. ET featuring skier Gus Kenworthy, BMX rider Mykel Larrin and skateboarder Jordyn Barratt to discuss how bullying has impacted them and how action sports have helped them overcome.

“Being part of X Games’ ongoing bullying prevention initiative is extremely meaningful to me, so I am especially honored to be part of the first-ever X Games Shred Hate Day,” said five-time X Games medalist Gus Kenworthy. “It’s a lot harder to go through being bullied if you’re alone, so I encourage everyone to find an ally, and also be an advocate by taking the Shred Hate pledge to choose kindness and help the world become bully-free.”

X Games will host a photo gallery on XGames.com highlighting athletes shredding hate and choosing kindness, and will also ask fans, athletes and partners to take the Shred Hate pledge (right) by posting on social media.

Additionally, Jack Mitrani will go live on X Games’ Instagram at 11 a.m. ET with snowboarder Maddie Mastro, 4 p.m. ET with Special Olympic champion snowboarder Henry Meece and 8 p.m. ET with BMX rider and 3-time X Games gold medalist Ryan Williams.

ESPN and X Games launched Shred Hate in 2016, providing an innovative bullying prevention curriculum to schools across the country, including X Games host city communities.

Since the program began four years ago, more than 90,000 students have been impacted with bullying prevention resources. For more information, please visit xgames.com.

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Media Contact:

Olivia Wilson, ESPN Communications, 904-303-3538, [email protected]

Grace Coryell, ESPN Communications, 213-405-4402, [email protected]