From the boxing ring to the Olympic podium and the sidelines of football fields, athletes continue to harness the spotlight to raise awareness of racial injustice in America.
While millions are quarantined in their homes due to a global coronavirus pandemic, America has also been forced to reckon with an even longer epidemic – racism in America. Incidents of innocent Black people killed at the hands of police sparked a nationwide outcry for racial justice. While today’s prominent athletes center their messages on racial equality, for decades athletes and activists have participated in a long-lasting fight for justice during some of America’s most pivotal moments.
Just days after the shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old unarmed Black man who was shot by Kenosha, Wisconsin, Police Officer Rusten Sheskey, professional athletes across the spectrum of sports displayed their frustration with the mistreatment of Blacks by law enforcement in America. They have stepped up to call out racial injustice in the country. From kneeling to strikes and walkouts, these powerful demonstrations challenge America’s acceptance of racism by showing signs of solidarity- the uprising becoming a call to action worldwide.
By Jade Lawson