This week, Lebron James made us proud. Win or lose on Thursday, Lebron James still made us proud.
In a press conference this past Wednesday, on the eve of the NBA Finals, Lebron James used his platform to remind us all, that, when it comes to race in America, we still have a long way to go.
In response to a recent act of vandalism against him and his family—having the N-word spray painted on the fence of their L.A. home—LeBron James made the following statement:
“Just shows that racism will always be a part of the world, part of America. Hate in America, especially for African-Americans, is living every day. It is hidden most days. It is alive every single day. I think back to Emmett Till’s mom and the reason she had an open casket, she wanted to show the world what her son went through in terms of a hate crime in America. No matter how much money you have, how famous you are, how much people admire you, being black in America is tough.”
James goes on to say, that if the incident can be used to broaden mainstream awareness of race and hate in in America, and get conversations started, then he’s okay with that. While his sentiments may not be new to some, the medium and timeliness of James’ statement is so powerful.
Consider …
James’ statement was literally the night before one of the most highly televised sporting events in the country. Which pretty much means, all eyes were on James. Given that, James could’ve “played it safe,” when asked about the incident. He could’ve “declined to comment,” or opted to “focus on the game.” He could’ve chosen to comment, but taken a more “neutral” approach. He could’ve “beaded around the bush,” and actively avoided using that four-letter word that America tends to avoid at all costs, and perpetuated that narrative that we are all the same, human. Given some of the undue criticism experienced by other black athletes who have been outspoken against injustice (see Colin Kaepernick), Lebron could’ve stayed silent. But, he didn’t.
So yes, this week, LeBron James made us proud. By boldly sharing his truth and using his platform to speak up and speak out, he modeled what we believe it means to Stay Woke…and Live Inclusively.
