Listen, learn and act: The voices of NCAA student-athletes

No one story is the same, but this is MY story that I felt obligated to share. Spread love❤️🖤🤞🏾 pic.twitter.com/1GLQcF2UHF

— Kris Alleyne (@kalleyne_) June 2, 2020

Let’s continue to protest PEACEFULLY and in UNITY ‼️ Do not give them a reason and do not prove them right ! #standtogether #BlackLivesMatter #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd ✊🏽🖤
(Thank you to the woman who captured this, much love sis) pic.twitter.com/xrNAgTyJya

— ulufa leilua (@leilua18) June 3, 2020

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— Mark John Hall II (@BaybeeMarky_PSU) June 1, 2020

 

 

 

 

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Before I am a student athlete, I am BLACK. Being neutral about this subject is not possible. And being quiet about this subject is betrayal. Not only in America, but all over the world there is a problem that has yet to be solved. There have been years and years and YEARS of mind control, beating, raping, killing .. down right cruelty towards black people simply because we are a darker skintone. Our MUSIC, STYLE, FEATURES, HAIR, and PERSONALITIES are loved and copied, but we are hated. Pertaining to injustice and police brutality that we have seen towards black people time and time again, it boggles my brain that I got the talk about what to NOT do when coming in contact with a police officer before the birds and the bees. Basically, hold my breath until the encounter is over and thank God that I came in contact with “one of the good ones”. It’s sickening and hurtful to know that as black people, there are so many targets on our backs, there are so many people against us, there are so many people taught to dispise us. There are so many things we have to do RIGHT, to be treated like a human being. Black lives matter more than ever right now. Our people are being killed. Our people are being killed on video, at that. So just imagine what is being done to them off camera .. in jail .. in homes .. where there is no evidence. It seems as though peace and unity is not wanted in this country. Obedience is. Obedience under an oppressive system, that has never protected and served black people. However I KNOW a change is coming. An uproar of voices of all races has been booming through the entire US and even other countries. The system hearing EVERY voice, of EVERY race, of EVERY background is so important right now. USE! YOUR! VOICE! BEING SILENT ON AN ISSUE OF THIS STATURE IS TAKING THE SIDE OF THE OPPRESSOR. Together, TOGETHER .. we will make a change! If you are not with me then you are against me. Black lives matter, MY life matters!

A post shared by @ karringtonjones on Jun 3, 2020 at 1:13pm PDT

 

 

 

 

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I interview my Dad @coachpetesaidso about his experiences with activism and how our generation can continue to educate ourselves and spread awareness. #blackinfluencers #blm #dickgregory #educateyourself #educatedblackwomen #educatedblackman #revolttv #revolt #revolttvlive #awareness #unitedstates #unity #mobilization #inclusion #allies #collegeathlete #community #espn #family #blackfamilygoals #georgefloyd #justiceforgeorgefloyd #justiceforfloyd #justice #justiceforbreonnataylor #justiceforahmaudarbery

A post shared by Lyndsey Lopes (@lopeslyndsey) on Jun 3, 2020 at 9:09pm PDT

These are my thoughts, and I stand by them wholeheartedly. pic.twitter.com/DtXlrvhdUb

— Darian Frost (@defrost__) June 5, 2020

 

 

 

 

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I am a BLACK MAN!..... WE build .... WE don't tear down other BLACK MEN! ....WE have felt the pain of being torn down and I have decided I will be deliberate about building others! If I didn't tag you, please don't be offended. I tried to pick people I thought would do this challenge!! All too often, we men find it easier to criticize each other, instead of building each other up. With all the negativity going around let's do something positive!!🌟 Upload 1 picture of yourself...ONLY you. Then tag as many brothers to do the same. (FB only allows 50). Let's build ourselves up, instead of tearing ourselves down. If I tagged you, don't disappoint me!!

A post shared by Juwan Tyus (@ocho.ocho88) on Jun 4, 2020 at 9:38am PDT

 

 

 

 

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I have always been involved in the black community through experience and having parents who made sure that I was aware that the majority of others see my brothers and I as less than. Racism is not just individual instances. RACISM is EVERYWHERE. On my way to a travel ball game my dad got pulled over, not because he was speeding, not because something on his car was wrong, but the police officer “just wanted to check” if my father owned the car. A white man came to MY house trying to sell a product and when my mom answered the door this man asked to speak to the owners of the house, assuming she was the help there. My brother and uncle parked outside the front of my parents home after a UCLA football game ( around 10ish) and a white man driving by saw them on the porch and called the cops because he assumed they were “robbing the house”. Whenever I go into stores I notice myself being followed by employees to make sure “I don’t steal anything”. WAKE UP! This has been an ongoing systemic issue. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO ABOUT POLITICS. This has everything to do with the simple fact of BLACK PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF LIVING IN FEAR. EXHAUSTED OF SEEING FRIENDS AND FAMILY BE KILLED AND CONSIDERED A THREAT SOLEY BY THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. For all my non-black followers. Educating others around you and trying to change their hearts would be the most helpful! In general, PLEASE use your voice/ platform to speak up about injustices seen on a daily basis or actively acknowledging and informing others that white skin comes with instilled privilege. White privilege does NOT mean your life hasn’t been hard, it means that your skin tone isn’t one of the things making it harder! #blacklivesmatter

A post shared by KINSLEY WASHINGTON (@kinsleywashington_) on Jun 3, 2020 at 11:03am PDT

 

 

 

 

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No Justice, No Peace. #BLM

A post shared by megs (@megan.whittle) on Jun 6, 2020 at 8:04pm PDT

"I fluctuated between anger and incomprehensible sadness up until the last day or two. I would indulge myself in social media as everyone went up in flames the same way I did."

📰 - https://t.co/9AxHilLlSb#UnitedWeRoar | #NCAAVB pic.twitter.com/Yd6djYonb1

— Towson Volleyball (@Towson_VB) June 10, 2020

Listen with us. Learn with us. We will use our voices for good. Keep the conversations going. Empathize with one another. Never settle. We will stand strong together. We will RISE ABOVE racism and oppression. Black Lives Matter. #RiseAbove #Unitedwestand #BLM pic.twitter.com/XneiOHSaiV

— Lakeland Women's Basketball (@MuskiesWBB) June 14, 2020