As usual, UCLA sets the Bar for supporting minority rights. Unapologetic.
Willing to support Black Lives Matter #BlackLivesMatter loudly. And proudly.
UCLA gymnasts use social media to speak out, support Black Lives Matter movement
BUT … how did other prominent College teams handle the worldwide protests?
Dvora Meyers posted a good overview:
Florida was much criticized by former athletes
As was Alabama.
Duckworth, in a statement posted to social media, said things about growing and learning and inclusivity without mentioning Kiaku by name or saying the word “race” or any of its variants.
As was Auburn.
Jeff Graba posted this note to Twitter in response to the statements from three former Tigers. On the whole, Graba’s note is disappointing in the way that many of these statements are: vagueness about what was alleged, failure to mention the words “black” or “racism” or any of its variants. …
University of Georgia head coach Courtney Kupets Carter put out a statement that managed to avoid using the words “black,” “African American,” “racism,” “police,” “brutality,” or “injustice.” Also, for a statement that is ostensibly about what the Black community is enduring, it makes heavy use of “I.” …
LSU head coach DD Breaux’s statement did mention “people of color” and nodded to protest as a means of enacting change, but that’s as far as it went. ..
And this from the University of North Carolina gymnastics team is perhaps the strongest and most unequivocal of all the statements put out by any of the women’s programs.
Some of the coaches are, no doubt, restricted by contract in what they can say publicly. But — moving forward — programs should be called out if there’s no real change.
I’ll be cheering for UNC and UCLA.
Click through to read Dvora’s entire important post. And subscribe if you can. This is real journalism.
We Need to Address Racism In Gymnastics
