Michael Jordan has once again spoken out against the issue of systemic racism that has plagued the nation. Together with his own Jordan Brand, MJ made an official statement on how he believes social justice can be attained.
To start off, Jordan talked about the relevance of the Black vote, and how he and his company are working tirelessly to try and improve the current situation:
“We understand that one of the main ways we can change system racism is at the polls. We know it will take time for us to create the change we want to see, but we are working quickly to take action for the Black Community's voice to be heard.
Jordan Brand previously made an announcement pertaining to their $100 million donation toward the fight against systemic racism. and for his part, Jordan Brand president Craig Williams detailed the concrete action they are taking to achieve their ultimate objectives:
“The $100 million commitment was just the start. We are moving from commitment to action. Our initial partners can directly impact the social and political well-being of the Black Community. We will have a disciplined focus on social justice, economic justice, and education, as the most effective ways for us to eliminate the systemic racism that remains in society.”
The first bit of that $100 million commitment from Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand is being doled out like so:
In June, Michael Jordan &Jordan Brand announced $100 million commitment to social justice. Today, they announced first partners to receive funds:
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund ($1M)
Formerly Incarcerated and Convicted People and Families ($1M)
Black Voters Matter ($500K)— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) July 29, 2020
Michael Jordan appears to be personally invested in this movement, and will be doing everything in his power to ensure that their goals are achieved:
“I'm all in with Jordan Brand, the Jordan Family and our partners, who share a commitment to address the historical inequality that continues to plague Black Communities in the US. There is a long history of oppression against Black Americans that holds us back from full participation in American society.”
As made evident by “The Last Dance,” Jordan has not always been an active participant when it comes to social and political issues. Testament to this fact is his infamous “Republicans buy sneakers, too” statement earlier in his career. Jordan's unwillingness to dip his toes in social issues was actually one of his biggest criticisms.
Clearly, this is no longer the case for him. He will not sit silently as the Black Community continues to reap the consequences of a prejudiced society.
Michael Jordan, through his brand, has been quite active in the fight for social justice today. He may be a few decades too late, but this is still an undeniably welcome development for the greatest basketball player of all time.
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