The Minnesota Lynx are continuing their long-standing tradition of acknowledging major events in the team's and players' communities. After Napheesa Collier recently announced an initiative to help tackle domestic and gender-based violence, the Lynx star and face of the team took the opportunity to address the Minnesota crowd after a moment of silence honoring the fifth anniversary of local resident George Floyd's death.

“Thank you guys for taking a minute to honor the life of George Floyd,” Collier's speech began. “George was a father, a brother, and a son. And his life, like every life, held meaning. His death exposed the holes that are still in our justice and criminal institutions today, and this five-year anniversary reminds us that we must continue the fight against criminal, racial, and social injustices.”

After a round of applause from the fans in the arena, Collier concluded with a definitive statement that was meant to reflect her and the Lynx organization's public values.

“We cannot stay silent. Every life deserves respect and dignity.”

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The Lynx have made a name for themselves for being one of (if not the) most outspoken teams in the WNBA when it comes to social, political, and human rights issues. Four-time WNBA champion and legend Maya Moore very notably left basketball at the peak of her career in 2019 (and officially retired in 2023) to pursue social justice work through her organization “Win With Justice.”

Minnesota's captains were also at the forefront in responding to the shooting deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling in 2016. The team launched a “Change Starts with Us” committee to encourage players to speak out on issues they find important, and the Lynx were once again leaders in the sports world when it came to speaking out on Floyd's murder in 2020.