Aaron Allen…
“In our community LeBron’s actions are a reflection of the examples set by Black athletes of the past, Ali, Kareem, Bill Russell and a host others. This is not new in our community. It also isn’t enough. We as a people can’t just rely on professional athletes. There is something everyone can contribute in making our communities stronger and more productive and who cares what others think. Hats off to LeBron and other conscious Black men and women athletes for their efforts, but it is going to take a collective effort if our communities (from the wealthy to the derelict and all in between) if healing and growth is to be accomplish.”
Naqeeb Anderson…
“I would say no. I would say that the professional athlete has been doing things like LeBron James has been doing for a long time. This isn’t new it’s just now starting to be publicized, because of the riff with the president. But, plenty of athletes have done just the same, they’ve been contributing to their communities, giving back and trying to build, we are not going to let the president make some type of gesture about what our guys are doing, because we’ve been doing it.”
Doris Beamon…
“I feel like no one wants to see a person be a part of anything, movements, protest, activism, so they wouldn’t enjoy or be a part of the movement anyway. That’s just how I feel.”
Gregory Jackson…
“In my opinion what LeBron James did should have been done all the while. There was a time in this country when Black athletes didn’t get paid a lot of money, but there was a pride in what they did, because the community came out and supported them. What LeBron James did is the beginning of what I think is going to be the answer for Black folks in the future. They’re going to have to take their star power and put their money where it matters the most. So, LeBron James is just the beginning, because it’s only going to take a hand full of athletes to put their money where their mouth is like it used to be.”
Richard Bruce…
“I think that LeBron James is giving athletes a voice and he’s changing the perception of the “dumb athlete”, like the athlete that doesn’t have a brain or doesn’t think or doesn’t have an opinion, just shut up and work load type of environment. He’s trying to change the perception of what it is to be an athlete and some point a Black athlete because it gives us a different perception in our minds.”
Jarrett Johnson
“When I think about the things LeBron James has been doing recently, I think it sets a very positive image to the athletes, more specifically the Black athletes. In the past couple of years people kind of looked at Black athletes and there’s been somewhat of a negative cast on them. So I think that stuff LeBron has been doing especially with education is a game changer and I think it’s something that a lot of future athletes can look at as an example, so hopefully they can strive to the exact same thing.”
Photos/Aaron Allen
