Sports and Social Justice

Chair: Colin Bligh

Letter From the Chair

Dear Delegates,

Greetings. My name is Colin Bligh, and I am a sophomore here at Catholic Memorial. It is my pleasure to extend a welcome introduction to CMMUN (____). I am a three sport athlete when not dealing with an ongoing stress fracture in my back, with baseball, golf, and wrestling occupying my athletic calendar. Furthermore, I placed third in Massachusetts in Radio Broadcasting on CM’s State Champion Speech and Debate team last year at the online state tournament. In my second year on the CM Model United Nations team, I have been grateful for the opportunities this club has given me. For my contact information, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at colinbligh@catholicmemorial.org. This is my first experience being the head chair for a committee, and I am just as excited as you all!

Sincerely,

Colin Bligh

Introduction

On May 25, 2020, a Minneapolis resident, George Floyd, was killed by a police officer using excessive force by kneeling on his neck for over eight minutes. Almost immediately, videos of the incident went viral and outrage against the actions of the police officer was everywhere. It brought up an ugly truth that has held the United States hostage for centuries: minorities do not enjoy the same freedoms and equality that their white counterparts do. As a nation, social justice issues were once again brought back into the forefront of our mind. Difficult questions have been asked, and many do not have simple answers.

Racism and social injustice have, sadly, long been a part of the sports landscape. It was not until 1947 that the first African American man, Jackie Robinson, took the field in a major professional sporting event. Over the next eleven years, the NBA, NFL, and NHL all made leaps to integrate. However, in many instances minority athletes are still not equal in many regards. There are many questions that this committee will attempt to answer. Leagues such as the NBA and NFL are highly represented on the field by minorities, but a lackluster representation in the executive departments. Many underprivileged young athletes do not get access to the same coaching, instruction, or opportunities wealthier youth participants get. How can professional athletes of today leave footprints that the next generation can proudly walk through?

The National Football League (NFL), has been strong in their commitment to social justice. Their focus has been primarily on education, economic advancement, community police relations, and criminal justice reform. The National Basketball Association (NBA), has also been a sports trailblazer in their actions. During the Disney Orlando bubble, “Black Lives Matter” was imprinted upon the court and players were given options to wear certain messages on their jersey where their name would otherwise have been. Major League Baseball (MLB) has aimed to include diversity in their sport and in communities. The National Hockey League (NHL) has utilized their #WeSkateForBlackLives hashtag to increase awareness and as a league spark difficult conversations on difficult topics in an effort for change.

In this committee, you will collaboratively tackle the strickening plague in the world today, social injustice. As various professional athletes across the four major sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL), each player will bring an unique viewpoint towards this debate. As a precursor, in this situation a brand new, Interleague Players Association (ILPA), will collectively try their best to fight injustice through collection of resources, representation, and stature. However, this is entirely a player funded association. Any donation, fund, or likewise will be taken directly out of the players paychecks, into a communal donation fund, and redistributed as you all deem fit. To make things simpler, assume all players are on board about joining, but split on other topics. The goal of this committee is to walk away from this meeting with a structured plan(s) to better individual communities, and in turn the greater well being of our society.

Committee Setup

This crisis that is presented to these athletic ambassadors requires special care, thought, and attention. Knowing the facts about the athlete you represent will be vital to a smooth, well orchestrated committee in which we can all improve our experience. Having a well rounded base of knowledge will allow for intellectual, orderly debate. The beginning of our summit will be focused on going over concerns, stances, and potential solutions that different athletes can present. For example, NHL players, who on average make less than NBA players, will have different ideas on how their leagues’s players will fund the ILPA. The second part will primarily focus on drafting proposed resolutions, using the ideas and possible “blocs” formed in the first part.

If there are multiple position papers that are passed, assume funds will split evenly upon each bloc. Furthermore, where in the government the lawmakers present budgets with monetary values, the papers will use the percentage of the fund. For example, if one paper is passed, it could pledge 15% of the funds to college scholarships. If there are two papers passed, that 15% gets diced to 7.5% and so on.

Questions to Consider

1.) How will the ILPA be funded? (Which players pay more, determination of donation)

2.) How will funds be directed? (ex. focus on youth sports vs. focus on youth education, focus on awareness vs. focus on action)

3.) How can players use their stature to their advantage?

4.) What proposed changes can be made to leagues to increase equality, diversity, and help on other issues?

5.) How can the ILPA help the social justice movement?

6.) How can representatives make sure to hold their league’s players accountable?

7.) What are the best ways to increase cross-sport athlete cooperation?

8.) What should the directive be of the ILPA?

9.) How can the ILPA make longstanding, positive impacts on society?

Athlete Ambassadors

NBA

LeBron James

An undisputed great on the court, LeBron James has been as impactful off it. Through his funding of the I PROMISE school in his hometown Akron, Ohio, LeBron has altered urban, public education in his hometown. Children who meet criteria upon graduating from the school are guaranteed tuition at the University of Akron. Education for at-risk children is at the forefront of LeBron’s outreach, yet he is also an outspoken advocate of the Black Lives Matter movement and a large supporter of advancement for underprivileged minorities everywhere.

Jonathan Isaac

A rising star for the Orlando Magic, Jonathan Isaac is also an ordained minister. While supporting the recent Black Lives Matter protests, Jonathan has different takes upon the best route of change. He was notably the only player to stand for the national anthem prior to a late July contest between his Magic and the Brooklyn Nets. Jonathan believes that many answers to the movement may be found in Biblical passages. Furthermore, Isaac has been a donor and supporter to Orlando based organization called Project Life.

Meyers Leonard

Meyers Leonard is a center for the Miami Heat. His deep appreciation for the United States military, where his brother served two tours in Afghanistan, has led him to stand for the national anthem. However, that is not out of disrespect for the BLM movement, but respect for those who have served. Some of his aims are to support not only social justice but the military, and his foundation that bears his namesake focuses on community relations, youth participation, and supporting the armed services.

Tobias Harris

The Philadelphia 76ers Tobias Harris holds a powerful voice in the struggle for social justice. He has been appointed to be a player representative on the NBA’s Social Justice Coalition, and has sent a personal plea to the Kentucky attorney general for the arrest of the cops who killed Breonna Taylor. Furthermore, he has been a part of many BLM peaceful protests in Philadelphia, and donated over $1,000,000 in his career to charities. A self titled philanthropist, Tobias sees a strong community as a bedrock for success, and always willing to extend help to those in need.

NFL

Colin Kaepernick

A true social justice pioneer, Colin Kaepernick brought national attention to social justice when he kneeled for the national anthem in 2016. He has stated that he will not pridefully stand up for a flag of a country that maltreats people of color. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has not played in the NFL since 2016, however he has been an active voice in the fight against racial injustice. Kaepernick started the Know Your Rights Camp, which is dedicated to the advancement of Black and Brown communities.

Malcolm Jenkins

New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins has alway held social justice issues near to his heart. A three time Pro Bowler and two time Super Bowl champion, Malcolm has made tremendous impacts on the gridiron as well. He is the founder of the Players Coalition, which focuses on police and community relations, criminal justice reform, and educational advancement. Furthermore, he is a contributor on CNN and the founder of The Malcolm Jenkins Foundation, which spotlights helping the disadvantaged youth.

Kelvin Beachum

Kelvin Beachum is currently an offensive tackle for the Arizona Cardinals, after making stops with three other NFL teams during his nine year career. Kelvin’s religion is a strong part of his life and a guiding principle on many of his actions. He holds a BA in Economics and is a union rep for the NFL Players Association. He is dedicated to ending hunger, and encourages youth to get active in STEM education. Education and giving back is extremely important to Kelvin.

Alejandro Villanueva

Alejandro Villanueva is an offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is a former Army Ranger who continues to honor the military during his playing days. Even while getting in hot water sometimes for his commitment to his past, Villanueva continues to support those fighting for social justice and those fighting for our country’s freedom. He helps out with Veteran’s Place, a organization dedicated to enhancing the livelihood of homeless veterans in Pittsburgh.

MLB

Clayton Kershaw

A future Hall of Fame pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw has been an outspoken supporter of wanting social justice for many years. His foundation, Kershaw’s Challenge, has beneficiaries in Dallas, Los Angeles, Africa, and the Dominican Republic. In Los Angeles alone, his foundation has provided back to school bashes for underprivileged children, given 22,000 jerseys for a baseball camp, and 4,000 pairs of shoes. Kershaw aims to bring help to those who are underprivileged and equality for all.

Andrew McCutchen

A former MVP winner, Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen aims to lead by example. He has stated that sympathy for suffering is not what he wants, but actual change is the goal. For his community, Pittsburgh has been near and dear to his heart, after spending the first nine years of his career there. He has worked with Habitat for Humanity, 412 Food Rescue, and started a week long volunteer initiative in Pittsburgh to those in need in the community. Hands on, community based service and action is key to what Andrew views can make a difference.

Ian Desmond

Ian Desmond of the Colorado Rockies views social justice on par of importance of playing. He decided to opt out of the 2020 MLB season due in part of COVID-19 concerns, as well as wanting to make a change in baseball culture from the ground up. In a statement, Ian said that he wishes to address the “racist, sexist, homophobic” problems that go on in baseball. In the same statement, he also addressed the value of education and sports and the profound impact it has on young children.

Lorenzo Cain

Lorenzo Cain, an outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers and a former World Series champion with the Kansas City Royals, is a loud voice for change in the police force. Specifically, one of his goals is an end to qualified immunity given to police officers. Furthermore, Cain wishes to ensure that the police make reforms to better do their job effectively without causing ostensive and unwarranted harm towards minorities.

NHL

Evander Kane

Evander Kane of the San Jose Sharks is committed to changing the landscape of hockey to make it more diversified. A co-head of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, the Shark’s star left winger hopes to increase awareness and participation in youth hockey amongst minorities, as well as participation in other sports. A firm believer that professional athletes only using their platform to talk about sports is a failure, he has always been vocal for change and social justice across not only the puck world, but the sports world itself.

Matt Dumba

Matt Dumba is a Canadian-Filipino hockey player currently playing for the Minnesota Wild, and a founder of the Hockey Diversity Alliance. He has recreated Tommie Smith and John Carlos’ fist raised during the national anthem protest during a game this year. Dumba has criticized the NHL’s handling of their social justice compared to other sports leagues. In his words, silence is as bad as violence. Matt Dumba urges players across all leagues to take the initiative and lead by example.

Kevin Shattenkirk

Kevin Shattenkirk, a Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman, stands alongside the fight for social justice. He wishes to eradicate systemic racism across the sports landscape. The defenceman has been a powerful ally to the Hockey Diversity alliance, and will continue to share his voice and platform to inspire change in sport and society for all minorities to feel safe in sport. Kevin believes that meaningful changes should be the only changes, and wishes for teams and leagues to show greater appreciation, support, and solidarity to its players.

Znedo Chara

The tallest player in NHL history at a whopping 6’9, Bruins defenseman has been a large supporter in the quest for social equality. He was spotted at peaceful protests in the Boston area following the death of George Floyd. A message that he holds dear is that justice is bigger than sports, and he firmly stands alongside the BLM movement. His stance is clear: equality is something everyone should enjoy, and he wishes for that to be true in sports and society.

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