The Ivy hoops community has continued to protest against the injustice that black people face in America in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis officer while three other officers stood last Monday.
Harvard men’s hoops 2018 grad Chris Egi was the subject of a SportsNet feature Tuesday highlighting the Markham, Ontario native’s drive to launch the No More Names campaign, a fundraising and awareness building organization aiming for criminal injustice and police brutality.
If you’re a current/former college athlete looking for ways to help, we have a growing group of 160 athletes using our collective voice to amplify the work of activists on the ground and create a world where there are no more victims. DM me or @_NoMoreNames if you want to join.
— Christopher E. Egi (@chrisegi15) May 31, 2020
Rising Princeton men’s senior forward Elijah Barnes marched through his hometown of Freehold, N.J., Tuesday, protesting the killing of George Floyd and reflected on how his life has shaped his perspective on the importance of social and racial justice in an Asbury Park Press story Thursday. Barnes attended a youth police academy in Freehold at 12 and told the Asbury Park Press he wanted to be a police officer growing up but decided he would be “better off not being part of the system, but being part of the change around that system” after George Zimmerman was acquitted on murder charges in the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin.
“If you’re posting on social media, posting a black square on your account, I respect what you’re trying to do, I respect that you want to be a part of it, but if you’re going to be a part of it I would like to see you sign a petition for George Floyd, donate money, walk around arm in arm with me,” Barnes said. “If you’re not going to stand up outside of posting something on your social media, are you really making a difference?”
Julia Nweke, mother of incoming Princeton women’s basketball Class of 2024 member Chetanna Nweke, posted a harrowing artwork created by her daughter on Twitter Tuesday:
What an appropriate piece of art created by @ch3tanna. Girl you are gifted and you have vision – you created this before Arbery and Floyd. This is the America we live in today for the average person of color. pic.twitter.com/4MlUT2hdW9
— Julia Nweke (@JuliaNweke) June 2, 2020
Rising Penn senior Jelani Williams gives his account of the deeply disturbing gassing of peaceful protesters near the White House Monday to make way for President Donald Trump’s photo op.
Be very clear- Donald Trump declared war on US citizens yesterday. I was at the White House. Military closed in, told us to move immediately. After only about 30 seconds they deployed flashbangs, teargas, and rubber bullets at unarmed citizens. For a photo op. Think about that.
— Jelani Williams (@_JWill5_) June 2, 2020
PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO READ THIS!!!! I know this isn’t happening on Twitter, but I wanted to share it here because there is a larger message outside of just the post. Learn about what you claim to be fighting for, so we can all be on the same page. pic.twitter.com/su2ZEmHVV8
— Jelani Williams (@_JWill5_) June 2, 2020
Yale men’s basketball James Jones commented on America’s history of killings of black people:
A statement from Head Coach James Jones.
.#ThisIsYale pic.twitter.com/OkbsgjJpz7
— Yale Men’s Basketball (@YaleMBasketball) June 3, 2020
Columbia men’s basketball coach Jim Engles:
A message from head coach Jim Engles.#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/ttVhWq7SuI
— Columbia Basketball (@CULionsMBB) June 2, 2020
A statement from Columbia men’s basketball:
“TOGETHER, we will continue to demand the promised justice that our country desperately deserves.”
– A statement from #ColumbiaMBB #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/alM2zFZHg6
— Columbia Basketball (@CULionsMBB) June 2, 2020
Dallas Wing and Princeton women’s hoops 2020 graduate Bella Alarie:
#blackouttuesday #vote pic.twitter.com/uJln5i3s7p
— Bella Alarie (@bella_alarie) June 2, 2020
Cornell men’s hoops 2019 graduate Matt Morgan:
Protests in all 50 states!! Again this is not just about George Floyd. It is about all the lives that are and have been affected by inequality and police brutality! Continue to be heard and using your voice and platform to promote social justice!! #SayTheirNames #BLM ✊
— M A T T M O R G A N (@TheRealMM10) June 3, 2020
Harvard men’s hoops 2019 graduate Weisner Perez:
We need to be better. In a time where unity is needed to combat the racial injustice that exists in our world, there is no place to further turn against one another. @Morton201 @TOCPolice @BerwynPolice we must be and do better. We cannot erase the progress we have made.
— Weisner Perez (@weisyp23) June 3, 2020
Rising Dartmouth men’s hoops junior Garrison Wade:
When the protest eventually stop and the social media post begin to disappear, how will you change your lifestyle and communities to eliminate raccial injustice ? I challenge every one of my peers (especially my white ones) to take what you’ve learned and change your communities.
— Garrison Wade (@Garrisonwade5) June 3, 2020
Colgate men’s basketball assistant coach and former Penn hoops standout Mike Jordan:
— MJ (@mhj_5) June 2, 2020
Yale men’s hoops 2016 graduate and German Basketball Leaguer Justin Sears:
No words for this. https://t.co/mHz9927Z5g
— Justin Sears (@Jussears5) June 3, 2020
Brown men’s basketball coach Mike Martin voiced support for making this fall’s Election Day, Nov. 3, a NCAA mandatory off-day to encourage players to vote, a measure garnering support on Twitter:
@CoachReveno thank you for your leadership on this great idea. @BrownBasketball is committed to being OFF on November 3rd. https://t.co/e0NjPjV8tO
— Mike Martin (@mmartinbrown) June 4, 2020