Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand Make $100 Million Pledge to Social Justice Orgs

Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand announced Friday a $100 million donation over the next ten years to organizations fighting to end racial inequality. The NBA legend and the Jordan Brand released a joint statement explaining their commitment to helping ensure justice and equality.

“Jordan Brand is us, the Black Community,” reads the statement, which was posted on the Nike News website. “Jordan Brand is more than one man. It has always been a family. We represent a proud family that has overcome obstacles, fought against discrimination in communities worldwide and that works every day to erase the stain of racism and the damage of injustice. The will, the work, the excellence the world has come to know is the result of one generation after another, pouring their dreams into the next.”

Although the statement doesn’t specify which organizations or initiatives will receive funding, Jordan’s spokesperson tweeted that the $100 million will go to “organizations dedicated to ensuring racial equality, social justice, and greater access to education.”

Joint Statement from Michael Jordan & Jordan Brand regarding $100m donation. pic.twitter.com/yYXWh5eBZl

— Estee Portnoy (@esteep) June 5, 2020

Earlier this week, Jordan, who notoriously remained silent on political and social justice issues throughout his NBA career, released a statement in response to the death of George Floyd. “I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry,” read Jordan’s statement about Floyd, who died by the hands of Minneapolis police officers last week. The incident was recorded on video and sparked a wave of protests and riots across the calling for a stop to police brutality. “I see and feel everyone’s pain, outrage and frustration. I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people in our country. We have had enough.”

Jordan’s donation comes the same day that Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser commissioned city employees to paint a giant “Black Lives Matter” sign on 16th Street in Washington, D.C., which leads to the White House. That particular section of 16th Street was also renamed “Black Lives Matter Plaza.”

 

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Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Trolls President Trump in the Blackest Way

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is my new favorite person.

I first saw the images, like many of you, on Instagram. “Black Lives Matter” painted in bright yellow down the middle of a D.C. street. I assumed it was street art that had appeared during the dark of night, the work of a protester making a loud but silent statement.

Well, it was a protest. And it is a statement.

Bowser had the phrase painted this morning on 16th Street between K and H Streets, leading to the White House. But she didn’t stop there. The street, where peaceful protesters were forced out of the way on Monday just before President Donald Trump walked through on his way to the now infamous Bible photo op, has been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza—new street signs and all.

As her chief of staff, John J. Falcicchio, said on Twitter, “There was a dispute this week about whose street this is. Mayor Bowser wanted to make it abundantly clear that this is DC’s street and to honor demonstrators who [were] peacefully protesting on Monday evening.”

On what would have been the 27th birthday of Breonna Taylor, shot eight times by police in her own home in March when they raided the wrong address, Bowser is reminding everyone in our nation’s capital of our nation’s Constitutional freedom to protest violations of our nation’s supposed values of equality and justice.

Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination.

Determination to make America the land it ought to be. pic.twitter.com/XOfu6CGEGY

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) June 5, 2020

Is it petty? Yes, in the best way. Is it “performative,” as the D.C. chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement tweeted? Also yes. I understand why they labeled it a “distraction from real policy changes” they’re fighting for, like defunding the police.

But it’s a distraction I desperately needed today, after another exhausting week of being black in America.

And it’s a message that needed to be sent—and not only to the occupant of the White House—that who you vote for in local elections, much like black lives, matters.

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The ideas and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author’s and not necessarily the opinion of Black Enterprise.

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Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian resigns from board, urges Black candidate as replacement

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has resigned from the board of the website he co-founded and wants his replacement to be Black.

READ MORE: Serena Williams shares vulnerable message about the challenges of being a working mom

Ohanian, who stepped down from day to day duties at the site two years ago, announced his intentions Friday in a blog post entitled, “What Did You Do?”

He will commit to using future gains from his Reddit stock to serve the Black community and focus on curbing racial divisions which have been amplified in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

Instagram

 

He was motivated to take action because of his biracial daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. Ohanian is married to tennis superstar Serena Williams.

“I’m writing this as a father who needs to be able to answer his Black daughter when she asks: ‘What did you do?’” Ohanian wrote.

Ohanian co-founded Reddit 15 years ago, selling the company to Condé Nast in 2006. In 2015, Ohanian and co-founder Steve Huffman returned to Reddit full time. Ohanian scaled back his duties in 2018 but still retained a seat on the board.

Reddit has been challenged with controlling its racist, sexist and violent content, something that remains an issue. In 2017, according to multiple reports, the site banned its ‘alt-right’ subreddit for violating the site’s content policy.

Ohanian, who is worth a reported $70 million, wrote that this course of action was best for him as a father, husband, and for his country. He also announced a pledge of $1M to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp.

“I believe resignation can actually be an act of leadership from people in power right now. To everyone fighting to fix our broken nation: do not stop,” he further wrote.

Ohanian also shared videos on social media to further clarify his intentions.

pic.twitter.com/k8Xkj15uaN

— Alexis Ohanian Sr. 🚀 (@alexisohanian) June 5, 2020

“I believe resignation can actually be an act of leadership from people in power right now. To everyone fighting to fix our broken nation: do not stop,” Ohanian said.

READ MORE: Colin Kaepernick to pay legal fees of Minneapolis protesters

Williams offered her support on Twitter.

“Having diverse views on any boards is important. So proud of you Alexis. I know Olympia will be too,” she tweeted.

 

Having diverse views on any boards is important. So proud of you Alexis. I know Olympia will be too https://t.co/kVUaJZoe7v

— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) June 5, 2020

 

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