Over recent weeks extra attention has been drawn to the Black Lives Matter movement after George Floyd and several other African-Americans were killed by police officers, a problem that has been present in the United States for generations.
Numerous athletes and celebrities have put out statements as well as taken action to help the cause, and that includes a number of current and former Los Angeles Dodgers teammates as well as the organization itself.
One player that had been relatively quiet on the matter was Clayton Kershaw, although that changed on Thursday when he put out a powerful statement in support of Black Lives Matter.
Through his foundation, Kershaw’s Challenge, Kershaw and his wife Ellen have done a ton of work in the local community as well as helping children and families in Africa, so there never was a doubt where they stood on the matter.
His teammates were still appreciative of the statement he put out, as David Price, Kenley Jansen and Walker Buehler all tweeted their thanks and support of Kershaw:
🗣🗣🗣 Thanks Clayton! https://t.co/KezWM504is
— David Price (@DAVIDprice24) June 18, 2020
Kersh always a leader by example 🙏🏾 https://t.co/fiDC1CZzYH
— Kenley Jansen (@kenleyjansen74) June 18, 2020
Special human. I’m with ya. https://t.co/E56YxknqFQ
— Walker Buehler (@buehlersdayoff) June 18, 2020
Kershaw also alluded to Juneteenth in his statement, which is Friday. According to LZ Granderson of the L.A. Times, the Dodgers are giving the day off to their employees so they can focus on making a difference in the black community:
Sources tell me the @Dodgers sent this internal email out on Monday. Like many, the franchise is commemorating Juneteenth. It is also my understanding a pair of Zoom meetings was held last week and the franchise is working on a series of changes. pic.twitter.com/Y4EDaAwDXc
— LZ Granderson (@LZGranderson) June 18, 2020
The Dodgers have been leaders in the country as far as racial equality dating all the way back to the 1940s when Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier.
It is not surprising to see that continue to this day, but it is still great to see them taking a stand in support of equal rights for minorities. Not only are the Dodgers and their players speaking up about the cause, but they are also taking action, which is what it will take to inspire change.
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