With the concourse outside Barclays Center the site of protests this week over the police-related death of George Floyd, the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty of the WNBA released a statement Sunday backing the cause of racial justice.
“We will work alongside our community – our fans, players, employees and including local law enforcement – to raise awareness, push back on racial prejudice and bring about meaningful change,” the statement read in part. It was signed by seven executives, including Joe Tsai, the owner of the Nets and Liberty.
Here’s the whole statement:
We mourn the senseless and devastating loss of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others who lost their lives because of racial bias. Today, we stand up and speak up against all forms of racism — overt or subconscious — especially against the Black community.
We want to say “Enough is Enough.”
Not all of us can ever be in a position to experience the personal pain, fear and despair of Black Americans in light of the events. But our instinct tells us that the lack of respect for human life, fueled by prejudices, is simply wrong. All people, regardless of color, race or ethnicity, deserve to be treated with human dignity and be protected from violence.
Our hearts are broken by the attacks on the personal safety and dignity of the Black community. While we feel the raw emotion, we call for a peaceful response in our joint fight against racism. This is not the time to be vengeful. This is a time to effect change.
We don’t pretend to have all the solutions. The organizations represented by the undersigned are committed to using our voice and platform to facilitate empathy and dialogue, to help find answers, to heal the wound and pain.
We will continue to work alongside our community — our fans, players, employees and including local law enforcement — to raise awareness, push back on racial prejudice and bring about meaningful change.