The NAACP has announced that it will present the Jackie Robinson Sports Award to Stephen Curry and the Women's National Basketball Players' Association (WNBPA). It is the first time the award has been presented to multiple recipients since 1990. Past winners include LeBron James, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Michael Jordan, Jim Brown and Wilma Rudolph.
The Women's National Basketball Players' Association has been committed to fighting social injustice for years. Before kneeling became popular across multiple sports, WNBA players began kneeling during the national anthem. In recent years, former WNBA MVP Maya Moore has dedicated her prime playing years toward freeing wrongfully incarcerated people. Not to mention, Natasha Cloud, Renee Montgomery and several others skipped last season so that they could dedicate their time to fighting racial injustice. Most recently, members of the Atlanta Dream were at the forefront campaigning for Raphael Warnock, the first Black Senator from the state of Georgia.
“I love what the WNBA players have done. They’ve really taken the lead with creativity and unity in a lot of important causes, political causes but social injustice issues,” eight-time NBA champion and Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr told the AP.
“They’ve made their voices heard. They’ve done it very creatively and powerfully.”
Kerr's star player, Stephen Curry, has also worked to create change across the world. Curry has worked with Barack Obama's My Brother's Keeper Initiative to mentor and inspire young, Black men. Not long ago, he donated more than $100,000 to victims of Hurricane Harvey. More recently, he made a six-year commitment to jumpstart a golf program at Howard University. He has also used his production company, Unanimous Media, to launch the Pathways Alliance initiative to amplify diverse voices in entertainment.
“Steph has certainly made people in the Bay Area and all over the world feel joy. His commitment to social activism and support of women are another part of the fabric that makes up the person that he is. I’m honored to know him for what he does both on and off the court,” Golden State Warriors Bob Meyers said.
“And a much-deserved congratulations to the women of the WNBA who continue to fearlessly pursue what is right.”
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