NBA legend Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand have announced the first partners that will receive donations as part of his 10-year, $100-million commitment to fight systemic racism.
Jordan is donating $1 million each to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) and the Formerly Incarcerated & Convicted People and Families Movement (FICPFM), and $500,000 to Black Voters Matter. All three groups are focused on fighting Black oppression on election day.
“I’m all in with Jordan Brand, the Jordan family and our partners, who share a commitment to address the historical inequality that continues to plague Black communities in the U.S.,” Jordan said in a statement. “There is a long history of oppression against Black Americans that holds us back from full participation in American society. We understand that one of the main ways we can change systemic racism is at the polls. We know it will take time for us to create the change we want to see, but we are working quickly to take action for the Black community’s voice to be heard.”
Jordan originally announced his $100-million pledge on June 5 in the days after George Floyd, a Black man, died after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Video of Floyd’s death sparked worldwide protests against social injustice and racial inequality.
Jordan’s donations will focus on civic engagement within the Black community, eliminating wealth and education gaps based on race and opportunity, and generating greater awareness towards the role racism plays in everyday life.
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