We Matter: Athletes and Activism

by Etan Thomas

Overview

In interviews and essays, high-profile activist athletes explore the intersection of sports and politics.

“Thomas interviews athletes, coaches, and sports personalities as he covers topics related to activism from the sporting realm and how it is perceived in America. A necessary read.” —Library Journal, A Best Book of 2018

Featuring interviews by former NBA player Etan Thomas with over fifty athletes, executives, media figures, and more—and interwoven with essays and critiques by Thomas—We Matter shares the personal tales and opinions of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook, Steve Kerr,Oscar Robertson, Mark Cuban, Michael Bennett, Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, Swin Cash, Alonzo Mourning, Chris Webber, Jemele Hill, Anquan Boldin, Jamal Crawford, Juwan Howard, Ray Jackson, Shannon Sharpe, James Blake, John Carlos, Laila Ali, Michael Eric Dyson, Joakim Noah, Eric Reid, Adam Silver, Soledad O’Brien, John Wall, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Bradley Beal, Tamika Catchings, Curtis Conway, Harry Edwards, Chris Hayes, Craig Hodges, Chamique Holdsclaw, Scoop Jackson, Bomani Jones, Shaun King, Jimmy King, Ted Leonsis, Thabo Sefolosha, Ilyasah Shabazz, Torrey Smith, Kenny Smith, Michael Smith, David West, Michael Wilbon, Jahvaris Fulton (brother of Trayvon Martin), Emerald Snipes (daughter of Eric Garner), Allysza Castile (sister of Philando Castile), Valerie Castile (mother of Philando Castile), and Dr. Tiffany Crutcher (sister of Terence Crutcher).

This volume will be an inspiration for many different people: sports junkies; young readers who need words of encouragement from their favorite athletes; parents seeking positive messages for their children; activists who want to hear athletes using their voices to address social justice; and schools that need motivational material for their students.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781617755910
Publisher:	Akashic Books, Ltd.
Publication date:	03/06/2018
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

ETAN THOMAS, a former eleven-year NBA player, was born in Harlem and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has published multiple books including: We Matter: Athletes and Activism (voted a top ten best activism book of all time by BookAuthority), More than an Athlete, Fatherhood: Rising to the Ultimate Challenge, and Voices of the Future. Thomas received the 2010 National Basketball Players Association Community Contribution Award as well as the 2009 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation Legacy Award—both honoring his advocacy for social justice. He is a senior writer for BasketballNews.com and a regular contributor to the Guardian and The Undefeated. He can frequently be seen on MSNBC as a special correspondent and cohosts a weekly show with Dave Zirin called, The Collision: Where Sports and Politics Collide. Police Brutality and White Supremacy: The Fight Against American Traditions is his latest book.

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

Chapter 1 The Children of the Movement 12

Jahvaris Fulton (Brother of Trayvon Martin) 16

Emerald Snipes (Daughter of Eric Garner) 20

Tiffany Crutcher (Sister of Terence Crutcher) 28

Alysza Catile (Sister of Philando Catile) 33

Chapter 2 Athlete Activism Matters 40

Michael Eric Dyson 44

Dwyane Wade 51

Carmelo Anthony 55

Bill Russell 60

Chapter 3 The Kaepernick Movement Matters 67

Eric Reid 71

Torrey Smith 76

David West 80

Shannon Sharpe 86

Chapter 4 Standing Up to Police Brutality Matters 90

Russel Westbrook 93

Anquan Boldin 96

James Blake 101

Thabo Sefolosha 111

Chapter 5 Coaches and Management Using their Voices Matters 118

Ted Leonsis 121

Mark Cuban 122

Steve Kerr 129

Kenny Smith 133

Adam Silver 138

Chapter 6 Standing Up for Black Lives Matter Matters 141

Bomani Jones 143

Bradley Beal 148

Swin Cash 153

Tamika Catchings 159

Chapter 7 Ignoring Critics and Haters Matters 164

Jamal Crawford 165

John Carlos 168

Juwan Howard 174

Craig Hodges 176

Chapter 8 Speaking Out in the Age of Trump Matters 183

Michael Wilbon 184

Chris Hayes 186

Alonzo Mourning 200

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 204

Chapter 9 Connecting with Activists Matters 210

Harry Edwards 212

Ilyasah Shabazz 216

Shaun King 220

Chapter 10 Having "The Talk" with Young Male Athletes Matters 225

Valerie Castile (Mother of Philando Castile) 229

Chris Webber 232

Joakim Noah & Derrick Rose 239

Chapter 11 Having "The Talk" with Young Female Athletes Matters 246

Chamique Hodlsclaw 249

Soledad O'Brien 254

Jemele Hill & Michael Smith 259

Laila Ali & Curtis Conway 265

Chapter 12 Fighting for Your Rights Matters 268

Oscar Robertson 271

Jimmy King & Ray Jackson 275

John Wall 279

Chapter 13 Education Matters 283

Scoop Jackson 287

Michael Bennett 293

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 301

"Kaepernick," a poem Malcolm Thomas 307

"You Matter," a poem Etan Thomas 311

Afterword Dave Zirin 316

Editorial Reviews

"Former NBA player Etan Thomas releases the timely and necessary We Matter: Athletes and Activism, in order to add useful, relevant words to the conversation on athletes and their activism."

The Root

"In We Matter, Thomas strives to show the influence professional athletes can have when they join the conversation on race, politics and civil rights. Thomas conducted 50 interviews, which included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Laila Ali, Michael Bennett and Eric Reid, among many other athletes, as well as journalists, television personalities and family members of unarmed black men who were shot and killed. Thomas also explored his ties with the Wizards and spoke with John Wall, Bradley Beal and current majority team owner Ted Leonsis."

Washington Post

"Etan confronts our collective challenges and reminds us that life is not just a game, but demands a constant struggle for justice."

Amy Goodman

"An accessible collection of interviews and essays addressing racial profiling, the power and relevance of athletes' voices, gender inequality, and mental health stigmas...In appealing and intelligent writing, Thomas encourages fans and athletes to share their voices and inspires thoughtful action through this well-timed and significant collection...An excellent resource to spark discussions and motivate positive community expression and involvement."
—Library Journal

"Former Marquette Universitybasketball player and 12-time NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade, along with Basketball Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who played for the Milwaukee Bucks while he was still known as Lew Alcindor) are among more than 50 athletes, coaches, executives and media personalities featured in a timely new book exploring the intersection of sports and politics."
—Isthmus (Madison, WI)

"In We Matter, former NBA player and poet Etan Thomas interviews a number of notable athletes, writers, and coaches in order to explore the world of athletes and activism...It is fascinating to read the thoughts of these figures that Thomas interviews and is a great primer on the intersection of sports and politics for beginners, while also containing much that will be revealing for those already well versed in these topics."
—Fansided, Included in A Black History Month sports reading list

"Thomas has spent his life examining inequities in America particularly as it relates to race and poverty. He's spoken out against war, helped Oklahoma prisoners write poetry and rallied against police brutality...But, Thomas says he's not alone: that social issues dominate what athletes talk about behind closed doors."
—Tulsa World

"Thomas' book focuses on the intersection of race and politics in sports. It features interviews with several Basketball Hall of Famers including Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson, countless NBA all-stars and the Suns' Jamal Crawford. Beyond basketball, the book also addresses the NFL's collusion case of embattled players Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid, as well as discussions with family members of police brutality casualties including Eric Garner, Philando Castile and Terence Crutcher."
—Arizona Republic

"Etan confronts our collective challenges and reminds us that life is not just a game, but demands a constant struggle for justice."
—Amy Goodman, Democracy Now

"This book should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the voice of the modern athlete."
—Brooklyn Fans

"I applaud Etan Thomas' We Matter because his voice is adding strength and courage to athletes in regard to speaking up and becoming more involved in the issues of social justice. His support is especially important to other professional athletes because they do have a larger platform with the ability to reach huge audiences."
—Culture Honey

"It couldn't have happened without [athletes]...People around the world know my brother's name. I don't know if a lot of people know this, but in the beginning, the news outlets didn't want to run the story."
—Jahvaris Fulton (brother of Trayvon Martin)

"On Facebook someone had reposted the video [of various NBA players wearing I Can't Breathe shirts]...and I thought it was Photoshopped. I didn't think it was real...It was really overwhelming because I felt that my voice is being heard."
—Emerald Snipes (daughter of Eric Garner)

"When we saw footage of Russell Westbrook speaking out after my brother's death, and telling the world how wrong it was and that they were going to do whatever our family needs, and that they were going to be there for us, it really touched my family. It meant so much to my father..."
—Dr. Tiffany Crutcher (sister of Terence Crutcher)

"It really touched my heart. If I could personally meet each and every one of the WNBA players, I would give them all a hug and tell them individually, 'Thank you for speaking out and supporting my brother, it was just so brave.' Some people in the spotlight are afraid to speak out, but they weren't at all. They used their voices and their outlet and told the entire world that what happened to my brother and to Alton Sterling was wrong...I can't thank them enough."
—Allysza Castile (sister of Philando Castile)

From the Publisher

★ 07/01/2018
Taking advantage of the momentum created when NFL player Colin Kaepernick took a knee, retired NBA player, writer, and activist Thomas explores the work of athlete activists. He interviewed more than 50 athletes, sports executives, media professionals, and family members of police brutality victims for this project. The honest conversations, published in transcript form and often accompanied by black-and-white photos, serve as a primer on recent police violence cases, a history lesson on the first athletes who stood up for racial justice, an examination of the experience of being young and black in the United States, and an insightful look at how it feels to lose a loved one to tragedy, from contributors such as Jemele Hill, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Carmelo Anthony. Readers, especially athletes, will be inspired by these powerful role models. White allyship is stressed, and the effects of police brutality on communities is a major theme. Each exchange is prefaced with background—teens can read chapters out of order, and educators can assign individual interviews. Poems written by Thomas and his son are a bonus. VERDICT An important read, executed uniquely. Hand to teens who enjoyed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Becoming Kareem.—Lindsay Jensen, Nashville Public Library

School Library Journal

2017-12-19
A former NBA player and current activist and MSNBC commentator returns with a collection of dozens of interviews on the subject of race in America—all supporting the efforts of athletes to speak out and up.Thomas, who has published a volume of poetry (More Than an Athlete, 2005) and a memoir (Fatherhood: Rising to the Ultimate Challenge, 2012), interviews a wide assortment of voices, including media personalities (Chris Hayes, Soledad O'Brien), basketball legends (Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), current stars (Dwayne Wade, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony), intellectuals (Michael Eric Dyson), and family members of young blacks killed by the police (Trayvon Martin's brother, Eric Garner's daughter). The commentators offer experiences and opinions that range from wrenching to unsurprising to thought-provoking. Several themes are present throughout: people in the public eye must speak up; athletes need to be more active (there is much praise here for Colin Kaepernick and much condemnation for OJ Simpson—not because of murder but because of his failure to speak up for social justice when he could have made a difference); we must educate black children, not just in the traditional school subjects, but in techniques of survival in a society and a justice system severely tilted against them. A number of interview subjects, as well as Thomas, also argue strenuously for salaries for college athletes. Most poignant are the conversations with the surviving family members of slain black youth, Martin and Garner among them. Throughout the collection, there are many instances of deep, abiding grief and determination to work to prevent injustices from happening to others. The author is a genial interviewer; there are no contrarians here, and no conversations display any real disagreement or rancor. Other interviewees include Mark Cuban, Steve Kerr, Tamika Catchings, Michael Wilbon, Laila Ali, and Jemele Hill.Voices of pain, anger, and hope resound through these pages—and through the reader's heart.

Kirkus Review