Fireside Chat, Panel, Conference Presentation
Activist Athletes: Embracing Social Advocacy
Milken InstituteJocelyn Benson, Anquan Boldin, Swin Cash, Stephen Ross, Troy Vincent, Bill Desser, Hillary Lautenberg, Dewan Wiltshire, Jenny Santee
- Sports leagues are expected to transition from reactive to proactive stances regarding social issues, driven by direct pressure from fans and owners who are increasingly taking these matters seriously.
- Young people are projected to significantly influence the specific social issues leaders choose to address, while media coverage of philanthropy is anticipated to expand as networks seek to participate.
- The industry plans to focus on humanizing athletes and increasing the active participation of both athletes and owners in initiatives like RISE through sustained daily effort.
- Success for RISE is specifically defined as all 32 leagues engaging in genuine conversations with local communities within the next year.
- The timeline for achieving social change, including eliminating discrimination and addressing racial justice, is characterized as a long-term process spanning hundreds of years with new obstacles likely to emerge five years from now.
- Observable results are predicted only if all participants maintain consistent daily work and genuine community connection to avoid public cynicism and leverage sports for broader societal impact.
- Sports are expected to continue harnessing their goodwill to promote equality, with the ultimate goal of social behaviors, such as mutual respect among athletes, influencing society at large.