New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony has put his money where his mouth is. Find out the details of how Anthony has continued his quest for social reform.
Carmelo Anthony has put his money where his mouth is. The New York Knicks star has been fearless in his approach to the topic of police brutality, even going as far as saying that he’s not afraid to lose endorsements.
With both his wallet and his actions, Anthony has proven himself as an authentic leader in the push for social reform.
On Monday, July 25, Anthony turned his attention to the youth of America. He organized a meeting in South Central Los Angeles, which featured his Team USA teammates, the women’s national team, community leaders, police officers, and local teenagers.
The venue that hosted the event, Challengers Boys & Girls Club, also received a check from the nine-time All-Star. Per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated:
"Carmelo Anthony was pleasantly surprised to see his USA Basketball Olympic teammates and the women’s team joining him in South Central Los Angeles on Monday. There were also 80 teenagers predominantly of African-American and Latino descent and community leaders on hand at the closed social discussion at Challengers Boys & Girls Club.He donated a check as well to the club.“I’m not going to tell you how much,” Anthony said with a smile."
Whether you’re a fan or a critic of what he does on the court, it’s difficult to have anything but respect for Anthony as a human being.
Anthony titled the meeting, “Leadership Together: A Conversation With Our Sons & Daughters.” It’s said to have been a powerful forum, as the youth of Los Angeles spoke out about their rational fear of police brutality.
Per Spears, Anthony was happy to see police officers attend what was undoubtedly an emotional forum.
"“I was thanking everybody who came out and participated, especially the officers,” Anthony told The Undefeated. “I know in situations like this they can feel awkward being in front of these people and hearing all of the negativity that comes by. It’s easier to hear it when you turn on TV about how bad the police are. It’s very difficult to hear it coming from the actual youth sitting there in small groups to take that information and decipher that.”"
The fact that officers were willing to listen to the concerns of the community is already a step in the right direction.
Anthony has been urging athletes and celebrities to utilize their influence to facilitate change. It started with his impassioned Instagram post, continued with his not backing down from his statements, and escalated with his powerful speech at the 2016 ESPY Awards.
While respect is undoubtedly due to Anthony for speaking out when few others were, an even greater level of respect was earned when his actions supported his words.
Anthony didn’t let his words fall on deaf ears; he brought his Team USA teammates into the fold and hosted this vital meeting. His speech at the ESPYs also included fellow global superstars LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade.
Anthony’s activism has taken a new form as he puts his money where his mouth is—both literally with his donation to the Boys & Girls Club and figuratively with his hosting a reformative meeting.
must read: Carmelo Anthony thanks Michael Jordan for speaking out about police brutality
Many feel that athletes have an obligation to take action during times of trial. Anthony has answered the call in an extraordinary way.