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Philadelphia 76ers rookie Matisse Thybulle has been among the NBA players that have used his platform to help raise awareness for social injustices around the world and across the United States.
Thybulle has worn “Vote” on the back of his jersey during the season restart in an attempt to help influence fans to hit the polls this year in the U.S. He was inspired to wear “Vote” on his jersey because of his father, who grew up in Haiti under a dictatorship.
In addition, Thybulle took part in several peaceful protests in Philadelphia over the summer to condemn police brutality and racism following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others. Thybulle was seen holding a sign encouraging citizens to vote in the protests.
Recently, Thybulle revealed on his YouTube series that a fan sent him a pair of custom Nike Paul George shoes that featured Black Lives Matter, #SayHerName and a silhouette of Taylor. Thybulle wore the shoes, which were designed by Ryan Levine, during a couple of games.
Thybulle loved the shoes and the gesture by Levine.
Really, this is the reason why I wanted to make this channel was to create a platform for myself where I thought that my voice would be heard but, more importantly, a platform where I could uplift other voices and other people’s voices. I think this is an awesome start and I’m glad I can be a part of your journey and your impact just as much as you can be a part of mine.
use your platform to uplift other voices ✊🏽 @MatisseThybulle pic.twitter.com/UsSeVgKADA
— NBA Bubble Life (@NBABubbleLife) August 17, 2020
The NBA and NBPA agreed in principle that the goal of the season restart would be to find tangible and sustainable ways to address racial inequality across the country. Players have worn custom jersey messages and have used their media availabilities to help raise awareness for social issues.
Additionally, the NBA Board of Governors recently announced recently that it will contribute $300 million in initial funding to establish the first-ever NBA Foundation dedicated to creating greater economic empowerment in the Black community.
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