Much like the players on the Brooklyn Nets roster, team governor Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai have lent a helping had to those in need across the country.
The Tsais were there when the COVID-19 outbreak struck New York, and they responded to the social justice movement that followed the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
As the NBA players in the Disney bubble look to the league’s board of governors to impact change following the Milwaukee Bucks’ protest on Wednesday, the Tsais have already proven steps can be taken by NBA owners.
On Tuesday, the Tsais released their “Social Justice Commitment Statement” through BSE Global:
We stand in solidarity with the Black community, and all Indigenous people and People of Color, to end racism in our organization and in our society.
The Plaza at Barclays Center in Brooklyn has become a gathering space for Black Lives Matter. We are proud of our players’ leadership in speaking out against racism and advocating for social justice.
Racial injustice continues to be pervasive in society, and systemic imbalances must be addressed by the government, the private sector, and individuals. We plan to address the inequities by focusing first on our organization and our community in Brooklyn. We believe Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets, and New York Liberty can become symbols of how we move forward together as a country. We will provide the resources to accelerate change. We hope to lead by example by supporting our athletes, employees, and community in anti-racist work.
Our mission is to use our platform to bring people together around a shared commitment to inclusiveness, justice, and equal opportunity. Our goal is to promote a society where people of all backgrounds can acknowledge differences and share common values without fear. We will promote a culture of belonging, and our community will be a place for dialogue, respect, and empathy.
The statement also included the Tsais’ “principles and core beliefs” for the Nets, New York Liberty and Barclays Center, along with a five-point plan — which entailed a commitment of $50 million over 10 years to “social justice initiatives and community investments that will benefit the BIPOC.”