Tag: Baltimore Ravens social justice

Ravens cancel morning practices, will have ‘team unifying session surrounding social justice reform’

The Baltimore Ravens continue to back their players in their demand for social justice reform, canceling morning practice to further unify.

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The Baltimore Ravens continue to walk the walk when it comes to social justice. The Ravens have canceled their morning practices and will instead have a “team unifying session surrounding social justice reform.”

This comes just a day after Baltimore canceled their afternoon meetings and used the time to have a serious discussion about social justice reform. The Ravens released an impactful statement in the evening with specific calls to action, including demanding prison and police reform as well as calling for justice for Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake.

The Ravens have been committed to this cause, especially this offseason. Earlier this offseason, Baltimore released a video of several players and team officials calling for social justice reform and backing “Black Lives Matter.” Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti donated $1 million to select Baltimore organizations fighting for social justice reform, picked by the players.

In such a condensed offseason due to the coronavirus pandemic, every practice is even more important than usual. The decision to cut one of those valuable practices in an effort to continue talking about social justice reform shows a continued commitment to the cause, something the players have been very passionate about.

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Ravens call for justice for Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake

After canceling afternoon meetings in the wake of Jacob Blake’s killing, the Ravens released a statement calling for social justice reform

In the wake of Jacob Blake being shot by police, much of the sports world has ground to a halt. The Baltimore Ravens, in following with several NFL and other professional sports teams, took time today to discuss social justice reform and how to move forward together. After canceling their afternoon meetings to hold the team discussion, the Ravens released a statement with several specific calls to action.

The statement condemned racism and the abuse of peaceful protesters in recent months, calling for society to unify regardless of race, religion, creed, or belief. While they acknowledged these issues are bigger than sports, Baltimore called for the arrest of the police officers responsible for the murder of Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake, as well as police and prison reform.

This isn’t the first time the Ravens have put themselves in the middle of social justice issues this offseason. Owner Steve Bisciotti donated $1 million toward social justice reform within Baltimore and the team made a video standing with “Black Lives Matter.”

Read below to see the full statement from the Ravens:

With yet another example of racial discrimination with the shooting of Jacob Blake, and the unlawful abuse of peaceful protesters, we MUST unify as a society. It is imperative that all people – regardless of race, religion, creed or belief – come together to say, ‘Enough is enough!’  

This is bigger than sports. Racism is embedded in the fabric of our nation’s foundation and is a blemish on our country’s history. If we are to change course and make our world a better place, we must face this problem head-on and act now to enact positive change.

It is time to accept accountability and acknowledge the ramifications of slavery and racial injustice.

Though we cannot right all the wrongs of our country’s history, we can:

  • Arrest and charge the police officers responsible for Breonna Taylor’s killing and the shooting of Jacob Blake.
  • Demand that Senator Mitch McConnell bring the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 to the Senate floor for vote.
    • End qualified immunity; require body cameras; ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants; hold police accountable in court; establish a framework to prohibit racial profiling at federal, state, and local levels
  • Support state- and federally-mandated CALEA Accreditation and national standards of care in policing.
  • Encourage everyone to engage in the political process by registering to vote on both the local and national level. (www.risetovote.turbovote.org)
  • Demand prison sentencing reform that is fair and equitable.
  • Encourage every citizen to act with respect and compliance when engaging with the police. If you feel there has been an abuse of power, we encourage you to contact your police department’s internal affairs unit. (For Baltimore City, dial 410-396-2300.)

We will use our platform to drive change now – not just for our generation, but for the generations that follow, for our sons and daughters and for their children.

Ravens cancel afternoon meetings to discuss social justice issues

With many other sports teams striking, the Baltimore Ravens will cancel their afternoon meetings at training camp to discuss social justice.

In the wake of several professional sports teams striking in favor of social justice reform, the Baltimore Ravens are following suit. According to the team, the Ravens will hold their morning practice but have canceled afternoon meetings. Instead, they will come together to discuss social justice and how they want to move forward as a team.

The outcry comes just days after a Kenosha, Wisconsin police officer shot Jacob Blake multiple times. The shooting saw protesters come out in force and the movement has resonated with many professional athletes who have taken to social media to share their frustrations and disappointment. The Milwaukee Bucks refused to take to the basketball court for their playoff game on Wednesday, helping push the matter firmly into the sports world.

Before Thursday’s practice, coach John Harbaugh called a team meeting on the practice field at the Under Armour Performance Center, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. It’s unclear what the team’s next move will be but it’s a public show of support toward continued social justice reform and the backing of their most vocal players on the matter.

This isn’t the first time Baltimore has supported this cause. With this spring and summer seeing public outrage toward police for how they treat minorities, the Ravens have been very outspoken around the Black Lives Matter movement. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said that sticking to sports would make him “the worst kind of hypocrite” while also donating $1 million to support social justice reform in Baltimore through his Stephen and Renee Bisciotti Foundation.

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