As protests over the killing of George Floyd sweep the nation, plenty of athletes are standing up and not just expressing their opinions on social media, but marching in solidarity.
16-year-old tennis star Coco Gauff did more than just march at a local Black Lives Matter protest in her hometown of Beach, Florida. When the time came, Gauff gave a speech that was a painful but powerful plea for change.
“You need to use your voice, no matter how big or small your platform is, you need to use your voice,” Gauff said. “I saw a Dr. King quote that said, ‘The silence of the good people is worse than the brutality of the bad people.’ So, you need to not be silent. If you are choosing silence, you’re choosing the side of the oppressor.”
My speech at the peaceful protest in my hometown of Delray Beach, Florida. #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/Jeyswzt7n5
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) June 4, 2020
Standing in front of a makeshift podium and a brightly painted sign, Gauff ran through the dismaying list of names of black people killed by police officers, and pleaded not only for her future, but for her brothers’ and the kids she may one day have.
“This is not just about George Floyd. This is about Trayvon Martin. This is about Eric Garner. This is about Breonna Taylor. This is about stuff that’s been happening,”she said. “I was eight years old when Trayvon Martin was killed. So why am I here at 16 still demanding change? And it breaks my heart because I’m fighting for the future of my brothers. I’m fighting for the future of my future kids.”
It’s a wrenching listen, and one that deserves your time and attention.
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