The formation of the Black Players Coalition is a heartening move towards change.
A historic movement for racial justice and equality, systemic change, and on the most basic level, the admission that black lives matter, has swept through the United States this last month.
Movements of this scale need leaders willing to stand at the forefront and ignite change, and the MLS has proven it has some of those leaders in its midst.
Over 70 black players in the MLS have joined together to create the Black Players Coalition of MLS with the full support of the league. The coalition announced themselves and their mission on Juneteenth through no coincidence.
June 19th, 1865 (Juneteenth) marked the day when Major General Gordon Granger reached Galveston, Texas to announce the end of the Civil War. He also brought the particularly important news that those who were enslaved were now free, though this news came a shocking two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
The Black Players Coalition took to social media on this historic day to lay out their goals saying,
"“We pledge to help bridge the racial equality gap that exists in our league by lobbying for initiatives like implicit bias training, cultural education courses, and diversification hiring practices. Beyond addressing these overlooked systemic issues around soccer in this country, the BPC is committed to tackling the racial injustices that have prevented black people from having an equitable stake in society.”"
Among the board members of the Black Players Coalition is Jeremy Ebobisse, a friend and constant advocate for racial justice and equality.
Ebobisse is a product of Duke University with the kind of intelligence and eloquence that inspires trust in the leaders of a movement. The coalition is in good hands with him on the board.
As the weeks and months pass, I look forward to following the Black Players Coalition and celebrating the change I’m hopeful they’ll bring about.