Retired NBA great Michael Jordan said he can no longer stay silent amid rising tensions between police and minorities.
“As a proud American, a father who lost his own dad in a senseless act of violence, and a black man, I have been deeply troubled by the deaths of African-Americans at the hands of law enforcement and angered by the cowardly and hateful targeting and killing of police officers,” he said Monday in a statement to The Undefeated. “I grieve with the families who have lost loved ones, as I know their pain all too well.
Jordan revealed that he will be donating $1 million apiece to two organizations that are working to improve the relationship between police and the communities they serve.
“I was raised by parents who taught me to love and respect people regardless of their race or background, so I am saddened and frustrated by the divisive rhetoric and racial tensions that seem to be getting worse,” Jordan said.
According to The Undefeated, the NCAAP Legal Defense Fund and the Institute for Community-Relations will each receive $1 million from Jordan.
“I know this country is better than that, and I can no longer stay silent,” Jordan said. “We need to find solutions that ensure people of color receive fair and equal treatment and that police officers – who put their lives on the line every day to protect us all – are respected and supported.”
The retired basketball player played 15 seasons in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards. He currently is a majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets.
“The problems we face didn’t happen overnight and they won’t be solved tomorrow, but if we all work together, we can foster greater understanding, positive change and create a more peaceful world for ourselves, our children, our families and our communities,” he said.
