Wednesday night’s ESPY Awards opened with a powerful message from some of the best players in the NBA.
Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony took the stage at the beginning of the ceremony to discuss the violence that’s dominated the news. The four athletes addressed their peers and urged them to act. “The system is broken,” said Anthony, “the problems are not new, the violence is not new and the racial divide definitely is not new. But the urgency to great change is at an all-time high.”
The four men addressed the issues facing black men in America, police brutality, and the growing tension between the black community and cops. LeBron told the audience, “We all feel helpless and frustrated by the violence, we do. But that’s not acceptable. It’s time to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, ‘What are we doing to create change?’” LeBron told the audience.
You can watch the powerful opening segment here.
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