Ravens and owner Steve Bisciotti to donate $1 million towards local social justice reform
The Baltimore Ravens and the Stephen and Renee Bisciotti Foundation jointly pledged $1 million to social justice reform in the Baltimore area in light of the civil unrest that has consumed the nation in the aftermath of the riots and protests following the horrifying murder of George Floyd at the knee of local law enforcement last week in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Official statement from Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti:
“There is nothing I can say to ease the pain felt by African-American communities across our country. No words will repair the damage that has been done.
“Like many people, I am sickened, disheartened and shaken by the acts of racism that continue to overwhelm our society. The most recent killing, involving George Floyd, is yet another tragic example of the discrimination that African-Americans face each day.
“Now, more than ever, we must all strengthen our pursuit of positive change, as we stand with peaceful protestors around the country. We must all seek to understand by listening better and learning more. We must all discover new ways to unite. We must all work to break the cycle of systematic racial injustice.
“Our players have been – and will continue to be – at the forefront of this change. We believe in their commitment to furthering social justice and invoking meaningful change. We stand side by side with them, in full support. It is for this reason that I have asked a group of former and current Ravens players to decide which organizations should receive proceeds from the $1 million donation we are making today.”
This offseason has been unlike anything that the NFL or any professional sports league have ever endured with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the world and brought the spirts world to a screeching halt. Just when we thought 2020 couldn’t get any worse, last week we were reminded that another disease still runs rampant in our country. One that was once thought largely surprised but has been rearing its ugly head more and more in recent years and that is systematic racism and the unjust treatment of African Americans in this country.
The proliferation of the slaughtering of young black males especially at the hands of those sworn in and under oath to protect them and uphold the law have reached the boiling point and it is manifesting itself in the form of peaceful protests as well as violent demonstrations by those angry citizens fed up with the injustice and systematic oppression of demographic of the population.
Emotions are raw nationwide as outburst from the public continue to escalate because they feel like their voices are not being heard, their lives are not being protected and that praying and protests aren’t going to be enough to achieve the level of change that needs to occur.
Bisciotti expressed that he is “shaken by the acts of racism that continue to overwhelm our society.” He and his wife’s foundation as well as the Ravens have put their money where their mouth is in their efforts to support their community and give aid the disenfranchised. Dating back to the outbreak of COVID-19, their $3.2 million in charitable donations have gone to foundations that include the Maryland Food Bank, Baltimore Community Fund, Fund for Educational Excellence and United Way and $100,000 a piece to the Salvation Army and the Red Cross.
The Ravens will have a committee of current and former players that played for the organization will determine which Baltimore-area programs will directly benefit from the contribution. Current and former players as well as executives from all sports of all colors have spoke out in the wake of Floyd’s murder from Hall of Fame hooper Michael Jordan who could not longer hold his typical radio silence in times of controversy and turmoil in this country to NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell.
Bisciotti’s generosity is just one of many affluent sports figures doing what they can to support those in need and help to work towards invoking change in the systems that have allowed certain privileged members of society to act as judge, jury and executioner with impunity. Baltimore is not stranger to riots and protest as they are still reeling from the fallout from the murder of Freddie Gray in 2015 and the Ravens stood with and gave to the community then and haven’t stopped as evident by this latest donation to a righteous cause.