Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade may have all been on opposite NBA squads, but they’ve teamed up to help the Black community through their new project called “The Social Change Fund.”
The fund will help with some of the issues that have long affected Black people, whether it’s trying to get a stronger economic foothold or attempting to close disparities between Blacks and whites in the U.S. educational system.
Anthony explained that “The Social Change Fund” won’t only help people who are currently facing these issues but it will also set up a better future for generations to come. Voting and civic engagement are other issues the men will focus on through the project.
“Our mission is to address social and economic justice issues facing Black communities and break down the discriminatory barriers to success,” said Paul in a press release. “‘The Social Change Fund’ will help advance racial equality and opportunity.”
“The magnitude of racial inequality is staggering with Black lives socially, politically, and economically marginalized,” Wade added. “We are committed to supporting organizations that directly represent and benefit the Black community with ‘The Social Change Fund.’ Our goal is to create a pathway for inclusion and success by deploying the necessary funds and resources to invest in long-term change.”
The men are working with a group of companies to help fund the initiative, including investment banking giant Goldman Sachs, Beyond Meat, Laureus Sport for Good USA, and Creative Artists Agency.
In addition, there’s a link on the fund’s website where anyone can donate either once or monthly, depending on the option people choose.
As many NBA and WNBA players have been doing over the last few months, Paul, Anthony, and Wade have been using their voices to support Black Lives Matter and the nationwide protests that have sparked since George Floyd died in May.
For example, all three of the athletes have been posting photos of the protests on social media, Anthony spoke to other celebrities like Killer Mike about the uprisings on Instagram, and Paul joined a Black Lives Matter rally in Encino, California, in June.
Anthony, Paul and Wade, along with LeBron James, spoke about racism and police brutality at the 2016 ESPY Awards on top of of those things. So their interest in social justice and striving for racial equality hasn’t just started.
“The problems are not new, the violence is not new and the racial divide is definitely not new,” said Anthony at the awards show four years ago. “[But] the urgency to change is at an all-time high.”
