Yahoo Lifestyle Michael Jordan, Jordan Brand donate $2.5 million to fight Black voter suppression
Michael Jordan and his Jordan Brand are already making good on their June promise to donate $100 million to organizations that fight for racial justice, social justice, and access to education.
On Wednesday, Jordan announced a $2.5 million donation to three organizations that fight Black voter suppression. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund will get $1 million, the Formerly Incarcerated & Convicted People and Families Movement will get $1 million, and Black Voters Matter will get $500,000.
“I’m all in with Jordan Brand, the Jordan family and our partners, who share a commitment to address the historical inequality that continues to plague Black communities in the U.S.,” Jordan said via Nike. “There is a long history of oppression against Black Americans that holds us back from full participation in American society. We understand that one of the main ways we can change systemic racism is at the polls. We know it will take time for us to create the change we want to see, but we are working quickly to take action for the Black community’s voice to be heard.”
Jordan, Jordan Brand’s commitment to racial and social justice
This $2.5 million donation is the first that Jordan and his brand have made since they vowed to donate $100 million over 10 years to fight for racial justice. That announcement came on June 5, following nearly two weeks of nationwide protests in response to the killing of George Floyd while in custody of the Minneapolis Police Department.
It was an unexpected move from Jordan, who largely stayed away from anything even remotely connected to politics both during and after his career. This paragraph was in his statement about the donation:
Black lives matter. This isn’t a controversial statement. Until the ingrained racism that allows our country’s institutions to fail is completely eradicated, we will remain committed to protecting and improving the lives of Black people.
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