Black Players Coalition of MLS Announces Launch on Juneteenth

MLS players have announced the creation of the Black Players Coalition, a group that "aims to address racial inequalities in MLS, fight racism in soccer, elevate Black voices and positively impact Black communities across the USA and Canada."

In a statement released Friday, on the Juneteenth holiday, the BPC said over 70 black MLS players have joined the coalition. The organization has received a commitment of $75,000 from the MLS Players Association.

"We pledge to help bridge the racial equality gap that exists in our league by lobbying for initiatives like implicit bias training, cultural education courses, and diversification hiring practices," the statement read. "Beyond addressing these overlooked systemic issues around soccer in this country, the BPC is committed to tackling the racial injustices that have prevented black people from having an equitable stake in society. Among the many goals we will strive to achieve in our black communities, some will include targeted spending, educational advancement initiatives, and mentorship programs."  

Ray Gaddis, CJ Sapong, Quincy Amarikwa, Kendall Waston, Jeremy Ebobisse, Sean Johnson, Bill Hamid, Earl Edwards Jr, Jalil Anibaba, Kei Kamara and Ike Opara are set to be on the BPC's board members. Justin Morrow is the organization's executive director.

"As we celebrate Juneteenth and the coming together of our coalition, we must remind ourselves that such progressivism was once met with vehement backlash," the statement read. "May this reminder serve as a warning to us all that confronting systemic racism head-on will never be a smooth, constantly upward trending path, but rather a timeless battle that will force us to reinvent the very essence of our institutions."

The BPC's creation comes amid nationwide calls to end police brutality and discrimination against black people after the killing of George Floyd in police custody. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, leading to protests across the world.