For much of his career, LeBron James has been a vocal advocate against racism and other issues plaguing society, and now he’s turning his attention to Black voting rights.
In response to a story on disproportionate voting lines in different Atlanta suburbs, LeBron is launching a new voting rights initiative called “More Than a Vote,” partnering with other basketball stars such as Trae Young, Jalen Rose and Skylar Diggins-Smith.
“Yes, we want you to go out and vote, but we’re also going to give you the tutorial,” James said in an interview with the New York Times. “We’re going to give you the background of how to vote and what they’re trying to do, the other side, to stop you from voting.”
The importance of voting has been touted as one possible avenue to address the issues being raised by the Black Lives Matter movement, but as LeBron says, it doesn’t acknowledge the structural issues that can factor into each person’s ability to vote — the topic of voter suppression has recently come under discussion during primary elections in the United States.
LeBron has always been about action, and it’s once again great to see that he’s using his platform to bolster meaningful causes such as these in society.
