The Boston Red Sox organization is showing their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The words “Black Lives Matter” were written across a 254-foot billboard facing the Massachusetts Turnpike on Wednesday (July 22).
“Recognizing that we have work to do ourselves, we wanted to show that we stand with those who are working to achieve racial equity,” team spokeswoman Zineb Curran told CNN in a statement. “The billboard is operated by the Red Sox Foundation and one of the ways we plan to feature the Black Lives Matter movement throughout the baseball season as a way to amplify the voices of those who share our values, but may not share our platform.”
The franchise has been very vocal with their support of the movement. Earlier this week, manager Ron Roenicke said that he will support any of his players who decide to take a knee during the playing of the National Anthem.
Back in June, the Red Sox Foundation president and CEO Sam Kennedy condemned the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery calling them “stark reminders that racism and police brutality continue to be pervasive in America.”
“I am so grateful to my teammates who consistently remind me that the Red Sox have an obligation to amplify the voices of those who share our values, but do not share our platform. Silence in the face of injustice is unacceptable,” he wrote.
On their website, the foundation also listed ways that people can help create social change including which organizations to donate to such as the George Floyd Memorial Fund, Run With Maud, Justice For Breonna, National Bail Fund Network and the Minnesota Freedom Fund. The page also listed sites that people can learn more from such as the Grassroots Law Project, Equal Justice Initiative and the NAACP.
Check out a photo of the Black Lives Matter billboard below.