Syracuse football alumni unite to make a difference

If you follow any former Syracuse Orange football players on social media you probably noticed the following statement released over the last two days.

Over 100 alums have come together with a unified voice advocating for Black football players at Syracuse University. The group’s goal is to sit down with Syracuse University Athletics and partner on specific programs designed to help players succeed during and after their Syracuse careers. The social media message was intended to show the commitment of the group to work as a collective voice to make a positive change in the program and improve the experience for these athletes.

In speaking with Zack Chibane it is important to the alumni that they work closely with Syracuse on this effort. The group wants to make sure that Orange football players have access to the appropriate resources such as a diversity inclusion officer within the program- a position that other ACC schools have established with their football programs. Other initiatives will grow out of discussion with Athletics but the overall focus is to take positive steps forward together.

There is another group of Syracuse alums launching their own campaign this week to promote inspire unity and confront oppression. The group is called Black Oranges and they are launching the #GetOffTheBench campaign on July 4. The group is asking people to take action and “pledge to do one thing to help end systemic racism” and they’ve provided a resource of suggested actions that individuals can start with to demonstrate their unity

“As former SU student-athletes, we thrive when challenged but we need your help. Please join us July 4th for an amazing day of solidarity, growth, and activism. Everything counts and everyone has a role to play in this movement. Let’s show America what true leadership, love, and unity looks like. Get off the bench because all lives can’t matter until “Black Lives Matter.”

We’ll keep you updated on the work from these and other groups as they continue to push for equality for all.