Even before he was in the NBA, Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown has had an interest in social causes. The 23-year-old Celtic, who left college after his freshman year, is well-read and constantly seeking learning opportunities.
With the NBA in its second month shut down due to coronavirus concerns, Brown wrote an editorial for The Guardian hoping to “inspire our society to come together rather than drift farther and farther apart.”
Brown said despite misinformation and conflicting information coming out about the path forward, he urged against rash responses.
“It is paramount that everyone remains calm. An outbreak of turmoil and chaos that matches the pandemic would be further detrimental to not just the economy, but to us as a society, and community, as a whole.”
He hoped that the fact that COVID-19 was disproportionately affecting African Americans and Latinos would shine a light on the need for changes to American public health.
“Our healthcare system could be potentially highlighting injustices this beautiful nation has composed and suppressed since its establishment,” he said.
He called on people who stay connected despite physical isolation.
“It is easy to segregate ourselves and our families from the outside world. I challenge you to do the opposite," he wrote. "Donate to your local food banks, homeless shelters and to those less fortunate in general. Allocate resources to healthcare workers, and other extraordinary workers and unsung heroes during this time. Lend a hand to the families and family members of healthcare workers and those who have lost someone, and are in need of economic support. The slightest display of compassion may save someone’s life.”
Brown said he hoped the crisis would cause people and the government to examine societal issues that stretched even beyond those directly exposed by COVID-19.
“As I stare at the walls of my confinement, due to the implementation of social distancing, I hope that our nation not only consolidates over the next few weeks but also heals. Ponder the suffrage from other epidemics that have plagued this nation and our planet. Social inequality, gender inequality, inequality in education, poverty, lack of resources, cultural biases, and other various societal imbalances that have yet to be vaccinated. Let’s use this time to look for solution-based answers and cooperative efforts for those problems. It’s Game 7 and how we perform down the stretch is going to determine our outcome. Let’s lean in and get this done together as a team.”