Written by senior sports journalism student Cassie Campise and mass communication graduate student Jenna Nabors. Both Cassie and Jenna are working for Sun Devil Athletics in conjunction with the Public Relations Lab at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
In recognition of Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating of the end of slavery in the United States, Sun Devil Athletics hosted its annual celebration on June 20, at the Student Athlete Facility Theater. Several Sun Devil Athletics administrators, staff and student-athletes were in attendance.
The event was organized by associate athletic director for inclusion and championship life, Alonzo Jones, DEI coordinator, Deana Garner-Smith and Office of Student-Athlete Development academic coach, Markisha Farrier.
"It's important that Sun Devil Athletics models being involved beyond just sports and that we recognize how societal issues impact our student-athletes," Jones said. "And should they have a desire and interest to raise their voice, to participate, to attend, they ought to do that, and we should support that as an athletic program."
This year's Juneteenth speaker was Scott Brooks, an associate professor with the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics and director of research for the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University. He began the event by providing historical context for the day.
Texas was the first state to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday in 1979. Arizona officially recognized the holiday in 2016.
On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday in the United States. The day recognizes June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas — two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
Juneteenth, the official name of the federal holiday, is also often referred to as Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day and Freedom Day.
For his lecture, Brooks had three key takeaways for attendees: slavery and sports links are real, racism impacts Black people differently and racism impacts all people.
The link between slavery and sports is real
Brooks posed the question "can we really trace things back to slavery?" His answer, yes.
Historically, sports were used as a form of entertainment by slave owners. Nowadays, sports are still seen as a form of entertainment and the use of the word "owner" to describe people who have controlling interest in sports teams is receiving pushback, as its historical implications are evident and have received criticism from professional athletes, among others.
Mykala Walker, who joined the Arizona State women's basketball staff in April 2022, said the event was informative and necessary for student-athletes to understand the connections between slavery and sports today in order to create change for tomorrow.
"Most of our student athletes are minorities, especially in the revenue-generating sports," Walker said. "For Sun Devil Athletics to take the time to show their investment in DEI shows that what we talk about in the Sun Devil way, about being family, is actually true."
Racism impacts Black people differently
Black people are impacted by the long-term effects of slavery in different ways, says Brooks. Black women in sports, for example, experience racism differently than Black men.
Brooks offered two examples. Serena Williams has consistently faced backlash for her body type by the news media and the public. Naomi Osaka was whitewashed in an animated portrayal by one of her sponsors.
"Black women have a very different history than Black men — very different. And so the way in which it impacts us is all different," Brooks said.
Racism impacts all of us
Brooks concluded his lecture by talking about the impact racism has on all of society.
"When we don't treat people like humans, when we stereotype or mistreat people, what does that do to us?"
He concluded his lecture by emphasizing the opportunity everyone has to "celebrate that we're all here," and to work to right the nation's wrongs.
Jones thanked Brooks for speaking to Sun Devil athletes, administrators and staff about Juneteenth, and invited students to get involved. He hopes that student-athletes see a space to be active in social justice issues through the Black Student-Athlete Association and also the Global Sport Institute.
"Hopefully they had an introduction to the beauty and complexity that is the U.S., to include a horrific period where humans enslaved other human beings, but also recognize that we're in a better place now because our ancestors, elders and young people looked at injustice and did something about it," said Jones.
In recognition of Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating of the end of slavery in the United States, Sun Devil Athletics hosted its annual celebration on June 20, at the Student Athlete Facility Theater. Several Sun Devil Athletics administrators, staff and student-athletes were in attendance.
The event was organized by associate athletic director for inclusion and championship life, Alonzo Jones, DEI coordinator, Deana Garner-Smith and Office of Student-Athlete Development academic coach, Markisha Farrier.
"It's important that Sun Devil Athletics models being involved beyond just sports and that we recognize how societal issues impact our student-athletes," Jones said. "And should they have a desire and interest to raise their voice, to participate, to attend, they ought to do that, and we should support that as an athletic program."
An afternoon filled with education + reflection joined by student-athletes, administrators & coaches of @TheSunDevils ??
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) June 20, 2022
Happy #Juneteenth! pic.twitter.com/kDPHZIdwkI
This year's Juneteenth speaker was Scott Brooks, an associate professor with the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics and director of research for the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University. He began the event by providing historical context for the day.
Texas was the first state to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday in 1979. Arizona officially recognized the holiday in 2016.
On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday in the United States. The day recognizes June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas — two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
Juneteenth, the official name of the federal holiday, is also often referred to as Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day and Freedom Day.
For his lecture, Brooks had three key takeaways for attendees: slavery and sports links are real, racism impacts Black people differently and racism impacts all people.
The link between slavery and sports is real
Brooks posed the question "can we really trace things back to slavery?" His answer, yes.
Historically, sports were used as a form of entertainment by slave owners. Nowadays, sports are still seen as a form of entertainment and the use of the word "owner" to describe people who have controlling interest in sports teams is receiving pushback, as its historical implications are evident and have received criticism from professional athletes, among others.
Mykala Walker, who joined the Arizona State women's basketball staff in April 2022, said the event was informative and necessary for student-athletes to understand the connections between slavery and sports today in order to create change for tomorrow.
"Most of our student athletes are minorities, especially in the revenue-generating sports," Walker said. "For Sun Devil Athletics to take the time to show their investment in DEI shows that what we talk about in the Sun Devil way, about being family, is actually true."
Racism impacts Black people differently
Black people are impacted by the long-term effects of slavery in different ways, says Brooks. Black women in sports, for example, experience racism differently than Black men.
Brooks offered two examples. Serena Williams has consistently faced backlash for her body type by the news media and the public. Naomi Osaka was whitewashed in an animated portrayal by one of her sponsors.
"Black women have a very different history than Black men — very different. And so the way in which it impacts us is all different," Brooks said.
Racism impacts all of us
Brooks concluded his lecture by talking about the impact racism has on all of society.
"When we don't treat people like humans, when we stereotype or mistreat people, what does that do to us?"
He concluded his lecture by emphasizing the opportunity everyone has to "celebrate that we're all here," and to work to right the nation's wrongs.
Jones thanked Brooks for speaking to Sun Devil athletes, administrators and staff about Juneteenth, and invited students to get involved. He hopes that student-athletes see a space to be active in social justice issues through the Black Student-Athlete Association and also the Global Sport Institute.
"Hopefully they had an introduction to the beauty and complexity that is the U.S., to include a horrific period where humans enslaved other human beings, but also recognize that we're in a better place now because our ancestors, elders and young people looked at injustice and did something about it," said Jones.