RISE MODULE: SPORTS AS A VEHICLE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

Facilitator Instructions:

1. Introduce the activity to the participants by providing the following background information:In February 2017, RISE developed a report, From Protest to Progress: Athlete Activism in 2016, which evaluates the reach and impact of activist athletes in the latter half of 2016. The report research included a survey of more than 225 examples of athlete activism during this period. RISE grouped these actions into six categories: protest, public statements, special apparel, collective action, community outreach and financial contributions. What received the most attention in 2016 were athlete protests. RISE defined protest in the report as actions that intentionally defy existing rules or conventions with an aim of raising awareness or showing solidarity.
2. Ask the participants to share examples of protests from athletes. It is likely that Colin Kaepernick kneeling will be provided as an example.
3. Ask the participants why they feel that protest received the most attention. Example responses:
   • Protests often occurred before the game where television viewership was high.
   • Protest often is considered to be controversial - controversy receives high media coverage.
   • Our country has a history of protest to bring awareness to social injustices.
4. Explain that although protest was the headline leader, athletes used their platform in other ways. The purpose of this activity is to gain an understanding of the other types of actions taken by athletes to drive social progress.

Part A:

1. Divide the participants into five groups and assign one category to each group: public statements, special apparel, collective action, community outreach and financial contributions.
2. Instruct the group to refer to the participant handout and work together to answer the questions outlined.
3. Inform the participants that they will have five minutes to complete this part of the activity before coming back together to share with the larger group.

   Participant handout questions:

   • What is the definition of your group's assigned category?
   • What are examples of actions in this category? List the names of athletes or other leaders in sports who have taken this action. Examples can be during any point in history
4. After five minutes, ask each group to present a summary of their category definition and examples identified. Ensure the definitions used in the report are communicated.

Category Definitions:

1. Public statements involve oral or written communications from individual athletes, teams or organizations to address specific issues. These statements may occur at a news conference or appear on a website, in a magazine or on social media.
2. Social apparel, most often in the form of custom-designed shirts and shoes, is worn to amplify social justice causes, often with club or league support.
3. Collective action occurs when people go beyond individual gestures or statements to show solidarity as a group in support of social justice causes.
4. Community outreach takes place when athletes and/or teams partner with community groups and leaders, such as government officials, seeking social justice at the local or national level. The actions seen in 2016 often were geared toward creating dialogue, increasing understanding of different perspectives and, at times, changing policy.
5. Financial contributions include any monetary donation made by athletes or teams to organizations and initiatives to demonstrate their commitment to and support for a cause.

Part B:

1. Instruct participants to return to their small groups and direct their attention to their participant handout.
2. Explain that their challenge is to determine which example from the handout aligns with their assigned category and then document their ideas about the impact of the action taken: What was the impact? Who was impacted? What is their assessment of the action?
3. Inform participants that they will have five minutes to complete this portion of the activity before coming together to share with the entire group.
4. After five minutes, bring all of the groups together to share summaries of their discussions.
5. Conclude this portion of the activity by facilitating a discussion using the following questions as your guide:
   • What power do athletes have (if any)? How can that power be leveraged? What can it be leveraged to do?
   • Reflecting on the actions taken by the athletes we have discussed today, what are your thoughts on the role professional athletes should play in speaking out on social justice issues?
   • What restrictions to action might there be in sports?
   • What role should athletes play at the high school and college levels?
   • What are ways those in the sports industry (athletes, coaches, administrators, etc.) can use their sports platform for social progress? (Possible responses: Hold an event to celebrate diversity, volunteer in the community, meet with a local government official to discuss policy change, hold a fundraiser for a specific cause, etc.)
   • How can RISE support your efforts?

Please note: The facilitator version of the images includes information on the category of activism. Please use the separate handout for participants.

This module is an adaptation of #the4thBox Cut-out Edition activity from the Interaction Institute for Social Change.