[ [link removed] ]Gwen Berry wearing a black t-shirt that says "Activist Athlete." The
image says "Join Color Of Change in supporting Black activist athletes
during the Olympics." In the bottom right corner is the Color Of Change
logo.

With the Tokyo Olympics just weeks away, show your support for Black
athletes like Gwen Berry. [ [link removed] ]Make a $50 donation and Color Of Change will
send you your own Activist Athlete shirt designed by Gwen Berry herself
and is a replica of the one she wore during her protest at the 2021 U.S.
Olympic Trials.

Dear John,

“If it wasn’t for Color Of Change, I probably would not be in this sport,”
said Gwen Berry, a Black woman athlete, Olympian, record-holder in
hammer-throwing, Pan-American gold medalist, and award-winning social
justice activist. 

There is nothing more “Olympic” than fighting for justice. Black athletes
protesting injustice is a commendable and crucial part of Black history.
Think back to Rose Robinson’s refusal to stand for the national anthem
during the 1959 Pan American Games.^1 Or Tommie Smith and John Carlos’
iconic protest on the awards podium during the 1968 Olympics, when their
raised fists became a symbol for racial justice that has stood the test of
time.^2 Despite these acts of selflessness, the Olympic Committee punished
Berry for raising her fist at the 2019 Pan American Games to protest
racial injustice, her corporate sponsors subsequently dropped her, and,
just this past weekend, Berry was the target of a wave of death threats
for her protest at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials.^3

With our members’ support, Color Of Change was able to step in to provide
Berry with financial sponsorship and push AirBnB and Puma to uphold her
and become her corporate sponsors.^4,5 The fight continues as the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) has maintained its discriminatory
Rule 50 ban on racial justice protests—including banning athletes from
wearing anything that says “Black Lives Matter.”^6 Be a part of history
and join Color Of Change in supporting Berry and Black women athletes at
the Tokyo Olympics. 

[ [link removed] ]DONATE NOWThis gift is only available to U.S. residents. Please ensure
that your address is up to date when making your donation and allow up to
2 weeks for delivery. For any questions, please contact
[ mailto:[email protected] ][email protected]. 

Until justice is real, 
The Color Of Change team 

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 References

 1. “Sixty Years Ago She Refused to Stand for the Anthem,” Zora/Medium,
September 26, 2019,
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 2. “U.S. Olympians, John Carlos call on IOC to abolish anti-protest
rule,” Yahoo! Sports, June 27, 2020, 
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 3. “I Used the Podium to Protest. The Olympic Committee Punished Me.,”
The New York Times, September 7, 2020,
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 4. [ [link removed] ][link removed] 
 5. Adam Kilgore, “After shaping protest rules in the U.S., Gwen Berry has
a new sponsor and an eye on Tokyo,” Washington Post, June 21, 2021,
[ [link removed] ][link removed] 
 6. Dave Zirin, “The IOC Is Now Daring Olympic Athletes to Protest,” The
Nation, May 13, 2021,
[ [link removed] ][link removed]


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[ [link removed] ]Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black
folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please
help keep our movement strong.

[ [link removed] ]Make a Donation

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