Now more than ever, athletes have been using their platforms to cast light on particular issues within society and Alabama left tackle Alex Leatherwood is one who took full advantage and is continuing to do so.
Back in June, Leatherwood wrote a script for a team video speaking out against racial injustice and supporting the “Black Lives Matter” movement.
On Wednesday during the team’s player interview session, the Pensacola, FL, native was asked about what inspired him to do so.
“What inspired me to do that? Just seeing all the things that were going on and taking place it was very disheartening. You know what I mean?” said Leatherwood. “I felt like us being who we are and us having this platform I felt like it was a great opportunity to show that — to be a voice for my people from a standpoint and platform where a lot of people would listen.
“I feel like we still feel the exact same way about the video today.”
Leatherwood’s video was released at the height of the protests stemming from the death of George in Minneapolis by the hands of a police officer while being detained.
But as recently as Sunday, another black man named Jacob Blake was shot in the back by a police officer in Kenosha, Wis., and has caused even more protests and demands for conversation and resolve within the country.
With occurrences like this still taking place, Leatherwood along with his teammates and coaches still share the same opinions on the matter.
“My opinions have not changed at all,” said Leatherwood. “The creative process to be honest was almost like — don’t know, it just like came to me out of nowhere. I am by no means a writer or anything like that because I’m very math-minded. Left-brained, you know what I mean? But I felt like that was just something that came to me and I felt like because I’m not really an outspoken person but I felt like those thoughts and those feelings that I had to for the situation needed to be heard so I used my platform to do so.”
Despite what some may believe, Leatherwood said he and his teammates are not angry in their discussions of racial inequality but rather tired of the repetitive injustices.
“Of course it’s been discussed around the team and stuff like that,” said Leatherwood. “But I mean, just like I said earlier, we feel the same way as we did a few months ago when we put out that video. Of course, we’re not really angered but like we just don’t feel good about that kind of stuff. We don’t like to see it. It shouldn’t be normal to be seeing that kind of stuff every few weeks, every month or so. It’s not good. We don’t like it.”
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
