New Orleans Saints player Malcolm Jenkins, who spent the last few seasons as an outspoken member of the Philadelphia Eagles, urged Black Americans to stop waiting on the government and become self-reliant during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
What We Know:
- The 12-year NFL veteran posted a video to Twitter on Saturday, imploring the Black community to question the disparity in who receives government-funded resources.
- Jenkins stated, “This pandemic is real, and the damage that is left in wake of the coronavirus is realized mostly in our communities. Bad policy, institutional neglect, and overexposure place us disproportionately within arm’s reach of the dangers of this deadly virus.”
#dearblackpeople We are the most impacted, yet the focus of resources aren’t being invested in us. We cannot wait for a government that has NEVER prioritized us. We must look out for ourselves. Take care of you first, share resources, protect the elderly, and stay home! pic.twitter.com/Gcc6kJBC4U
— Malcolm Jenkins (@MalcolmJenkins) April 11, 2020
- Up to this point, there is now an overwhelming number of reports that substantiate fears that Black Americans are dying at much higher rates from the virus compared to other racial groups, even in communities where they are in the minority.
- Jenkins has also been known to be one of the more vocal supporters of the NFL anthem protests. He’s supported former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s mission to force the NFL to do more to acknowledge police brutality and its adverse impact on Black men.
As an example of Kapernick’s and Jenkin’s effort, with the help of NFL star Anquan Boldin, they helped push the NFL in ultimately providing $89M for a seven-year “Inspire Change” social justice awareness initiative back in 2018. The NFL later made a controversial deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation to supervise their major entertainment events, including the iconic Super Bowl halftime show.
