Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon, left, and team president Theo Epstein speak on February 12, 2019, as the team reports to spring training in Mesa, Ariz. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
As the nation reacts to the George Floyd Protests, Theo Epstein revealed his support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
The murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, and the protests that followed, have forced most prominent figures in sports to detail their support, or lack thereof, with a statement on the record. Theo Epstein is no exception.
The Cubs president of baseball operations revealed his stance on Monday in a conference call during which he supported the Black Lives Matter movement and stated his shock at the killing of Floyd and other African-Americans across the country due to police brutality.
Chicago Cubs executive Theo Epstein supports the Black Lives Matter movement nationwide.
In making a statement, Epstein joined a slew of white voices in sports to throw their support behind African-American teammates and employees.
“I’d like to start by offering my condolences to the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the countless victims that keep losing their lives to racist violence in this country, year after year, decade after decade, century after century,” Epstein said, per 670 the Fan in Chicago. “Echoing my colleagues at the Cubs, I’m standing up (in support) of the Black Lives Matter movement and the protesters who are doing their best to make this a real inflection point in our history.”
What followed was an acknowledgement that we’ve become all too familiar with in the aftermath of Floyd’s death. Epstein said he’s one of many who haven’t done enough within their own organizations to help eliminate systemic racism, and that we all need to contribute to take another step forward as a country. That doesn’t necessarily start with legal proceedings or Congress, but rather personal sacrifice.
It’s on MLB — and their independent organizations — to promote diversity in baseball. The first step is identifying the problem.