>>> DOES THIS OFFEND? IT'S JUST A SIMPLE, SILENT GESTURE.
♪♪
HOW ABOUT NOW? OH, SO NOW THERE'S A PROBLEM.
IS THE PROBLEM THAT STAR ATHLETES WOULD DARE DO SOMETHING
DEEMED DISRESPECTFUL BY SOME DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM?
OR IS THE PROBLEM A COUNTRY THAT CONTINUES TO DEVALUE BLACK LIFE?
ATHLETES THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE USED THEIR PLATFORMS.
IN SOME CASES, SCREAMING FOR JUSTICE WITHOUT SAYING A WORD.
MAKING STATEMENTS THAT BLACK BODIES ARE NOT JUST HERE FOR
ENTERTAINMENT, THAT BLACK LIFE IS NOT EXPENDABLE.
WE ARE IN AWE OF THEIR ATHLETIC ABILITY, CALL THEM HEROES FOR
THE LAST‐SECOND SHOT, FOR A GAME‐WINNING CATCH.
WORSHIP THEM FOR THEIR TALENTS. BUT WHEN THEY STAND UP ‐‐
THEY'VE BEEN OSTRACIZED AND VILIFIED.
TOLD TO SHUT UP AND RUN. SHUT UP AND DRIVE.
SHUT UP AND SCORE THAT TOUCHDOWN. SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE. SHUT UP.
BUT THEY'VE FOUND THEIR VOICE, AGAIN.
SO AS LONG AS THE VALUE OF BLACK LIFE REMAINS A PROBLEM, THIS
GENERATION OF ATHLETES IS
DETERMINED TO BE A PROBLEM.
♪♪
>>> WELCOME TO "SOUL OF A NATION." I'M JEMELE HILL.
AND TONIGHT, ATHLETES IN ACTIVISM TAKE CENTER STAGE.
WE'LL SEE HOW SOME OF AMERICA'S TOP ATHLETES USED THEIR ENERGY
AND RESOURCES, AND EVEN THEIR SPORTS, TO IMPROVE LIFE FOR
THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS. I TALK TO WNBA STAR
RENEE MONTGOMERY, WHO PUT IT ALL ON THE LINE OFF THE COURT.
WE'LL MEET GYMNASTS WHO WENT TO THE FLOOR FOR THE CULTURE.
WE LOOK AT SPORTS IN THE MOVIES. AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL
PERFORMANCE FROM COMMON. BUT FIRST, THROUGHOUT HISTORY,
WE'VE SEEN ATHLETES PUTTING THEIR CAREERS ON THE LINE, ALL
FOR THE SAKE OF RACIAL JUSTICE. HERE'S MY FRIEND, ESPN'S MICHAEL
WILBON.
>> LEADING UP TO THE 1968 OLYMPIC GAMES, THE COUNTRY WAS
AT A FLASHPOINT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
>> THE REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS
ASSASSINATED IN MEMPHIS TONIGHT.
>> SIX MONTHS AFTER THE MURDER OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.,
OLYMPIANS JOHN CARLOS AND TOMMIE SMITH STOOD ATOP THE
WORLD'S BIGGEST STAGE, CALLING ATTENTION TO THE PLIGHT OF BLACK
AMERICA.
>> DR. KING WAS GOING TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE OLYMPIC
BOYCOTT. BUT I ASKED DR. KING, "WHY WOULD
YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT?"
AND HE SAID TO ME, HE SAID, "IMAGINE YOU GET IN A ROWBOAT,
AND YOU ROW IT TO THE CENTER OF THIS ENORMOUS LAKE AND THEN YOU
TAKE A ROCK AND THROW A ROCK OVERBOARD. IT CREATES WAVES."
HE SAID, "THAT ROCK IS THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT.
BUT THE GREATEST THING IS THAT YOU HAVE THE ATTENTION OF THE
PLANET. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO KILL OR MAIM
OR HURT ANYONE TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT."
>> WHEN WE LEFT MEXICO CITY, IT WAS, LIKE, LIGHTNING AND
THUNDERING, CHAOS, MAYHEM, HATRED.
>> JOHN CARLOS WAS EVEN MORE DEFIANT AFTER THE AMERICAN
OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ORDERED HIM OFF THE TEAM.
>> I'M TELLING Y'ALL FOR THE LAST TIME, Y'ALL BETTER TIP AND
LEAVE ME ALONE.
>> CLEARLY, YOU ANTICIPATED REPERCUSSION, BUT DID YOU HAVE
ANY IDEA THE INTENSITY OF THE BACKLASH, OF THE HATRED?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I ‐‐ I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
THE REPERCUSSION WOULD BE DEATH. BUT MY THOUGHTS WERE, WHEN THE
DEMONSTRATION IS GONE, YOU CAN KILL ME, BUT YOU CAN NEVER KILL
WHAT I STAND FOR. YOU COULD NEVER ERASE THAT
DEMONSTRATION.
>> WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?
>> I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, IT'S TO BRING AWARENESS.
COPS ARE GETTING PAID LEAVE FOR KILLING PEOPLE.
>> AFTER THE SHOOTINGS OF PHILANDO CASTILE AND
ALTON STERLING, NFL QUARTERBACK COLIN KAEPERNICK WAS VILIFIED
FOR TAKING A KNEE DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
SOME CALLED HIM A DISTRACTION TO HIS TEAM. EVEN UN‐AMERICAN.
>> YOU GOT TO RESPECT THE FLAG AND YOU GOT TO STAND UP WITH
YOUR TEAMMATES.
>> YOU HAVE TO SHOW SOME RESPECT.
>> HAVE YOU TALKED TO COLIN KAEPERNICK?
>> I TALKED TO COLIN, LET HIM KNOW THAT I THOUGHT THAT HE WAS
A HERO OF MINE. WHEN YOU JUMP OUT INTO THE POOL
OF HUMANITARIANISM, IT'S A LONELY JOB.
THE TIMES ARE DIFFERENT, BUT COLLECTIVELY, ALL THE RESPONSES
TO EACH OF THOSE STATEMENTS WAS THE SAME, IN THE NEGATIVE SENSE.
>> THIS IS A BACKUP QUARTERBACK WHOSE JOB IS TO BE QUIET.
>> WITH VERY LITTLE PUBLIC SUPPORT FROM FANS AND THE
LEAGUE, THAT SEASON WENT ON TO BE KAEPERNICK'S LAST.
>> I NEVER LOOKED AT MYSELF AS AN ACTIVIST.
BUT REGARDLESS OF THE RAMIFICATIONS, I NEEDED TO STEP
UP AND DO MORE.
>> MICHAEL THOMAS IS ONE OF THE FEW PLAYERS THAT SEASON WHO TOOK
A KNEE WITH KAEPERNICK IN SOLIDARITY.
TELL ME ABOUT WHAT THE REACTION WAS, MAYBE IN YOUR FAMILY.
>> YOU KNOW, I HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH MY PARENTS.
LIKE, "LOOK, I'M THINKING ABOUT MAKING THE DECISION TO TAKE A
KNEE." THEY WAS LIKE, "I DON'T WANT YOU
TO BE PUNISHED FOR SPEAKING OUT AGAINST POLICE TERRORISM."
SO THEY JUST WAS TRYING TO PROTECT THEIR SON, BUT IT WAS
HARD. IT WAS TOUGH KNOWING THAT YOUR
PARENTS, YOU KNOW, THEY FEARED FOR YOU.
>> WHAT WERE LOCKER ROOMS LIKE, THAT YOU WERE IN?
>> THERE WERE DEFINITELY GUYS WHO, LIKE, BLACK TEAMMATES ‐‐
THAT'S THE PART THAT HURT ‐‐ THAT WERE TELLING US, LIKE,
"NAH, MAN, Y'ALL STUPID. LIKE, WE AIN'T TRYING TO MESS UP
OUR MONEY." IT WAS DEFINITELY A TIME IN THE
NFL WHERE IF YOU SPEAK OUT ON ANYTHING THAT'S CONTROVERSIAL,
YOU COULD PROBABLY LOSE YOUR JOB.
>> OVER THE LAST DECADE, CELL PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA HAVE
CAST A SPOTLIGHT ON THE BLACK VICTIMS OF POLICE VIOLENCE.
>> HANDS UP, DON'T SHOOT! HANDS UP, DON'T SHOOT!
>> IN THAT TIME, THE DEMANDS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY HAVE ONLY GROWN
LOUDER AMONG BLACK ATHLETES. NBA PLAYERS LIKE CARMELO ANTHONY
AND CHRIS PAUL. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU GOT TO
A POINT WHERE IT WAS JUST, ALL RIGHT, THIS IS PART OF MY LIFE
NOW?
>> FOR ME, IT WAS ‐‐ IT WAS THE FREDDIE GRAY SITUATION.
YOU KNOW, BEING BACK IN BALTIMORE, AND IT WAS LIKE,
"DAMN, THIS IS MY CITY. THIS IS MY BACKYARD.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE I KNOW. I KNOW THAT PERSON.
I KNOW FREDDIE."
>> WHAT LED TO YOUR ESPYS APPEARANCE?
>> IT'S THE 2016 ESPYS.
>> MELO STARTED IT IN THE GROUP CHAT.
>> I COULDN'T SLEEP ONE NIGHT. IT WAS JUST ALL THE SENSELESS
KILLINGS THAT WAS HAPPENING.
>> AND SO YOU HEAR FROM HIM, AND YOU THINK WHAT?
>> WE ALL TALKED ABOUT WHAT WAS, SORT OF, SPECIFIC TO EACH ONE OF
US, WHAT WE WAS GOING TO SAY, HOW HE WAS GOING TO SAY IT.
>> THIS IS FROM YOU GUYS. THIS WAS YOUR IDEA.
THIS IS FROM THE HEART.
>> WE DIDN'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN TOWARDS THE END.
WE WANTED TO KICK IT OFF. A CALL TO ACTION.
THE FOUR OF US TALKING TO OUR FELLOW ATHLETES WITH THE COUNTRY
WATCHING, BECAUSE WE CANNOT IGNORE THE REALITIES OF THE
CURRENT STATE OF AMERICA.
>> YOU COULD HEAR THE PASSION FROM ALL OF US.
MUHAMMAD ALI, JOHN CARLOS AND COUNTLESS OTHERS.
THEY SET A MODEL FOR WHAT ATHLETES SHOULD STAND FOR.
BASKETBALL HAS BEEN A PLATFORM. BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, WE ARE
HUMANS AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT, JUST LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE.
>> WHICH IS WHY "SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE" MUST HAVE MORE THAN
ANNOYED YOU.
>> KEEP THE POLITICAL COMMENTARY TO YOURSELF, OR AS
SOMEONE ONCE SAID, "SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE."
>> WHEN YOU REALLY SIT BACK AND THINK ABOUT THAT PHRASE, IT GOES
DEEP. I MEAN, WE HAVE FAMILY, WE HAVE
FRIENDS WHO ARE STILL IN THOSE ‐‐ THOSE ENVIRONMENTS WHO
ARE BEING AFFECTED. AND THAT MEANS YOU TELLING US TO
JUST BE QUIET AND LET OUR FAMILY SUFFER.
>> BUT MELO AND PAUL WERE NOT GOING TO JUST SHUT UP AND
DRIBBLE. NOT AFTER THE ESPYS. AND ESPECIALLY NOT LAST YEAR, AS
A FAMILIAR TREND CAME ROARING BACK DURING THE PANDEMIC.
>> BREONNA TAYLOR! BREONNA TAYLOR!
>> IT WAS A SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS NO GAMES GOING ON,
WASN'T NO TRAVELING, WE WAS HOME. IT FORCED US TO HAVE REAL
CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR FAMILIES, WITH US AS
PLAYERS, AS A LEAGUE. IN THESE TIMES NOW, YOU CAN'T
HIDE YOUR FEELINGS AND YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT CAN WAIT AND
WHAT CAN'T WAIT.
>> WHEN PLAY RESUMED WITH COVID PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, THE LEAGUE
SUPPORTED THE PLAYERS' DESIRE TO PROMOTE SOCIAL JUSTICE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE REACTIONS TO HOW YOU HOLD YOUR EMPLOYER
ACCOUNTABLE.
>> I HOPE IT CONTINUES TO GET BETTER AND BETTER TO A POINT
WHERE IT'S JUST SECOND NATURE. LIKE, WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP
BRINGING THESE ISSUES TO YOU.
>> NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE!
>> AFTER JACOB BLAKE WAS SHOT IN KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, HUNDREDS OF
ATHLETES AND COACHES FOLLOWED THE LEAD OF THEIR NBA AND WNBA
COUNTERPARTS.
>> IT'S AMAZING TO ME, WHY WE KEEP LOVING THIS COUNTRY AND
THIS COUNTRY DOES NOT LOVE US BACK.
>> WITH THE JACOB BLAKE SITUATION, IF YOU SAW THE WAY
THAT WE SORT OF REACTED, I THINK WE CONTINUE TO UNDERSTAND OUR
INFLUENCE MORE AND MORE AND WE REALIZE HOW MUCH STRONGER WE ARE
TOGETHER.
>> WITH THE SEVEN BULLET HOLES, JACOB BLAKE SHOT SEVEN TIMES IN
THE BACK.
>> PLAYERS EVERYWHERE REFUSED TO WORK.
>> I THINK THE MOST DIFFICULT PART IS TO SEE, LIKE, PEOPLE
STILL DON'T CARE.
>> AND FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST SUMMER, EVERY MAJOR SPORTS
LEAGUE WAS COMPELLED TO PUBLICLY SUPPORT BLACK LIVES MATTER.
EVEN THE NFL.
>> WE, THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, BELIEVE BLACK LIVES
MATTER.
>> WHEN YOU HEARD ROGER GOODELL, THE COMMISSIONER, YOU THOUGHT
WHAT?
>> I'M GOING TO SAY THIS. I LOVE THE FACT THAT IN 2020,
2021, WE'RE AT A PLACE NOW WHERE THE LEAGUES ARE WILLING TO SAY,
"BLACK LIVES MATTER." BUT USE THAT TO CONTINUE TO HOLD
THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND SAY, "HEY, LET'S GO TRY TO, LIKE, GET SOME
REAL LAWS CHANGED. LET'S GO TRY TO MAKE REAL CHANGE
IN OUR COMMUNITIES."
>> THOMAS CONTINUES FIGHTING, WORKING WITH CONGRESSWOMAN
SHEILA JACKSON LEE TO PASS THE GEORGE FLOYD ACT.
>> OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS BEING THE LEADERS IN THE LOCKER ROOMS,
BEING THE LEADERS ON THE FIELD, BUT ALSO LEADERS IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
>> UNLIKE THE PAST, PROFESSIONAL LEAGUES FEEL THE ONCOMING TIDE.
> I THINK WE OPENED THE DOORS FOR A LOT OF ATHLETES TO FEEL
COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT AND SPEAKING ON ISSUES.
>> MORE AND MORE ATHLETES ARE ROILING THE WATERS, LIKE JOHN
CARLOS SOME 50 YEARS AGO.
>> YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO TO BRING
ATTENTION TO THE PLIGHT OF PEOPLE OF COLOR.
BUT EVERY TIME I SEE MR. KAEPERNICK OR ANY YOUNG
INDIVIDUAL THAT STEPS UP TO THE PLATE NOW, I FEEL THAT'S A PART
OF ME. THAT'S AN EXTENSION OF ME.
>>> COMING UP, ONE WNBA STAR FIGHTS TO GET THE VOTE OUT IN
GEORGIA.
>> AND I WANTED TO DO MORE AND MORE, AND SO I MADE A DECISION
TO JUST BE ALL IN.
>> AND LATER, COMMON RETURNS TO "SOUL OF A NATION" WITH RHYMES
TO REFLECT THE MOVEMENT.
♪♪
>>> RENEE MONTGOMERY IS BASKETBALL ROYALTY.
SHE LED THE BEST WOMEN'S PROGRAM IN AMERICA, THE UNIVERSITY OF
CONNECTICUT, TO AN UNDEFEATED CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON.
AND SHE WENT ON TO BECOME AN ALL‐STAR AND CHAMPION IN THE
WNBA. BUT LAST YEAR, SHE SHOCKED THE
WORLD, PUTTING IT ALL ON THE LINE TO FIGHT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE.
I SAT DOWN WITH HER TO ASK HER A SIMPLE QUESTION ‐‐ WHY?
>> ATLANTA WAS TURNT UP AND ATLANTA WAS PROTESTING.
ATLANTA WAS UPSET.
>> SAY HIS NAME!
>> GEORGE FLOYD!
>> WE STAND TODAY BECAUSE OF BREONNA TAYLOR.
>> THERE WAS A SORT OF POLITICAL AWAKENING.
>> A MULTIRACIAL COALITION OF CONSCIENCE POURED OUT INTO
AMERICAN STREETS.
>> I WAS LITERALLY LOOKING OUTSIDE OF MY WINDOW AT PEOPLE
UPSET. AT FIRST, I JUST STARTED OUT
JUST BRINGING WATERS. AND I WANTED TO DO MORE AND
MORE, AND THEN I FELT, LIKE, HOW COULD I DO MORE IF I WAS HALF IN
AND HALF OUT? SO I MADE A DECISION TO JUST BE
ALL IN. AFTER MUCH THOUGHT, I'VE DECIDED
TO OPT OUT OF THE 2020 WNBA SEASON.
THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE OFF THE COURT IN SO MANY AREAS IN OUR
COMMUNITY. I DO FEEL THAT NOW IS THE TIME
AND MOMENTS EQUAL MOMENTUM.
>> "MOMENTS EQUAL MOMENTUM." WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT?
>> I MEANT THAT, LIKE, LOOK, THE PROTESTS, THAT'S ADDING MOMENTS.
IT'S ADDING TO THE MOMENTUM. EVERYBODY THINKS YOU GOT TO DO
SOMETHING AMAZING, AND YOU REALLY DON'T. YOU KNOW?
LIKE, YOU JUST NEED TO ADD YOUR MOMENT.
THAT COULD LITERALLY BE A TWEET THAT SOMEBODY READS, BUT
EVERYBODY HAS A MOMENT.
>> WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST RESERVATIONS?
WHEN YOU THOUGHT ABOUT SITTING OUT THE SEASON?
>> I'VE BEEN PLAYING BASKETBALL, OH, MY GOD, SINCE I WAS,
LIKE, 5. YOU KNOW, AND IT'S ‐‐ IT'S A
PART OF MY BEING. GIVING THAT UP WAS TOUGH.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THAT NEXT CHECK WAS COMING FROM.
>> ACROSS THE BOARD, PROFESSIONAL FEMALE ATHLETES
DON'T OFTEN MAKE THE SAME, OR EVEN COME CLOSE TO, WHAT MALE
ATHLETES MAKE.
>> YEAH, IT WAS A SCARY SITUATION IN THAT ASPECT.
BUT HONESTLY, I JUST TOOK A LEAP OF FAITH.
>> RENEE JOINED A LONG LINE OF FEMALE ATHLETE ACTIVISTS WHO
HAVE SPOKEN UP, FROM TRACK AND FIELD STARS ROSE ROBINSON AND
WILMA RUDOLPH, TO TENNIS STAR NAOMI OSAKA, TO FELLOW
BASKETBALL PLAYERS MAYA MOORE AND TIFFANY HAYES.
>> I THINK WHAT YOU WERE HEARING
FROM RENEE MONTGOMERY, AS SHE TOOK A BREAK FROM BASKETBALL,
WAS THAT THESE ARE NOT USUAL TIMES.
>> THE WNBA AS A LEAGUE ALSO LED THE WAY, IN JULY DEDICATING THE
ENTIRE 2020 SEASON TO SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, HONORING THE
BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT AND THE SAY HER NAME CAMPAIGN.
IN A CONTROVERSIAL MOVE, THEN DREAM CO‐OWNER
KELLY LOEFFLER OPPOSED THE PLAN. THE CONSERVATIVE MILLIONAIRE
REPUBLICAN WAS AN APPOINTED U. S. SENATOR AND FACED AN UPCOMING
ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.
>> SHE'S A LAW AND ORDER CONSERVATIVE WHO BACKS THE BLUE.
>> SHE WROTE TO THE WNBA COMMISSIONER, SAYING, "THE LIVES
OF EACH AND EVERY AMERICAN MATTER AND THERE'S NO
DEBATING THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO PLACE FOR RACISM IN OUR
COUNTRY. HOWEVER, I ADAMANTLY OPPOSE THE
BLACK LIVES MATTER POLITICAL MOVEMENT. I BELIEVE IT IS TOTALLY
MISALIGNED WITH THE VALUES AND GOALS OF THE WNBA AND THE
ATLANTA DREAM, WHERE WE SUPPORT TOLERANCE AND INCLUSION."
>> THE WNBA HAS EMBRACED THE BLACK LIVES MATTER POLITICAL
ORGANIZATION. IT'S A VERY DIVISIVE
ORGANIZATION BASED ON MARXIST PRINCIPLES.
>> WELL, WHO DIDN'T HAVE YOUR BACK, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT
I WAS VERY CRITICAL OF WAS, OF COURSE, KELLY LOEFFLER.
THIS IS A WOMAN THAT SIGNS YOUR CHECKS.
>> YEAH.
>> WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF WHAT SHE SAID?
>> IF YOU FELT THAT WAY, WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY SOMETHING
EARLIER? WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE RUNNING AS A
REPUBLICAN SENATOR. FOR YOU NOT TO BE WITH BLACK
LIVES MATTER, WELL, I MEAN, HALF OF OUR LEAGUE, MAJORITY OF OUR
LEAGUE IS THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.
WHY ARE YOU WRITING THE LETTER NOW?
>> RENEE RESPONDED WITH AN OPEN LETTER OF HER OWN.
>> YOUR COMMENTS HURT DEEPLY BECAUSE IT WAS A VEILED "ALL
LIVES MATTER" RESPONSE, AND YOU ARE SPEAKING FROM A POSITION OF
IMMENSE INFLUENCE AS A TEAM CO‐OWNER IN OUR LEAGUE AND AS A
U.S. SENATOR.
>> YOU OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONVERSATION.
>> YEAH.
>> DID SHE EVER TAKE YOU UP ON THAT OFFER?
>> SHE DID NOT.
>> WE REACHED OUT TO LOEFFLER THROUGH THE DREAM AND HER
ORGANIZATION GREATER GEORGIA AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.
>> EVERYBODY SAW WHAT HAPPENED WITH COLIN KAEPERNICK.
SO WHAT WAS YOUR LEVEL OF CONCERN THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT
MIGHT HAPPEN TO YOU AS WELL?
>> PRETTY HIGH. YOU'RE GOING HEAD TO HEAD WITH
YOUR BOSS AND THAT'S NEVER A GOOD IDEA.
>> THE STAKES COULDN'T HAVE BEEN HIGHER.
LOEFFLER WAS FIGHTING FOR HER SENATE SEAT AGAINST A FIELD THAT
INCLUDED POLITICAL NEWCOMER REVEREND RAPHAEL WARNOCK.
THE BALANCE OF THE SENATE WOULD DEPEND ON THE SENATE RACES IN
GEORGIA, AND RENEE WAS IN THE FIGHT, URGING VOTERS TO MAKE
THEIR VOICES HEARD.
>> VOTE STRONG, VOTE INFORMED AND REMEMBER THE 3rd OF NOVEMBER.
YOU CAN HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS BY HITTING THEM IN THE VOTING BOOTHS.
>> THERE WAS NOTHING SHORT OF
OUR DEMOCRACY AT STAKE.
>> BY EARLY AUGUST, WNBA PLAYERS ACROSS THE LEAGUE, LED BY
SEATTLE STORM'S SUE BIRD AND THE DREAM'S ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, WERE
THROWING THEIR SUPPORT BEHIND REVEREND WARNOCK, SENDING A
CLEAR AND PROVOCATIVE MESSAGE THAT THEY WOULD NOT REMAIN
SILENT.
>> THEY ACTUALLY VETTED SENATOR WARNOCK, AND THEY FOUND OUT WHAT
HE WAS RUNNING ON, AND THEN THEY LIKED IT.
AND THEN THEY WORE THE SHIRTS.
>> THEY EMERGED WITH THOSE T‐SHIRTS THAT SAID "VOTE
WARNOCK," BUT AT REAL ‐‐ IN A REAL SENSE, WHILE THEY WERE
SUPPORTING ME, IT WAS MUCH BIGGER THAN ME.
IT WAS ABOUT THEM RAISING THEIR VOICES AS ATHLETES WHO KNEW THAT
THIS WAS A DEFINING MOMENT.
>> THE WNBA'S PLAYERS AMPLIFYING THEIR VOICES DID A LOT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAD THE OUTCOMES THAT WE HAD IN NOVEMBER AND
JANUARY.
>> HISTORY IN GEORGIA.
>> THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. I AM GOING TO THE SENATE TO WORK
FOR ALL OF GEORGIA.
>> RECORD VOTER TURNOUT, THANKS TO EARLY VOTING, DROP BOXES,
MAIL‐IN BALLOTS AND GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGNS HELPED MAKE ALL THE
DIFFERENCE.
>> THIS WAS NATIONAL NEWS. THE WNBA HAS A PLACE IN HISTORY.
>> ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. THIS IS THE NEW SOUTH.
THIS IS THE EMERGING AMERICAN ELECTORATE UNFOLDING BEFORE OUR
VERY EYES.
>> BUT IN THE WAKE OF THE 2020 ELECTION, GEORGIA PASSED
NEW LEGISLATION OVERHAULING ELECTION LAWS THAT REPUBLICAN
SUPPORTERS SAY IMPROVES VOTING SECURITY AND EFFICIENCY.
>> IT EXPANDS EARLY VOTING. IT ACTUALLY PUTS DROP BOXES INTO
THE LAW FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
>> BUT OPPONENTS ARGUE THE NEW LAWS MAKE IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE
OF COLOR AND THOSE WHO ARE LOW INCOME TO VOTE.
>> WHAT WE'RE WITNESSING IN GEORGIA AND ALL ACROSS THE
COUNTRY IS POLITICIANS WHO ARE TRYING TO TURN OUR DEMOCRACY ON
ITS HEAD SO THAT RATHER THAN THE VOTERS PICKING THE POLITICIANS,
THE POLITICIANS GET TO PICK THEIR VOTERS.
AND WE HAVE TO STAND UP IN THIS MOMENT.
>> I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE TRY TO PUT POLITICS TO THE SIDE AND
BE LIKE, AH, I'M NOT INTO POLITICS, I DON'T GET INTO IT.
BUT POLITICS IS ALL THE WAY INTO US. POLITICS IS SCARED OF US.
>> AND AS FOR RENEE? SHE CONTINUES TO PILE UP HER
MOMENTS AS A STUDIO ANALYST FOR ATLANTA HAWKS GAMES AND PART
OWNER OF A FAN‐CONTROLLED FOOTBALL TEAM.
>> LET'S JUST GET IT DONE.
>> AND WHILE SHE MAY HAVE WIPED AWAY TEARS AS SHE ANNOUNCED HER
RETIREMENT AS A PLAYER ON HER PODCAST ‐‐
>> DEAR BASKETBALL ‐‐ I SHOULDN'T BE CRYING OVER YOU
BECAUSE WE ARE STILL GOING TO BE TOGETHER.
SO LET'S KEEP THIS MOMENTUM GOING.
>> RENEE'S BIGGEST MOVE CAME IN FEBRUARY.
FORMER SENATOR KELLY LOEFFLER SELLING HER INTEREST IN THE
ATLANTA DREAM TO A GROUP THAT INCLUDED RENEE MONTGOMERY.
SO WHAT'S NEXT?
>> WHAT'S NEXT IS NOT LETTING WHAT HAPPENED IN 2020 JUST BE
THAT LITTLE MOMENT. IT NEEDS TO BE A MOVEMENT NOW.
LET'S CONTINUE WHAT WE STARTED. BECAUSE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING,
SOMETHING'S HAPPENING.
>>> UP NEXT, TWO UCLA GYMNASTS GO FOR BOLD.
>> IT'S THE FLOOR EXERCISE, BUT IT'S A STAGE TO ME.
I'M REACHING POTENTIALLY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
>> HOW THEY'RE BRINGING ACTIVISM TO THE ARENA WITH FLOOR ROUTINES
FOR THE CULTURE. WHEN "SOUL OF A NATION" RETURNS.
♪♪
>>> WELCOME BACK. AS SOMEBODY BLACK WHO DEFIES THE
STEREOTYPE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN DANCE, THIS NEXT STORY
DEFINITELY WARMS MY HEART. TWO GYMNASTS HAVE VAULTED
THEMSELVES IN THE LIMELIGHT AS VIRAL SENSATIONS WITH THEIR
SHOW‐STOPPING MOVES. THESE TUMBLING QUEENS ARE ALSO
BRINGING THEIR FORM OF ACTIVISM TO THE FLOOR WITH EPIC ROUTINES
THAT ALSO CELEBRATE BLACK EXCELLENCE.
HERE'S ABC NEWS ANCHOR KENNETH MOTON.
>> THE SPORT OF GYMNASTICS IS VERY MUCH SEEN AS A VERY RIGID
SPORT. FOR GENERATIONS, IT PROMOTED A
RUSSIAN BALLETIC CLASSICAL BODY TYPE, THAT'S WHO WAS DOMINATING
THE SPORT OF GYMNASTICS. IF YOU CAME INTO THE SPORT, LIKE
I DID IN THE '80s, HAVING BOU LEGS AND A VERY MUSCULAR
PHYSIQUE, YOU WERE PENALIZED FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE BORN
WITH. AND IF YOU WERE GOING TO TRY TO
EXPRESS YOURSELF, TRUST ME, YOU WERE GOING TO GET DEDUCTED FOR
THAT.
>> WE WILL NOW SEE DOMINIQUE DAWES LOCK IN HER NEW
FLOOR EXERCISE ROUTINE.
>> IN 1996, 19‐YEAR‐OLD DOMINIQUE DAWES STEPPED ONTO THE
FLOOR AT THE USA GYMNASTICS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
>> THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A CLASS CALL ROUTINE, WHICH IS
NOT MY STRONG SUIT. WE CHOSE THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS
PLAYING TO THE JUDGES. IT'S NOT PLAYING TO MY FANS.
>> DAWES WOULD WIN A BRONZE MEDAL AT THE OLYMPICS FOR THIS
SAME ROUTINE.
>> NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS WOULD I EVER SEE HIP HOP, POP,
OR SOUL MUSIC USED AT AN OLYMPIC GAMES.
HOWEVER, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE ON THE
HORIZON.
>> BEFORE I GO ON, I ‐‐ I SHUT EVERYTHING.
I SHUT EVERYTHING OFF, EXCEPT FOR WHICH OF MY 18 PERSONALITIES
DO I WANT TO BE TODAY.
>> NEXT ON THE FLOOR FOR UCLA ‐‐
>> AND I PRESENT AND I STEP ONTO THE FLOOR.
♪♪
IT'S THE FLOOR EXERCISE, BUT IT'S A STAGE TO ME.
I'M REACHING POTENTIALLY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
>> MORE THAN 15 MILLION TO BE EXACT.
UCLA GYMNASTS MARGZETTA FRAZIER AND NIA DENNIS GOING VIRAL WITH
THEIR FLOOR EXERCISES CELEBRATING BLACK CULTURE.
MARGZETTA JOINING JANET'S RHYTHM NATION.
♪♪
NIA THROWING UP A FIST TO KENDRICK.
>> WE STARTED WITH KENDRICK LAMAR BECAUSE HE'S A HUGE
ACTIVIST IN HIS MUSIC. AND I WANTED TO TRY TO BRING THE
SAME MESSAGE THROUGH DANCE, THROUGH GYMNASTICS.
>> WHEN PEOPLE SEE YOUR ROUTINES, I THINK THERE'S A
SURPRISE ELEMENT ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, "OH MY
GOD, THEY DID THAT." AND THE WORD AUDACITY COMES UP,
LIKE, WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION? DID YOU GIVE IT TO YOURSELF?
>> I'VE DEFINITELY GIVEN MYSELF THE AUDACITY TO DO THESE FLOOR
ROUTINES THAT BEST SUIT ME. BUT I WOULD SAY UCLA GYMNASTICS
GAVE ME THE OPENING.
>> FOR YEARS, THE UCLA GYMNASTICS PROGRAM HAS
CHAMPIONED AND EMBRACED EACH ATHLETE'S PERSONALITY.
IN 2019, KATELYN OHASHI'S ROUTINE BROKE THE INTERNET.
♪♪
>> THE GYMNAST HAVING THE COURAGE TO EXPRESS THEIR TRUE
SELVES AND CHOOSE MUSIC THAT THEY GREW UP WITH IS A HUGE STEP.
WHEN GYMNASTICS IS SUCH A CUTTHROAT, VERY STRICT SPORT.
>> I'VE BEEN DOING GYMNASTICS SINCE I WAS 4 YEARS OLD.
IT HAS ITS HIGHS AND DEFINITELY HAS ITS LOWS.
IT'S TAUGHT ME SO MANY LIFE LESSONS THAT MADE ME STRONGER AS
A BLACK WOMAN.
>> YOU'RE IN A WHITE DOMINATED SPORT AND YOU'RE A COUPLE OF
BLACK GIRLS WHO SAID, "I'M GOING TO COME UP HERE AND CHANGE THE
GAME." WAS IT TOUGH?
>> BEING A BLACK WOMAN IN GENERAL, YOU ALWAYS KNOW THAT
YOU HAVE TO RAISE THE BAR FOR YOURSELF HIGHER THAN MOST TO GET
HALF AS FAR AS YOUR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.
GROWING UP, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, THE STYLE OF MY
GYMNASTICS, IT WAS ALWAYS VERY, VERY STRONG.
AND THEN THE OTHER GIRLS WOULD GET ELEGANT, POISED, ARTISTIC ‐‐
>> GRACEFUL.
>> YEAH. GRACEFUL.
>> IS THERE A LITTLE SADNESS TO IT?
>> IT STINGS A LITTLE, BUT WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT I
KNOW THAT I'M GRACEFUL AND BEAUTIFUL, AND THOSE ARE JUST
OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS AND IT IS A SUBJECTIVE SPORT THAT I DID
SIGN UP FOR.
>> WHILE MARGZETTA AND NIA ROCK THE WORLD OF COLLEGIATE
GYMNASTICS, MANY OTHERS HAVE STARTED SPEAKING UP ON A RANGE
OF SOCIAL ISSUES. SIMONE BILES, THE MOST DECORATED
GYMNAST IN HISTORY, USING HER PLATFORM TO PUSH FOR EQUALITY.
>> I LOVE THE FACT TODAY THAT SIMONE BILES CAN BE AS OUTSPOKEN
AND TRUTHFUL AS SHE IS TODAY. I WOULD SAY TO KEEP IT UP.
YOUNG ATHLETES NEED TO SEE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE
CONTROLLED BY THE SYSTEM. WE DO NEED TO BREAK THE RIGIDITY
OF THE SPORT OF GYMNASTICS. WE NEED TO LEARN TO EMBRACE
PEOPLE'S DIFFERENCES, EMBRACE THE MESSAGES THAT THEY WANT TO
PUT OUT.
>> WILL YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE OLYMPICS?
>> HOPEFULLY. I HOPE WE HAVE INSPIRED SOMEBODY
TO GO OUT THERE AND DO A HIP HOP/POP ROUTINE AT THE OLYMPICS.
IT'S SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH, LIKE, WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO SEE
THAT ON THE BIGGEST STAGE?
>>> STILL AHEAD, MY FRIEND SUNNY HOSTIN TAKES THINGS UP A NOTCH
IN THE KITCHEN AND GETS REAL ABOUT RACE IN SPORTS WITH BLACK JOURNALISTS.
>> I WANTED TO ASK ALL OF YOU WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE THE
ONLY BROWN FACE IN THE ROOM.
>> WHEN "SOUL OF A NATION" RETURNS.
♪♪
>>> WELCOME TO THE KITCHEN.
>> HEY.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.
>> AND IT FEELS LIKE, KIND OF, A SPORTS FAMILY REUNION?
>> IT IS.
>> YES?
>> OH, MAN. THESE MY SISTERS RIGHT HERE.
>> THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
>> LITERALLY, BIG BROTHER.
>> WELL, I WANTED TO ASK ALL OF YOU WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE THE
ONLY BROWN FACE IN THE ROOM? I THINK WE'VE PROBABLY ALL HAD
THAT FEELING, RIGHT? AND I'VE INTERVIEWED
BUBBA WALLACE. I'VE INTERVIEWED TIGER WOODS.
AND SERENA WILLIAMS RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT MEGHAN MARKLE AND
HER EXPERIENCE OF BEING THE ONLY IN A ROYAL FAMILY.
WHAT'S BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE OF BEING THE ONLY?
>> WHEN YOU'RE THE ONLY BLACK WOMAN IN THE ROOM, WHEN YOU'RE
THE ONLY AFRICAN‐AMERICAN PERSON IN THE ROOM, IT'S JUST PART OF
YOUR EXPERIENCE. IN MY EARLY DAYS OF DOING
FOOTBALL, I WOULD FEEL THAT, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT ME.
THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT ME IN THE ROOM. SO, YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP
CLIMBING AND STAY TRUE. BUT YOU ALSO KNOW YOU CAN'T MESS
UP. IF YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE, YOU'RE
REPRESENTING EVERYONE WHO LOOKS LIKE YOU.
>> DOES IT FEEL MORE LIKE A BURDEN OR A PRIVILEGE?
>> IS IT A BURDEN? YOU COULD LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.
BUT IT IS ALSO IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE PAVING THE WAY AND INSPIRING
PEOPLE BEHIND YOU. AND YOU SAID YOU WERE LOOKING UP
TO HER.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> AWW.
>> OF COURSE I WAS LOOKING UP TO YOU, LISA.
YOU KNOW, WHEN ‐‐ WHEN YOU'RE A BLACK GIRL AND YOU WANT TO BE A
SPORTS BROADCASTER, I MEAN, THERE ARE VERY FEW NAMES THAT
COME TO MIND. AND YOU GUYS WERE DOING EXACTLY
WHAT I WANTED TO DO. BUT I REMEMBER HOW DIFFICULT IT
WAS WHEN I FIRST STARTED COLLEGE FOOTBALL.
AND YOU WALK INTO THESE PRODUCTION MEETINGS.
AND YOU'RE SITTING THERE WITH THE HEAD COACH.
YOU'RE SITTING THERE WITH YOUR PLAY‐BY‐PLAY AND YOUR ANALYSTS,
AND USUALLY THESE ARE ALL WHITE MEN.
AND I ALWAYS JUST FELT LIKE I DIDN'T BELONG IN THE ROOM.
>> WOW.
>> AND YOU'RE IN THOSE ROOMS FOR A REASON. YOUR VOICE MATTERS.
YOUR OPINION MATTERS. AND IT'S A PRIVILEGE, LIKE YOU
SAID, BUT I ALSO FEEL LIKE IT'S A DUTY.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK, MARC?
>> YOU KNOW HOW I THINK MORE OF US GET INTO THE ROOM?
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OF THE PEOPLE WE SEE OVER AND ‐‐ I
GUESS THEY'RE NOT IN THE KITCHEN. THEY'RE IN THE LIVING ROOM.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES WHO BRING US IN.
I REMEMBER GOING TO THIS SPORTS EDITORS CONVENTION AND 90% OF
THE SPORTS EDITORS WERE WHITE. AND THEM SAYING THAT THEY DIDN'T
KNOW HOW TO FIND BLACK SPORTS WRITERS, SPORTS JOURNALISTS.
I'M LIKE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? THEY'RE JUST CALLING THEIR
FRIENDS AND GETTING REFERENCES.
>> YEAH.
>> BUT IT'S THE SPORTS EDITOR, IT'S THE PRODUCERS, THE STATION
MANAGERS. ULTIMATELY, I THINK THOSE ARE
THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO CHANGE HOW EVERYTHING LOOKS.
>> IF WE GET MORE DECISIONMAKERS IN THE ROOM, THEN SOME OF THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE SOUND A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
>> MY WHOLE TIME COMING UP, I THINK I WORKED FOR ONE BLACK
SPORTS EDITOR.
>> I DON'T THINK I HAVE EVER HAD A BOSS OF COLOR.
>> REALLY?
>> NOT AT ESPN.
>> YEAH.
>> NOT COVERING COLLEGE FOOTBALL. NOT COVERING THE NBA.
NOT COVERING THE NFL.
>> NEVER?
>> WOW. HOW LONG? 20 YEARS?
>> 21 YEARS.
>> EVERY DECISION ABOUT YOUR CAREER IS MADE WHEN YOU'RE NOT
IN THE ROOM. AND SO, REPRESENTATION MATTERS
TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE GET INTO THE ROOM WITH YOU.
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
>> I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION IN THE KITCHEN.
WHEN IS THE MOMENT THAT YOU KNEW YOU WERE BLACK?
>> I WAS IN SECOND GRADE AND MY FAMILY HAD MOVED FROM THE INNER
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO A SUBURB OF PHILADELPHIA AND WE WERE IN A
PREDOMINANTLY WHITE COMMUNITY. WE HAD A PLAY AND I WAS CAST AS
THE LEAD. AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS THE
GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD. BUT SOME OF THOSE PARENTS, THEY
DID NOT. THEY COMPLAINED TO THE SCHOOL.
MANY PARENTS DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS LITTLE BLACK GIRL SHOULD
HAVE THE LEAD IN THE CLASS PLAY. I JUST REMEMBER MY PARENTS
TELLING ME HOW PROUD OF ME THAT THEY WERE.
THEY WERE FUELED, LIKE, "THAT'S OUR KID." THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S OUR KID WHO'S THE LEAD IN THE PLAY.
>> THAT'S KEY. YOUR PARENTS' REACTION TO IT.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE LITTLE, YOU'RE JUST KIND OF LIKE,
SOMETHING'S WRONG.
>> HOLD ON.
>> YOU KNOW, I DON'T REALLY QUITE KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT I CAN
TELL THAT SOMETHING'S UP BECAUSE YOUR PARENTS ARE SO FIRED UP.
>> YEAH.
>> SO THAT WAS MY MOMENT.
>> THAT WAS YOUR MOMENT. MARC, WHEN WAS THE MOMENT?
>> AROUND THIRD OR FOURTH GRADE. AND THERE WAS ONE NIGHT I HAD A
FRIEND, A KID THAT WAS A ASIAN KID AND HE INVITED ME OVER TO
STAY THE NIGHT AT HIS HOUSE. STAYED THE NIGHT.
HAD A GOOD TIME. GOT UP THE MORNING.
MY DAD PICKED ME UP. SOON AS WE WALKED INTO THE
HOUSE, HIS MOTHER HAD CALLED. DAD PICKED UP THE PHONE AND SHE
SAID, YEAH, YOUR SON, HE STOLE $20 OUT OF MY PURSE.
SHE ‐‐ SO MY DAD SAID, HOLD ON A SECOND.
HE SAID, SON, DID YOU STEAL $20 FROM YOUR FRIEND'S MOM?
I SAID NO. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ONE MORE
TIME. DID YOU STEAL $20 FROM YOUR FRIEND'S MOM? NO.
MY DAD PICKS UP THE PHONE UP, MY SON DOESN'T LIE TO ME, HE DIDN'T
STEAL $20, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.
TEN MINUTES LATER, SHE CALLED BACK.
MR. SPEARS, MY APOLOGY, I FOUND THE $20 IN MY COUCH.
AND SO HE HANGS UP THE PHONE, HE TOOK ME ASIDE AND HE SAYS, SON,
THEY THOUGHT YOU TOOK THE MONEY BECAUSE YOU'RE BLACK.
YOU KNOW, SEEING THE PAIN ON MY DAD'S FACE, THE ANGER ‐‐
>> YEAH.
>> THAT'S WHEN IT HIT.
>> ANGRY AND THE FEAR THAT THEIR CHILD COULD BE ACCUSED OF
SOMETHING WHEN THEY'RE NOT GUILTY OF IT. MARIA?
>> I REMEMBER ME AND MY FAMILY WOULD ALWAYS TAKE ROAD TRIPS SO
WE WOULD DRIVE DOWN FROM CHICAGO TO ATLANTA AND SO, YOU KNOW,
WE'D GET DOWN TO THE SOUTH AND
IT WAS KIND OF ‐‐ IT SHIFTED.
SO WE'D GO INTO THIS RESTAURANT AND THEY HAVE A TON OF TOYS THAT
ARE IN THERE AND SO I'M PLAYING, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS IN
THE RESTAURANT, PLAYING WITH TOYS.
AND THERE'S A LADY WHO WORKS THERE THAT'S WALKING AROUND.
SHE'S LIKE, "YOU GUYS NEED TO PUT THOSE DOWN."
AND I'M LIKE, 5 YEARS OLD. MY BROTHER'S 9.
AND I JUST KEEP PLAYING. AND MY BROTHER GRABS ME AND IS
LIKE, "OKAY, COME ON." AND HE WAS LIKE, "LISTEN, SHE
CAME OVER THERE BECAUSE YOU'RE BLACK. AND YOU CAN'T PLAY LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE."
>> WOW.
>> AND IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR IT TO SET IN, BUT I
KNEW THAT, LIKE, ME NOT BEING ABLE TO PLAY HAD SOMETHING TO DO
WITH ME BEING BLACK AND JUST, KIND OF, LIKE, SITTING WITH THAT.
>> THAT'S HEAVY FOR LITTLE ONES BECAUSE ALL OF YOUR EXPERIENCES
WHERE WHEN YOU WERE SMALL.
>> UH‐HUH.
>> BUT AIN'T THAT HORRIBLE?
>> RIGHT.
>> NOT THAT UNUSUAL.
>> I KNOW.
>> YEAH.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME IN THE KITCHEN.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IT'S MY PRIVILEGE ‐‐
>> NO, THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
>> YEP. KEEP HOLDING IT DOWN.
>> THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO TRY.
>> WE NEED YOU OUT HERE.
>> I'M GOING TO TRY.
>> I KNOW ‐‐ I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE'S NO FOOD.
>> THERE'S NO FOOD. YEAH. WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT THAT.
>> EVERYONE HAS MENTIONED THAT THERE'S NO FOOD.
>>> COMING UP, MOVIES GIVE A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIVES OF BLACK
ATHLETES. OUR PARTNERS AT "THE UNDEFEATED"
SHOW HOW FILMED PULL BACK THE CURTAIN AND GET REAL ABOUT RACE.
>> THESE ARE MOVIES THAT WE LIVE AND CAN IDENTIFY WITH.
>> WHEN "SOUL OF A NATION" RETURNS.
>>> WELCOME BACK TO "SOUL OF A NATION."
ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS I LOVE FILMS.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO SPORTS, MOVIES HAVE A WAY OF MAKING OUR
ATHLETIC HEROES LARGER THAN LIFE. SOME SHOW THE UGLY REALITIES OF
RACISM ATHLETES FACE IN THEIR QUEST FOR GLORY.
OUR PARTNERS AT "THE UNDEFEATED" TAKE AN EVEN CLOSER LOOK INTO
THE MOVIE GAME.
>> WHEN I THINK ABOUT ICONIC SPORTS MOVIES THAT REPRESENT
BLACK LIFE AND CULTURE.
>> "BRIAN'S SONG" WITH BILLY DEE WILLIAMS.
>> I THINK OF COACH CARTER. BECAUSE WHEN I WATCHED THAT, I
WAS LIKE, I LIKE HIM, HIM, HIM.
>> THAT'S A SHOUTOUT TO THE REST OF YOU.
>> YES, SIR.
>> "ALI," WILL SMITH, THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT FILM.
>> "42" FOR JACK SEE ROBINSON. LIKE IF IT WASN'T FOR HIM, MANY
PEOPLE OF MY COLOR WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PLAY IN THE MAJOR
LEAGUES.
>> SHOW ME THE MONEY.
>> SHOW ME THE MONEY IS THE MOST ICONIC LINE.
>> THESE ARE MOVIES THAT WE LIVE AND THAT WE KNOW ABOUT.
THESE ARE FILMS WE CAN IDENTIFY
WITH.
>> BLACK SPORTS FILMS CAN BE USED TO MAKE CULTURAL STATEMENTS
EFFORTLESSLY, BECAUSE SPORTS WAS SUCH AN IMPORTANT FABRIC OF THE
COMMUNITY.
>> WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME THEN.
>> I DEFINITELY THINK SPORTS FILMS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE MOST
APPETIZING WAY TO DELIVER RACE QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGES TO A
MAINSTREAM AUDIENCE.
>> YOU GOT A JOB?
>> I HAVE A JOB.
>> YOU BEEN DOING YOUR JOB?
>> I'VE BEEN DOING MY JOB.
>> THEN WHY DON'T YOU TELL YOUR WHITE BUDDIES TO BLOCK FOR REV
BETTER BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BLOCKED FOR HIM WORTH A BLOOD
NICKLE AND YOU KNOW IT!
>> "REMEMBER THE TITANS" HAS CHANGED THE CONVERSATION AROUND
RACE.
♪ WE ARE THE TITANS ♪
♪ THE MIGHTY, MIGHTY TITANS ♪
>> IN THAT MOVIE IT SHOWED WHITES AND BLACKS BEING ABLE TO
COME TOGETHER FOR A COMMON CAUSE.
>> DON'T FORGET YOU STILL PLAYING WITH ME HOMIE.
>> I'VE ALWAYS LOVED "ABOVE THE RIM" BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST A
BASKETBALL MOVIE. IT TALKED ABOUT STREET BALL
CULTURE IN NEW YORK. LOOK AT BIGGIE SMALLS ON HIS
FIRST ALBUM, HE SAID, "THE STREETS IS A SHORTSTOP.
EITHER YOU SLINGIN' CRACK ROCK OR YOU GOT A WICKED JUMP SHOT."
>> IT'S MY FIRST FILM. VERY FIRST FILM I AUDITIONED FOR.
I WAS VERY BLESSED TO GET A FILM THAT SHOWS URBAN
SPORTS IN A SENSE WHERE MONEY IS BEING WAGED.
AND THEN POWER AND SORT GHETTO PRIDE IS AT STAKE.
>> THIS BOY AIN'T GOT IT, THIS BOY AIN'T GOT IT.
>> "HOOP DREAMS" SPOKE TO THE OTHER SIDE.
>> JCHLT JOE'S BEGINS TO UNRAVEL.
>> WHEN THE BALL STOPS BOUNCING, WHEN THE GAME'S OVER, THEN WHAT?
>> THIS IS YOU'RE DECISION AND YOU GOTO LIVE AND DIE WITH IT.
>> I THINK "HE GOT GAME" REALLY SHOWS A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES
THESE PLAYERS HAVE TO FACE BEFORE THEY EVEN GO TO COLLEGE.
>> I'M TEACHING BROTHER. I'M TEACHING SON.
>> SORT OF PULLING AT YOUR HEART STRINGS.
>> IT'S YOUR BALL.
>> AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE STORIES OF SORT OF THE GLORY OF
MAKING IT TO THE OTHER SIDE.
♪ WILLIE BEAMEN ♪
>> I FORGET HOW IT GOES. BUT HE HAWES THE DRINK AND THE
SIP.
>> IT WAS SO GREAT TO SEE THAT. IT WAS ONE OF OURS DOING IT
FLARED UP DOING IT THE WAY WE DO IT OR WHATEVER BECAUSE IN SPORTS
THERE WASN'T REALLY ANY BLACK QUARTERBACKS LIKE THAT.
>> I'M GOING TO STAY WHO I AM. STEAMIN WILLIE BEAMEN.
>> FOR A LOT OF US, THOSE CHARACTERS ARE THE FIRST TIMES
WE SAW THREE DIMENSIONAL VERSIONS OF OURSELVES ON SCREEN.
>> DON'T TEMPT ME. DON'T TEMPT ME, I'M WARNING YOU.
>> MONICA WRIGHT IS SUCH AN AMAZING CHARACTER BECAUSE HERE,
YOU HAVE A WOMAN ATHLETE THAT PUTS THE GAME FIRST.
>> I'M A BALL PLAYER. IF ANYBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT
MEANS, IT SHOULD BE YOU.
>> I REMEMBER BEING IN FIFTH GRADE AND PLAYING BASKETBALL AND
I THOUGHT IT WAS SO FLY THAT SHE WAS AN EXPERT, A PRO, IN
BASKETBALL.
>> WHAT HE SAY?
>> HE SAY TO GIVE THE BALL TO YOU.
>> I LOVE THAT MOVIE ENDS WITH MONICA BEING THE ONE TO MAKE IT
TO THE LEAGUE ‐‐
>> NUMBER 32, MONICA WRIGHT McCALL!
>> YOU KNOW, A LOT OF BLACK GIRLS, BLACK WOMEN AND WOMEN IN
GENERAL ARE TOLD, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T LIVE, YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE
ONE OR THE OTHER. AND HERE YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY
OF THIS BLACK GIRL CHOOSING BOTH?
>> ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND BASKETBALL BABY.
>> WE WANT TO SEE THE UNDERDOG. WE WANT TO SEE SOMEBODY MAKE IT
WHO PROBABLY WASN'T SUPPOSED TO AND SO WHEN A FILM SATISFIES
THAT, YOU REMEMBER IT.
>> WE NEED MORE MOVIES LIKE THIS. TO SHOW THE DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES OF WHAT BEING A BLACK WOMAN, A BLACK MAN, A
BLACK PERSON WAS. SO I THINK THESE MOVIES
RESONATE, BECAUSE THEY WERE SO GOOD. AND HOPEFULLY, WE CAN BRING
THOSE TYPE OF MOVIES BACK.
>> HEY. DOUBLE OR NOTHING.
>>> WHEN WE COME BACK, AN EMPOWERING PERFORMANCE FROM MY
MAN COMMON.
>>> WITH A SPECIAL FIRST LOOK FROM HIS NEW ALBUM, "A BEAUTIFUL
REVOLUTION PART TWO," DROPPING THIS SPRING, HERE'S MY MAN
COMMON WITH "GET IT RIGHT."
♪♪
♪ NO TIME TO WASTE ♪
♪ LIFE IS PASSING YOU BY ♪
♪ TIME FLIES ♪
♪ BE PATIENT ♪
♪ BECAUSE GOOD THINGS HAPPEN IN
TIME ♪
♪ WE GONNA GET IT RIGHT ♪
♪ PROTEST AND ANTHEMS
YES WE CHANTIN' A MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE
IT'S LIKE WE'RE DANCIN' ♪
♪ TO THE MINISTRY OF
IT'S THE ENERGY OF IN MEMORY OF OF THEM THAT WE LOVE ♪
♪ THE TRINITY OF THE PEOPLE
THAT PEACE THE POWER THE TRUTH WE SPEAK
TO POWER IS EVEN LOUDER ♪
♪ WE CAN SAY IT BLACKER
WE CAN SAY IT PROUDER A WOMAN VICE PRESIDENT
THAT WENT TO HOWARD ♪
♪ NOW WE TALK HEALTH
AND BLACK BUSINESSES AND OUR DIFFERENCES
IS MAGNIFICENT BRINGING ♪
♪ LIGHT TO THE POOR AND
WHERE THE PRISONS IS I WAS TOLD GOOD LIFE
IS WHERE FORGIVENESS LIVES ♪
♪ THE ACCESSION IS TO
LEAVE WHAT'S LEFT BEHIND AND FEED THE SEEDS WITH
DEEDS THAT BLESS THE MIND ♪
♪ CARESS THE MIND AND
QUESTION JUST DEFINE WHEN YOU AND GOD
AND TIME ARE BEST ALIGNED ♪
♪ TIME FLIES
NO TIME TO WASTE WHILE ITS PASSING YOU BY
TIME FLIES ♪
♪ BE PATIENT BECAUSE
GOOD THINGS HAPPEN IN TIME WE GONE GET IT RIGHT
WE GONE GET IT RIGHT ♪
♪ WE GONE GET IT RIGHT
WE GONE GET IT RIGHT HOW CAN I BE A BETTER
FATHER, SON ♪
♪ A BETTER GRANDSON
HONORING FANNIE LOU'S AND THE FRED HAMPTONS
THE HARRIET'S THE CHARIOTS ♪
♪ THAT CARRY US TO VARIOUS
AREAS THAT MARRY US TO PROGRESS YEAH WE THE HARVEST ♪
♪ THE LOVELY DAYS
THE MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS EVEN THROUGH CHARGES
AND DAYS OF DARKNESS ♪
♪ KNOW WE IN THE HANDS
OF THE GREATEST ARTIST I SEE IT IN THE WATERS
I SEE IT IN OUR DAUGHTERS ♪
♪ THEY CAN BE BRIDGES
THAT KNOW NO BORDERS FOR SO LONG THEM
FOLK TRIED TO IGNORE US ♪
♪ WHEN WE AT THE BALLOT BOX
IT'S A VOTE FOR US PEACE TO STACEY AND
THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA ♪
♪ WHO GALVANIZED SO
WE COULD MOVE FORWARD STEPS ARE ORDERED WITH
THE PRESENCE OF MIND ♪
♪ EVERYTHING IS MORE
BEAUTIFUL IN TIME TIME FLIES
NO TIME TO WASTE WHILE ♪
♪ ITS PASSING YOU BY
TIME FLIES BE PATIENT BECAUSE GOOD
THINGS HAPPEN IN TIME ♪
♪ WE GONE GET IT RIGHT
WE GONE GET IT RIGHT WE GONE GET IT RIGHT
WE GONE GET IT RIGHT ♪
♪ TIME FLIES ♪
♪ BE PATIENT BECAUSE GOOD THINGS
HAPPEN IN TIME ♪
♪ "SOUL OF A NATION" ♪
♪ WE GETTING IT RIGHT ♪
♪ FOR THE PEOPLE ♪
♪ OUR PEOPLE ♪
♪ FOR THE WORLD ♪
♪ WE GONE GET IT RIGHT ♪
>> I GIVE THAT PERFORMANCE ALL THE FIRE EMOJIS.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "SOUL OF A NATION."
WE'RE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS AS YOUR HOST.
AND WE'LL EXPLORE HOW BLACK FOLKS ARE TURNING PAIN INTO
POWER. I'M JEMELE HILL. GOOD NIGHT.