Colts Announce Initiatives to Further Support the Local Black Community

The Indianapolis Colts organization on Thursday announced a number of new initiatives in order to help further support the local Black community:

We are creating the full-time position of Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

This new position will work with the entire organization on social responsibility, hiring, education, training and other topics. pic.twitter.com/KlNcAF1E2y

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) June 18, 2020

To celebrate and honor the history of June 19, 1865, #Juneteenth will officially become a permanent company holiday. pic.twitter.com/K6SrAYqFe2

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) June 18, 2020

In the wake of the senseless killing of George Floyd in Minnesota—which was the boiling over point for our country after a long history of racially charged police brutality and injustices against black victims, the Colts have created constructive means that the franchise can seek to spark positive social change by providing local support to the Indianapolis Black community.

This includes the creation of a full-time Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion position, the Irsay Family Impact Scholarship, and honoring the history of June 19th, 1865, as a permanent company recognized holiday.

Recently, the NFL as a whole has shifted its stance on publicly recognizing the inequality and injustices present today in our country towards Black people—especially by now emphasizing the players’ rights to peacefully protest and kneel during the National Anthem.

The Colts’ organizational leadership—including general manager Chris Ballard have already passionately spoke out on our country’s existing racial inequality and social injustice—and acknowledged that there’s clearly still plenty of work to be performed as what’s been done, hasn’t been nearly enough:

Chris Ballard shares his thoughts on social justice and racial inequality: pic.twitter.com/UvsLBjrsaT

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) June 4, 2020

One could very well argue, ‘Why so late?’

However, it’s better to be late than never at all.

At least the Colts are letting their actions right now speak louder than their words ever could to truly make a necessary social difference.

The franchise looks to be on the forefront of NFL franchises as far as it relates to actually creating constructive means to spark necessary social change regarding racial inequality and injustice—beyond public donations (not that there’s anything wrong with the latter).

It remains a tumultuous time period for this country—with still ongoing civil unrest and protest; however, at least the Colts are among those NFL teams looking to make a meaningful positive impact in the Black community—and that’s something to be proud of.

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