This is how you use your influence!
NBA Star Chris Paul has been using his time back on the court to pay homage to various historically Black colleges and universities, HBCU Gameday reports.
Nicknamed the “HBCU Sneaker Tour,” the Oklahoma City player has been entering into the NBA bubble everyday donning different HBCU paraphernalia and getting these schools much deserved attention. On the day before he won against the Washington Wizards, 121-103, he walked into the NBA bubble wearing shoes and sneakers repping Albany State University in their signature blue and gold colorway. On another game day, he came in rocking a North Carolina A&T shirt complete with “Aggies” tennis shoes.
Paul is no stranger to this, he almost always shines light on HBCUs and people pretty much expect it from him, with school’s waiting to thank him when they see their names emblazoned on the court. The point guard has partnered with a number of these schools as well including North Carolina Central, North Carolina A&T, and Winston-Salem State. He is also said to be producing an upcoming documentary about HBCU basketball.
Thanks Chris Paul! We appreciate you highlighting Albany State University! #ChrisPaul #NBA #OklahomaCityThunder #ASUGoldenRams #LetsGoRams #RamNation pic.twitter.com/3MmSneKmhl
— Albany State University (@AlbanyStateUniv) August 9, 2020
The gesture’s are all a part of the Chris Paul Family Foundation’s “Leadership Alliance HBCU Initiative,” which seeks to enhance and support the growth of future leaders by providing HBCU students with access to learning the business of sports and entertainment through interactive initiatives.
Photo Courtesy of @cp3/Instagram
“I think it’s really important to me because I’m one of those people who got a lot more interested in history as I got older. When I was a kid and going through it, I wasn’t really paying attention. It was just like, That’s that and that’s that…I’m one of the only people in my family that didn’t attend an HBCU. But deep down inside, I feel like I did or I wish I would have…Now that I’ve gotten older, I’ve done a lot of research into HBCUs and see that they don’t get the same funding that a lot of these other schools get—different PWIs [predominately white institutions] and different colleges. What I’ve understood in doing the research is that a lot of these HBCUs are the schools that are educating our culture, our people. So why not try to make sure they can get the same recognition? Why can’t we try to make sure that they’re funded properly? I think a lot of people need to know that some of their favorite people, whoever it may be, they are products of historically Black colleges and universities,” Paul told Slam magazine.
Photo Courtesy of @cp3/@supportblackcollege/Instagram
In addition to his work to highlight these schools, Paul has also been taking a knee during the National Anthem and bringing attention to various social justice issues including the case of murdered EMT worker Breonna Taylor at the hands of the Louisville, Kentucky police, writing her name on his sneakers nightly. “ I also write Breonna Taylor’s name on my shoes every game because the cops still haven’t been arrested and we want to keep that pressure on [Kentucky Attorney General] Daniel Cameron and everybody behind him,” Paul said.
Thank you for using your platform for good!
Photo Courtesy of @cp3/Instagram