The first recipient of the NFL/JayZ partnership’s community grants is a Chicago Youth Group, Crusher Club, whose White founder shared a photo of herself cutting the locs off of a young black man, referencing the act as “symbolic of change and their desire for a better life” back in 2016.
The group is one of the #InspireChange recipients of a bloc of grants that the NFL is handing out to social change and community organizations as part of a partnership following the Colin Kaepernick protest over police brutality.
The since-deleted tweet was from 2016 and others found problematic tweets including one where the founder used the term “All Lives Matter” which is a common retort to the Black Lives Matter movement which aims to curb police involved shooting, violence and killing of unarmed black people, and retweeted Donald Trump who has called protesting football players “sons of bitches” and Candace Owens who is critical of social justice work and had other controversial statements
Battle line have been drawn between camps of supporters who are happy for Jay Z’s partnership which will include among donations, the business mogul heavily involved in producing and organizing a series of events and half time shows during NFL games.
The founder has since said she meant no disrespect when she shared photos of herself cutting off a black boy’s dreadlocks in 2016 and the boxing club he belongs, Crusher Club of Chicago, has also issued a statement indicating that it does not discriminate against or ban dred hair.
Loc wearers, in particular, decided to share photos of themselves in their locs and/or news about all they have been able to accomplish in life while having a full head of locs on their heads.
Here is a round up of a few of the tweet reactions:
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