Advancement Project’s National Office does not stand for the suspension of girls and boys of color for being assertive, sassy, nor outspoken – all issues that could otherwise be approached with restorative and supportive tactics by school administrators. Advancement Project’s National Office equally rejects punitive practices currently facing adults of color in professional environments who are taking a stand for racial injustice –athletes, police and veterans who have chosen to #TakeAKnee for racial injustice, and ESPN reporter Jemele Hill for telling social media followers to become advocates for unfair practices.
ESPN’s decision to suspend Hill, a long-time African-American female sports news anchor, is a continuance of what we challenge. This two-week suspension is an effort to silence an African American who has a national platform, thousands of followers and a message that challenges the status quo. ESPN should be ashamed.
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Advancement Project is a multi-racial civil rights organization. Founded by a team of veteran civil rights lawyers in 1999, Advancement Project was created to develop and inspire community-based solutions based on the same high quality legal analysis and public education campaigns that produced the landmark civil rights victories of earlier eras.