Sports have been a way for people to have some type of release from their everyday lives. Most people around the world watch some tyoe of sport whether that be football, American football, basketball, etc. With some sports viewer ratings going above 1 million the athletes have many eyes watching them in their given game. This viewership creates a platform for them to express themselves however they deem fit. In my case I am focusing on the atheletes and fans who have chosen to use that platform to advance a certain social narrative.
Social injustice is a topic that sparks a lot of discourse between many different types of people. Throughout history professional athletes have used their platform to push forward these social topics with which they believe. An example that is highlighted in my exhibit is the protest of racial injustices by Tommie Smith and John Carlos during the 1968 Summer Olympics. This shows how different protests can morph throughout time. Colin Kaepernick and his anthem protest is just one of the athletes that took the grounwork previously laid by Smith and Carlos.Kaepernick took a knee to raise awareness for police brutality toward African Americans. His example shows how an athlete taking a stand for what he/she seems fit to protest can change depending on the way someone else defines the original reason for the protest.