Friday was Juneteenth day. A celebratory day for Afro-Americans symbolizing when the last of black slaves were notified they were free. Attention to the day has magnified due to the recent social unrest surrounding the death of George Floyd.
Friday to show support of both the holiday and the Black Lives Matter movement, the Washington Wizards changed their profile picture throughout their social media accounts.
The black fist being symbolic of Black Lives Matter.
The Wizards have embraced the movement and its relationship with the black community. In 2018, the team moved its practice facility to the Congress Heights in Southeast Washington, DC — a predominantly black neighborhood in the Ward 8 sector of the nation’s capital.
Players such as Bradley Beal and John Wall have been pillars in the community with their outreach. Recently, Wall launched a rent relief program, The 202 Assist, for residents of Ward 8 affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wall hosts numerous events through his John Wall Foundation for the area. Beal has a program at nearby Ron Brown High School. The Wizards’ parent company, Monumental Sports, has been backed their players outreach. And they’ve backed their support of Black Livers Matter.
Friday’s display echoed their long lasting commitment supporting a large portion of its fans.
