For many young people growing up in minority communities, there is a sense that their lives are disposable. As athletes, we have a platform to let those kids know that their lives are important. That their lives matter to us.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of recognizing the value of young lives in minority communities and using one's platform to uplift them.
In this quote, Jason Collins highlights the struggles young individuals in minority communities often face, feeling that their lives may be undervalued or disposable. He underscores the responsibility of athletes and public figures to leverage their influence to affirm these young people's worth and importance, encouraging them to realize that they matter and are significant in society.
In practice
In a speech at a youth rally advocating for minority rights.
I would love to see an athlete live their life in an authentic way, not feel that they have to hide, not feel that they have to be afraid, or live with shame - all the other things that go with being a closeted athlete. No human being should have to walk that path. But there is that fear of stepping forward.
The worst insult you can give a professional athlete is to call them soft. And the stereotype out there is that gay is soft.
The first relative I came out to was my aunt Teri, a superior court judge in San Francisco. Her reaction surprised me. 'I've known you were gay for years,' she said. From that moment on I was comfortable in my own skin.
Some people insist they've never met a gay person. But Three Degrees of Jason Collins dictates that no NBA player can claim that anymore. Pro basketball is a family. And pretty much every family I know has a brother, sister or cousin who's gay. In the brotherhood of the NBA, I just happen to be the one who's out.
My dream was to play in the NBA and live my authentic life as a proud gay man at the same time. I was able to accomplish both of those goals because of the people who have supported me throughout my life.
I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.
All kids love to get dirty, but if I wandered into the garage, my father would say: 'Son, you're not going to have filthy hands like mine. You're going into show business.'
Do today's duty, fight to-day's temptation; and do not weaken and distract yourself by looking forward to things which you cannot see, and could not understand if you saw them.
Ask me to play. I'll play. Ask me to shoot. I'll shoot. Ask me to pass. I'll pass. Ask me to steal, block out, sacrifice, lead, dominate. Anything. But it's not what you ask of me. It's what I ask of myself.
I always say that when I'm playing well, no one can beat me. I'm not just saying that to sound full of myself or anything, but it's true.
My parents always used to tell us not to complain about things but do something about them, so 'Can't is not an option' was almost a way of life.
I want to go to practice. I want to be in the huddles. That's me.
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